Powered By Blogger

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Others Peoples War

Fran O Sullivan is correct bluster won’t bury Hager’s revelations on military. The questions that Hager has raised are worthy of serious consideration if not an inquiry.
Since her column Hager's book has sold extremely well in many of the most thinking areas of New Zealand .The chattering classes to quote from the' Ponsonby Look 'have bought it widely in Ponsonby in fact it sold out with in a day.
Increasing numbers of people are concerned and are disappointed that the 4 Estate has failed in their duty in regard to the reservations contained with in this book .
The primeminster who has not read Hager book Other Peoples War cannot just dismiss it. The content is serious and the questions that it raises deserve proper answers.
O Sullivan is also correct to raise Jon Stephenson’s, Metro article “Eyes Wide Shut which also ask questions about our involvement in Afghanistan. A war that every day is more pointless and in which there is no taste within New Zealand for further engagement .The loss of good and courageous men there is even more reason for proper answers.
I have met both Hager and Stephenson these men are earnest investigative journalists of the highest calibre and are courageous.
The Primeminster is like Muldoon as he chooses to play the men and not the issues.
More surprising is Phil Goff’s decision to support John key is weird too. The allegations that our top military and foreign affairs officials actually worked to undermine New Zealand position and seed authority to the British and Americans when Helen Clark had put our people United Nations command is scandalous.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Haka

This letter was published in the New Zealand Herald in an abridged form Wednesday 14 September, 2011.

Jan Pearson is out of touch with her ideas about the haka .New Zealand to most foreigners means our clean and green environment Lord of the Rings and the haka.
We were in a restaurant in Buenos Aries last month and the staff immediately gave us their version of the haka. Elderly Italian and German visitors were impressed by the Maori battalion and their haka no doubt helped Jan’s grandfather as it terrified the Germans.
Flash mob hakas at the moment are going over the internet and thousands of people send them on. On Friday night at Eden Park tens of thousands loved both the haka and Tongan reply.I was surrounded by French and Argentinian supporters who were passionate in their love of the haka
When Sarah Ulmer won gold at the 2004 Olympics all the kiwi fans leapt to their feet and did a haka as she biked past. Most of them were Pakeha. I was trearful watching on television.
On the walk along the waterfront hakas were performed by school boys as the waka party passed. Unlike Jan, I loved it as did everyone around me. She will have to get over it as there are many more Pacific Island teams yet to play and they will all reply to the haka. What has really made this World Cup is the Polynesian flavour.