Of course Judith should #DeleteTheTweet

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 9th, 2018 - 69 comments
Categories: clickbait, Judith Collins, making shit up, Media, national, same old national, Simon Bridges, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, twitter, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

This should have been a relatively small story, a 6 hour wonder.  Some stirring among the twitterati, a bit of merriment on the left and that should be the end of it.

I covered the story three days ago on Monday of this week.  Judith was caught out tweeting a story from a fake website, one that runs such interesting stories as how the CIA had released evidence about the visit of extra terrestrials, how Katy Perry prefers human flesh to eat and how a teacher who had sexually abused a child was allowed to keep their teacher’s licence.  Real fake news clickbait stuff.  We all had a laugh and thought the story would move on.  After all who has not fallen for some sort of weird tale on the Internet and clicked when we shouldn’t have.

But Judith did not back down.  What should have been a “oops” and a bit of a laugh has now entered into the third day of the news cycle.

What is she doing?  Taking advice from Cameron Slater?

She tried to claim that elements of the story were correct.  Well there is a country called France and there are young people living there and they recently changed their laws regarding consent but after these facts the original story started to run out of them.

The “article” got off to a bad start because it claimed that the law change showed that France had given “in to pressure from an international network of liberal activists determined to normalise paedophilia and decriminalise sex with children across the world.”

The main stream media has made a decision to stand up against fake news.  Good on them.  After all the woman who says that this story is true but that Dirty Politics and negative news coverage about Oravida were false is just engaging in the random use of words that heretofore have had pretty settled meanings.

This is how twitter handled it.

https://twitter.com/acgeddis/status/1026662143402201089

And last night the Jesse Mulligan and the Project took up the cause:

https://twitter.com/NewshubFeatures/status/1027106651055091712

This is what Newshub posted:

Fake news used to be fun. Remember how we laughed when we first heard about alternative facts?

But it stopped being so funny when we realised fake news creates real harm; it’s dangerous, it fuels hate, and can cause incredible damage.

Fake news makers are among the most sophisticated manipulators of emotion in the world.

They know that if someone reads or hears something they want to be true – things they’re scared of being true – they’ll often believe it if it feels true: Muslims are terrorists, vaccines cause autism, global warming is a hoax.

For the most part, it hasn’t affected us in New Zealand. Fake news has been something that pops up in the second half of a news bulletin or on the internet.

Then yesterday this happened.

Judith Collins tweeted a story claiming France had made it easier for adults to legally have sex with children – but that’s not true.What’s true is the opposite: France has passed a law that strengthens consent laws, not weakens them.

Judith’s story is made up – and made up by a website with a history of spreading fiction.

But when the media put it to Judith Collins that she was sharing fake news, she wouldn’t back down.

As far as we know, this is the first time a mainstream New Zealand politician has spread a false story in order to score points politically.

What does that tell you? It tells me that she’s learning; learning that in 2018 you don’t need to show people the truth – you just have to show them something that looks a bit like it.

So far, her fake news link has been retweeted over 50 times.

It might not seem like a big deal, but it undermines the facts. As one writer put it today, it “weaponises ignorance”.

When fake is given the same platform as fact, truth becomes a matter of opinion. You can disguise lies as reality and the facts lose any power they once had.

It starts with acts like this, and that’s why we’re calling Judith Collins out – we’re telling her to #deletethetweet.

Share the hashtag, speak truth to power, and give power to the truth.

And yet Judith’s tweet continues to occupy space on Twitter.

What is the game plan?  To look strong by not backing down?  To stir up people who are actually happy with this alternative reality being created by dubious parts of the internet?

And it makes Simon Bridges look totally powerless.  Maybe that is the intent.

Do us all a favour Judith, show us that National will not tolerate the use of fake news.  Delete the tweet.

69 comments on “Of course Judith should #DeleteTheTweet ”

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  1. Pete 1
    9 August 2018 at 8:35 am

    Judith Collins should leave the tweet up.

    In a sense, while it is doesn’t represent the death of her political career, it is like a tombstone. Let it stand as a hard symbol of her attitude and outlook. Somewhere down below decency is buried.

    • mpledger 1.1
      9 August 2018 at 3:44 pm

      She might not be able to. If it’s part of her work then it’s meant to be kept and archived not deleted.

      She should definitely retract though.

  2. Robert Guyton 2
    9 August 2018 at 8:39 am

    How could the tweet be used to further Judith’s aims; that’s what her team will be working on now. From every fubar flows opportunity; that’s what Key taught.

  3. Doogs 3
    9 August 2018 at 8:43 am

    Great post Micky. I favour your last option about making Soimon look weak. However, it is rather a brutal and clumsy way to go. This woman who is 4th favourite for PM is a cunning and ruthless individual, all packaged in a smiling exterior who appears both thoughtful and whimsical by turn.

    She is, while appearing not to be, a very ambitious person who will undermine the current leader and make herself look the best and most obvious choice to succeed.

    This current incident, however, is quite a mis-step because most people are, thanks to Trump, aware of the ridiculousness of fake news and alternative facts. The minority who are not aware, the closed minded, shallow thinking, Trumpian style followers who see strength in this kind of rubbish are the dangerous ones. It does appear that the numbers of these trashy individuals is perhaps on the rise, I suspect largely due to the the ease of believing the simplicity of this fake news.

    You can see here how the cancer of Trumpism spreads beyond his borders.

