US kids fight back: you are either with us or against us

Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, February 19th, 2018 - 44 comments
Categories: International, us politics - Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Every single person up here today, all these people should be home grieving. But instead we are up here standing together because if all our government and President can do is send thoughts and prayers, then it’s time for victims to be the change that we need to see. Since the time of the Founding Fathers and since they added the Second Amendment to the Constitution, our guns have developed at a rate that leaves me dizzy. The guns have changed but our laws have not.

We certainly do not understand why it should be harder to make plans with friends on weekends than to buy an automatic or semi-automatic weapon. In Florida, to buy a gun you do not need a permit, you do not need a gun license, and once you buy it you do not need to register it. You do not need a permit to carry a concealed rifle or shotgun. You can buy as many guns as you want at one time.

I read something very powerful to me today. It was from the point of view of a teacher. And I quote: When adults tell me I have the right to own a gun, all I can hear is my right to own a gun outweighs your student’s right to live. All I hear is mine, mine, mine, mine.

…

I watched an interview this morning and noticed that one of the questions was, do you think your children will have to go through other school shooter drills? And our response is that our neighbors will not have to go through other school shooter drills. When we’ve had our say with the government — and maybe the adults have gotten used to saying ‘it is what it is,’ but if us students have learned anything, it’s that if you don’t study, you will fail. And in this case if you actively do nothing, people continually end up dead, so it’s time to start doing something.

…

If the President wants to come up to me and tell me to my face that it was a terrible tragedy and how it should never have happened and maintain telling us how nothing is going to be done about it, I’m going to happily ask him how much money he received from the National Rifle Association.

You want to know something? It doesn’t matter, because I already know. Thirty million dollars. And divided by the number of gunshot victims in the United States in the one and one-half months in 2018 alone, that comes out to being $5,800. Is that how much these people are worth to you, Trump? If you don’t do anything to prevent this from continuing to occur, that number of gunshot victims will go up and the number that they are worth will go down. And we will be worthless to you.

To every politician who is taking donations from the NRA, shame on you.

The people in the government who were voted into power are lying to us. And us kids seem to be the only ones who notice and our parents to call BS.Companies trying to make caricatures of the teenagers these days, saying that all we are self-involved and trend-obsessed and they hush us into submission when our message doesn’t reach the ears of the nation, we are prepared to call BS. Politicians who sit in their gilded House and Senate seats funded by the NRA telling us nothing could have been done to prevent this, we call BS. They say tougher guns laws do not decrease gun violence. We call BS. They say a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun. We call BS. They say guns are just tools like knives and are as dangerous as cars. We call BS. They say no laws could have prevented the hundreds of senseless tragedies that have occurred. We call BS. That us kids don’t know what we’re talking about, that we’re too young to understand how the government works. We call BS.

– Emma Gonzalez

Full speech (11 min must watch).

CNN has a transcript of the speech.

______________________________________________________

On March 24, the kids and families of March For Our Lives will take to the streets of Washington DC to demand that their lives and safety become a priority and that we end gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today.

March with us in Washington DC or march in your own community. On March 24, the collective voices of the March For Our Lives movement will be heard.

– March For Our Lives.

https://twitter.com/OneLove2003/status/965373006573981696

44 comments on “US kids fight back: you are either with us or against us ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. weka 1
    19 February 2018 at 1:35 pm

    Eric Bradner‏Verified account @ericbradner

    Parkland students are hammering @realDonaldTrump for his Russia tweet. A few examples:

    https://twitter.com/ericbradner/status/965253499700342785

  2. AB 2
    19 February 2018 at 1:56 pm

    Admiration for these kids. They haven’t yet had the indignity of half a lifetime of submission to corporate power in order to make a living.

  3. joe90 3
    19 February 2018 at 3:33 pm

    Hopefully it lasts until March.

    So far, Parkland is *not* fading from the news the way that mass shootings usually do. (The graph shows Google searches for the term "gun control".) The students speaking out makes a pretty big difference. pic.twitter.com/8IcJuJ6yTS— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) February 18, 2018

    https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/965352547383959552

    • weka 3.1
      19 February 2018 at 3:38 pm

      Not sure Silver is right about that, or at least it’s too soon to judge.

      You need comparisons to make that claim. Using same time frame (3 days before and 4 days after incident), you see very similar trends for Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, and Virginia Tech. Orlando seems to have had the most lasting effect

      https://twitter.com/A_agadjanian/status/965362281105231873

    • One Anonymous Bloke 3.2
      19 February 2018 at 4:15 pm

      Needs to last until the midterms and beyond, and have a significant impact on candidate selection along the way.

