I’m over the Len Brown scandal hysteria

Yesterday morning I decided to have a quick flick through the Herald. (yes, I know, mistake #1) and on the front page I saw a picture of Len Brown and a small headline reading ‘Luigi Wewege leaves New Zealand’, or something to that general effect.

I didn’t look twice at the headline, which is probably why I can’t remember the exact wording of it, nor did I read the article. I simply pushed it aside and carried on with my morning coffee.

I’ve disagreed with the way the media has covered this story right from the beginning. I’m a strong believer in respecting people’s privacy and this situation affects his family and no one else. I can only imagine what his wife and children must have been going through as it is, without the rest of us thinking that we have some sort of right to stick our noses into their private life. It has absolutely nothing to do with the general public.

I would kind of understand if Brown ran his campaign from the righteous angle – taking away the rights of others, using the ‘family man’ image to prove his legitimacy as a mayor and claiming to be the most ‘morally’ perfect person in Auckland. He never did that though and obviously I’m not endorsing his actions but I’m not entirely sure where this strange sense of betrayal comes from.

If the public are really that desperate to criticise him, criticise his politics. And please try not to be one of those that loved him and voted for him but now that this news has come out you think he’s a terrible mayor. He fell short politically before re-elected and I would rather discuss that instead of his irrelevant private life.

Its time to let go, guys.