Why is Wayne Eagleson being untruthful over Mandela delegation exclusions?

1. “Unfortunately due to the extremely limited numbers that can be accommodated by the South African’s, the Prime Minister is not able to include party leaders in the delegation other than the Leader of the Opposition.”

   Christ, that apostrophe abuse made me cringe almost as much as the excuse itself.

2. That Jim Bolger should go because he was PM when the regime ended is a very odd rational indeed.

3. “Unfortunately due to the extremely limited numbers that can be accommodated by the South African’s, the Prime Minister is not able to include party leaders in the delegation other than the Leader of the Opposition.”

   Then the Leader of the Opposition has to act.

   David Cunliffe needs to ring up John Minto right now and offer him his official place and plane ticket.

   Such a magnanimous gesture would be a huge political statement. And show that David Cunliffe is the leader this country needs.

   You can do it David. You can make a difference.

   Don’t become part of a sham delegation, with no anti-apartheid leaders, dominated with hypocrites mouthing insincere platitudes but making no real reconciliation with the anti-apartheid movement. This would be antipathy to the memory of Nelson Mandela.

   The “Politically Witless and Wicked”

   ….Mandela not only made history, he also did so in such a way that he made others wish to rewrite their own histories. In some cases, they seem to have done this because the argument against apartheid – and it actually was a matter of debate for plenty of people at the time, kids – was won so totally that to retrospectively admit in public that you were on the wrong side of it, or in effect on the fence, became akin to saying you were as politically witless as you were wicked.

   http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/06/follow-nelson-mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawning

   David Cunliffe has the ability to whip the veil away from the eyes of the many in this country who still refuse to face up to the errors of their past views, (and possibly current views) on racism and injustice thanks to the ‘politically witless” at the time, and the determinedly “wicked” now, like John Key and his coterie, furiously rewriting or covering up their own histories.
   Without a proper accounting and reconciliation many others also, instead of also having to admit to themselves that they were wrong, are being left to harbour the nasty sort of racist views that allowed them to put enjoying a sporting event over brutal oppression.

   David Cunliffe not only has the ability to challenge these views, but the duty to do so. Not with words but with actions. With a simple modest action David Cunliffe would make a strong statement that the stand of the John Mintos rather than the John Keys was the right side to take.

   • Jenny that is lateral thinking of the highest order.

     You’re 100% right, this would cement in Cunliffe’s leadership.

     • I agree Frank this would make David Cunliffe’s reputation. The TV camera crews and newspaper reporters would be falling over each other to interview him. It would be on the TV talk shows for weeks.

       Add to that Minto’s presence on the official delegation, and the circumstances of it, would also get huge international coverage.

       The whole issue of racism would get the airing it deserves.

       And maybe just maybe the Right in this country will finally make their raporrt with the anti-racist movement as they have with the anti-nuclear movement.

       • Cunliffe yesterday sought advice on that, and while he was a bit vague on what he was exactly told, it sounds like the case was that if he refused to go, his seat wouldn’t be given to Minto. They obviously anticipated the possibility he might try that on and made sure it wouldn’t happen. Can’t have the PM upstaged by a guy who’ll never forget what he felt about the tour in ’81!

4. Fire him for apostrophe abuse.

5. Gotta say I found the choice odd or is it just me.
   Send everyone except those that really stood up against “the tour” ?
   I’m really not surprised with our PM anymore..

6. “Mr Key said he believed the delegation represented the country well.”

   I think I have spotted the typo.

   “Mr Key said he believed the delegation represented the country’s well off.”

   • Oh nice!

     • Another Typo discovered

       Key has defended the delegation, saying it provided a good mix of current New Zealand representation and political leaders who had dealt with Mandela….

       There fixed it

       Key has defended the delegation, saying it provided a good mix of current New Zealand representation and political leaders who had dealt to Mandela…..

       This more accurately captures the mind set of John Key and the National Party at the time.

7. I read somewhere that Key was taking a photographer .

   If this is correct , this makes me EVEN madder about this whole debacle . As if there won’t be a zillion photographers there .
   Key wants a photograph of himself at the funeral , he has no mana of his own so he has to fabricate it .

8. They (Key or his handlers) probably view this as an opportunity; think it is entirely appropriate and it may have been intimated that he should not bring stirrers lest the locals remember that not a lot has changed?
   He must take the Leader of the Opposition and a Native because you can’t not and who knows how many ‘trade delegates’ are travelling with them in an unofficial capacity.
   It may even be a twisted sort of reward for Jim Bolger and his contribution to the god of Monetary policy.

Comments are closed.