      • joe90 3.2.1
        19 February 2018 at 4:54 pm

        Change needs faces. Internet/social media savvy kids have decided that enough is enough and are willing to stand up. The anti-gun movement is getting faces.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 3.2.1.1
          19 February 2018 at 5:18 pm

          Smart progressive candidates will be looking to become some of those faces. I daresay some compromised bought candidates will be too.

          Still, as Weka says, it’s very early days yet.

        • Obtrectator 3.2.1.2
          19 February 2018 at 5:24 pm

          “The anti-gun movement is getting faces.”

          Yes, but from what I’ve seen so far (and my survey admittedly has not been comprehensive), nearly all those faces are female. And a good many of those on the other side are, I suspect, male. This could get pretty nasty.

          Those wanting better gun control may be a majority (possibly even an overwhelming one) in the upcoming generation. Trouble is, I’ve noticed it only takes a few bastards in each generation to ensure that the same old same old keeps on happening.

        • One Two 3.2.1.3
          19 February 2018 at 5:32 pm

          ‘Anti Gun’…

          J90, you will be able find it…

          Where does ‘gun death’ sit on the list of ‘killers’ in the USA…

          Are the kids protesting all the other line items which kill orders of magnitude more human beings…

          • Sabine 3.2.1.3.1
            19 February 2018 at 9:55 pm

            just for now, because they are kids and all of that,

            can they only protest the shit that almost killed them and that killed 17 from their school?

            and then maybe later they protest all the other shit that goes on?

  4. adam 4
    19 February 2018 at 3:53 pm

    I wish them the best of luck.

    They going to need it.

  5. WILD KATIPO 5
    19 February 2018 at 7:11 pm

    Truly appalling. I heard NZ is more heavily armed than the USA per capita , the difference is here we do not sell semi automatics/ automatics, handguns or even rocket launchers or other such ridiculous military hardware to the civilian population. There is no need for them.

    If you cant hit your deer with a 6 or 12 shot magazine you should be back on the rifle range practicing . Hence also the limited magazines. That Second Amendment has been distorted out of all context. Much of this carnage could be curtailed overnight if the NRA was put firmly in its place and sensible restrictions brought in.

    Its sickening and enraging and straight out foolishness.

    • Puckish Rogue 5.1
      19 February 2018 at 8:04 pm

      You can buy semi autos including ar15s on a basic firearms license no endorsement required as long as a couple of things are changed and you only need the pistol endorsement to buy pistols so not sure what you’re on about

      • WILD KATIPO 5.1.1
        19 February 2018 at 10:18 pm

        Dont be daft. That might be hard for you.

        Here in this country , you DO NOT and ARE NOT allowed to take that pistol from the gun club where you use it. You DO NOT carry it on your person as a personal protection device, nor store it in a car glove box , nor even have it in your home.

        And the same goes for automatics, and semi automatics.

        And any hunting rifles , including shotguns ARE NOT stored on the mantelpiece above your hearth like a Hollywood movie set but are locked away in a Police approved safe – with ammunition and / or bolt stored in a separate place.

        Not really any likeness to what we see in America, is it , old chum.

        • Colonial Viper 5.1.1.1
          20 February 2018 at 9:04 am

          PR simply pointed out a few errors in your original comment that “the difference is here we do not sell semi automatics/ automatics, handguns or even rocket launchers or other such ridiculous military hardware to the civilian population.”

          Here in this country , you DO NOT and ARE NOT allowed to take that pistol from the gun club where you use it.

          Uh you’re also incorrect on this count. I’m afraid many of your statements are not representative of what actually happens in NZ under law.

          Maybe the presence of weapons like high power semi-automatic rifles isn’t the only or primary factor in these kinds of horrific school shootings? Maybe it’s a bit more complex than that.

          • greywarshark 5.1.1.1.1
            20 February 2018 at 9:13 am

            Can you just discuss one thing at a time CV? Can you stick to advising about reality of gun availability in this country and you say that there are less controls on them being accessible than we thought.

            Talking about what might prompt these students in the USA to use them is a
            big problem and needs a separate thread.

            Otherwise we will get bad and interwoven comments, lack of separation of the two aspects.

    • Gareth 5.2
      19 February 2018 at 10:51 pm

      You heard wrong. We’re 22nd. US gun ownership is about 5 times higher.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estimated_number_of_guns_per_capita_by_country

      • Colonial Viper 5.2.1
        20 February 2018 at 9:26 am

        Those stats are guns per person, not proportion of population who are gun owners.

        In the US, most gun owners – roughly 2/3 of them – own multiple firearms, so ownership is actually more concentrated than those figures might suggest.

  6. Sabine 6
    19 February 2018 at 9:58 pm

    out of the mouths of babes comes truth.

    the kids are alright, they are screwed beyond believe but thats not their fault, sadly there are no adults around to adult.

  7. esoteric pineapples 7
    20 February 2018 at 8:57 am

    Things may die down a bit, but what we are seeing is a fundamental change in how these young people view the government. You can’t turn the clock back on that.

    • Colonial Viper 7.1
      20 February 2018 at 9:10 am

      You mean it’s might lead young people to increasingly mistrust both the deeds and motives of government in the USA?

    • Obtrectator 7.2
      20 February 2018 at 10:01 am

      Seen it all before, eso.

      There was a real sense in the late sixties (among privileged westerners, anyway) that the world just might be on the cusp of something better. Now look at it. (And see my “few bastards” comment, above.)

  8. Colonial Viper 8
    20 February 2018 at 9:08 am

    Someone should mention that the FBI received numerous tip-offs about Cruz (but apparently had more important things to focus on), and the police visited the Cruz home on a few dozen occasions investigating complaints about Cruz.

    You may point to the presence of ten million AR-15s in the USA as the cause of this particular tragedy, but it seems to me that the incompetence or negligence of authorities is one of the most proximal causes.

    The irony is that these are the very same authorities that some want to rely upon to enforce a ban on semiautomatic firearms.

    • Gabby 8.1
      20 February 2018 at 9:40 am

      Some terrible cynics might suggest that the odd school mass murder does no harm at all to law enforcement funding. It would be a terribly cynical suggestion.

    • JohnSelway 8.2
      20 February 2018 at 9:50 am

      And the FBI were supposed to do what? He hadn’t broken any laws. That’s the problem here – this kid was allowed to have as many guns as he wanted without any background checking. So the FBI should have done what?

      • Colonial Viper 8.2.1
        20 February 2018 at 10:41 am

        And the FBI were supposed to do what? He hadn’t broken any laws.

        Threatening to kill people both online and in real life is no longer a crime in the USA?

        You do know if you threatened that out loud in an airport in the USA they would do you under anti-terrorism laws?

        And from the FBI itself:

        On January 5, 2018, a person close to Nikolas Cruz contacted the FBI’s Public Access Line (PAL) tipline to report concerns about him. The caller provided information about Cruz’s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting.

        Under established protocols, the information provided by the caller should have been assessed as a potential threat to life. The information then should have been forwarded to the FBI Miami Field Office, where appropriate investigative steps would have been taken

        https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-statement-on-the-shooting-in-parkland-florida

        • JohnSelway 8.2.1.1
          20 February 2018 at 10:49 am

          OK – so there was a system failure but what could have been achieved? Monitored him? Sent him to jail? Warned him?

          None of that would have stopped him from buying as many guns as he wanted as Florida has no background checking laws.

          You see where the problem is here?

          • Colonial Viper 8.2.1.1.1
            20 February 2018 at 11:06 am

            So you accept that the FBI would have taken action to investigate Cruz.

            Had they done so they would have found that he had made multiple threats to kill.

            As for Florida background checks, they have to submit to Federal background check laws, but the private sale/gun fair sales loop hole does need to be closed ASAP.

            • JohnSelway 8.2.1.1.1.1
              20 February 2018 at 11:08 am

              And the outcome of the investigation would have been what? Jail? Monitoring for his entire life?

              He’d have still be able to legally purchase guns, any gun, whenever he wanted.

              You see where the problem is here?

              • Colonial Viper …
                20 February 2018 at 11:11 am

                Prevention of the Florida highschool massacre isn’t a “problem”, it’s law enforcement in action.

                Your hypotheticals about what would happen to Cruz in the longer term are irrelevant to that.

                • JohnSelway …
                  20 February 2018 at 11:19 am

                  There is nothing that can stop Cruz from accessing the weapons he needed outside of jailing him for his entire life.

                  You still haven’t made any suggestion of what law enforcement should have done, only that they didn’t do enough.

                  (And I think I know why you are wanting to paint the FBI as the problem here..)

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    20 February 2018 at 11:40 am

                    You still haven’t made any suggestion of what law enforcement should have done, only that they didn’t do enough.

                    ???

                    I would have left it to the FBI to investigate Cruz and have him charged appropriately. Possibly with multiple counts of threatening to kill as well as hate speech against blacks and jews.

                    A few years in prison would have done everyone a world of good.

                    As I said however, your hypotheticals about what would happen to Cruz in the longer term are irrelevant. These steps would have prevented last weeks Florida high shool massacre.

                    The FBI however totally dropped the ball when the ball was passed right into their lap. Perhaps they were distracted by other things.

                    • JohnSelway …
                      20 February 2018 at 11:51 am

                      And when he got out there would be nothing to prevent him from immediately purchasing as many guns as he wanted.

                      So you see where the problem lies here.

                      And I know you desperately trying to run Trump’s lines about the FBI being to focused on the Russia investigation to do anything about this but that is bullshit.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      20 February 2018 at 12:07 pm

                      Yeah as I said, your hypotheticals about what happens to Cruz in the longer term are irrelevant.

                      Multiple threats to kill, multiple instances of hate speech, multiple instances of misuse of a computer. Also possibly cruelty against animals (pictures he posted on social media). Not a lawyer but pretty many of these are felonies in the USC.

                      If he’d ever threatened any teachers or school administrators that might have been considered threats against a government employee – so even more prison time on top of that.

                      Worry about Cruz again in five to ten.

                      The FBI has to focus on real threats not made up ones.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      20 February 2018 at 12:11 pm

                      “Other things…”

                      I expect having the POTUS run down their character, motivations and capabilities for twelve months was quite demoralising.

                      To their credit, they’re owning the failure rather than making excuses and lashing out at everyone else.

                    • JohnSelway …
                      20 February 2018 at 12:17 pm

                      “Worry about Cruz again in five to ten.”

                      Yeah that’s the fucking point you nitwit – you have to worry about him in 5 – 10 because there is NOTHING to stop him from doing this. Putting him away and then having him come out ready to buy all the the ammos and guns he can muster isn’t irrelevant – it’s the whole fucking point that there is a huge problem with the gun laws. Not the FBI, not the police, the fucking law.

                      You’re the one making the irrelevant point that somehow the entire FBI division in Miami is investigating the Russia connection to Trump. You haven’t come right out and said but we all know what you are doing. WTF is wrong with you?

  9. joe90 9
    20 February 2018 at 12:31 pm

    The cult of dolt 45.

    There it is: Jim Hoft's Gateway Pundit website is going after David Hogg, a student who survived the Majory Stoneman Douglas school shooting who has been appearing on TV to speak out against gun violence pic.twitter.com/DcfNL4uHuB— Timothy Johnson (@timothywjohnson) February 19, 2018

    https://twitter.com/timothywjohnson/status/965720522771353600

  10. Sabine 10
    20 February 2018 at 12:37 pm

    also he was white, and that makes him a lone wolf or some shit like that. Now would he have been named Mohamed – or would he have been an african american, or an undocumented migrant that would be something different altogether, a swat team would have shown up and shoot him upon entering the house. /snark

    however he was investigated – by social services, and the local police got called about 30 times to the property, he was expelled from school, he was diagnosed with a myriad of mental illness, and ….if last year the Obama rule to not sell weapons of a certain type to people with mental illness would not have been removed – btw, this was one of the first things the orange menace did. This may or may not would have applied to the shooter, but for sure now it does not matter anymore.
    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/17/us/nikolas-cruz-florida-shooting.html

    as for the FBI – they have admittd tht they failed to do their job. And i am sure the orange menace will be happy to blame the FBI for the death of the students and teachers – or the ‘students for failing to report’ as he already did, cause for sure it ain’t him and his republican legislators that rake in NRA money by the trailer load that could be at fault. Nah, it must be the fault of the other
    http://time.com/5162999/fbi-failed-investigate-tip-nikolas-cruz/

    Contributions to Senators and presidential candidates – that always only can offer prayer and thougths – they have several million dollar worth of ‘prayer and thoughts’ – i hear its good for fundraising.
    http://fortune.com/2018/02/15/nra-contributions-politicians-senators/
    Quote” In the 2016 election, the NRA spent $11,438,118 to support Donald Trump—and another $19,756,346 to oppose Hillary Clinton. That’s over $31 million spent on one presidential race.’Quote

    So yeah, lets all just agree that nothing can be done about it, the kids should just give up, do their active shooter drills and hope to survive kindergarten or high school. It must be all that white working class economic anxiety.

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  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago

  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
    Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
    Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service.  It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
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