    • Heather Grimwood 3.1
      9 August 2018 at 9:20 am

      It seems to me that fake news of insidious intent is very much aligned to slander if used directly against a person, but if as suggested above that Collin’s explicit example was to damage Bridges, then even more insidious.

    • Puckish Rogue 3.2
      9 August 2018 at 10:12 am

      ” all packaged in a smiling exterior who appears both thoughtful and whimsical by turn.”

      When you’re right you’re right, she is delightful

      • fender 3.2.1
        9 August 2018 at 10:45 am

        You’re sick, seek help.

        • Puckish Rogue 3.2.1.1
          9 August 2018 at 10:49 am

          If this is sickness then I don’t want to the cure

          • Kevin 3.2.1.1.1
            9 August 2018 at 11:10 am

            Sums you, and your motivations, up nicely PR.

            Power no matter the cost eh?

          • Draco T Bastard 3.2.1.1.2
            9 August 2018 at 11:36 am

            And that is a major problem in and of itself.

            A person supporting someone who has been purposefully wrong and, when having that pointed out to them, still wants to support them.

            Supporting liars into positions of power is detrimental to society.

            But I suppose you’ll be alright and that makes it all good right?

          • mac1 3.2.1.1.3
            9 August 2018 at 4:31 pm

            Being a bit roguish there, Puck, but love conquers all.

            Though some would say that this heartfelt emotive outpouring of yours, “If this is sickness then I don’t want to the cure,” might be heading for addiction rather than love sickness.

            A strong cup of tea and a chat with an aunty will set you straight.

            • Puckish Rogue 3.2.1.1.3.1
              10 August 2018 at 8:29 am

              Might be a bit like this I think

              • mac1 …
                10 August 2018 at 10:14 am

                Or this.
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyhu2ysqKGk

                “I should have quit you long time ago
                Ohh yeah, long time ago
                I wouldn’t be here, my children
                Down on this killin’ floor.”

                Led Zeppelin “The Lemon Song” but don’t listen till the end, or it might re-ignite the fires………

                  • mac1 …
                    10 August 2018 at 11:57 am

                    I shall retire from this song-swapping with my final entry.

                    I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)
                    “Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears
                    Well I’m so mad about her I can’t live without her
                    Never treats me sweet and gentle The way she should
                    I’ve got it bad And that ain’t good
                    My poor heart is so sentimental Not made of wood
                    I’ve got it so bad And that ain’t good”

                    Cheers PR

  4. Doogs 4
    9 August 2018 at 9:26 am

    You’re right Heather. But the way Collins has done it there is no direct connection between cause and effect. She thinks she’s been clever. Not so perhaps?

  5. Chris T 5
    9 August 2018 at 9:40 am

    I think everyone is just reading too much into it

    All we had in the news was the Canadians, and every media source gushing of Ardern & her baby.

    I think she just wanted some spot light.

    Wouldn’t surprise if it is the same with Marama and her “c” word thing

  6. Observer Tokoroa 6
    9 August 2018 at 9:56 am

    Doogs says: “She (Ms Collins) thinks she has been clever”.

    Could you ever give me an example of when she has been clever? Like she was made Minister of Police and immediately fobade them to investigate the rabid number of home burgularies that abound in the dark city of Auckland.

    She was forced to change her mind once that was discovered by the hapless Billy English. But of course her witless fan club Papkura, didn’t mind being burgled.

    As the Australians might say, our Judith is a Roo or two short in the top paddock. But could get a role as a dodgy Hyena. Whatever, Please keep her away from both Paris and Politics.

    She’s a Dumb Bum. At the grossly bottom end of the liability chain.

  7. Puckish Rogue 7
    9 August 2018 at 10:08 am

    Stay strong Jude, just like 2000 years (maybe) another person with the initials J.C. was brought down by lesser, jealous people so stick to your guns and the people will see this is just fake news led by a bias media 🙂

    • marty mars 7.1
      9 August 2018 at 10:56 am

      Pity she has no junkets to China you could help carry her husband’s bags.

      http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9818950/Judith-Collins-comes-clean-about-dinner

      • Puckish Rogue 7.1.1
        9 August 2018 at 10:58 am

        Always wanted to visit China…

        • mac1 7.1.1.1
          9 August 2018 at 7:03 pm

          Well worth it. As a bearded taller man I was a visual attraction in myself, especially since i wore in the heat a red water-retaining neckerchief. The locals thought I’d been a member of the Communist Youth.

          But a great culture and country to visit. I sang solo by chance with an orchestra in a park (Doe a deer a female deer) and ball-room danced with Mrs Mac1 and 400 oldies in another park. Wonderful food-Beijing Duck- and amazing street life.

      • Visubversa 7.1.2
        9 August 2018 at 3:33 pm

        He husband has been in Facebook trying to support her, and to smear Phil Goff at the same time with an old story from The Herald.

    • NZJester 7.2
      9 August 2018 at 8:51 pm

      Are you referring to the radical leftist called Jesus Christ who strongly opposed those in power that mistreated the people and believed in sharing and caring and was crucified by those in power?

  8. Tricledrown 8
    9 August 2018 at 10:22 am

    PR she has already been resurrected a couple of times.

  9. Anne 9
    9 August 2018 at 10:37 am

    Judith Collins herself is all fake and it is probably the reason why she won’t back down. She sees nothing wrong in spreading fake news. Earlier this year when she emerged dressed in fluffy pink with a new soft and beguiling hair-do (too beguiling for some – read Puckish Rogue 😉 ), I was on the brink of being fooled into thinking she was a changed person. Don’t worry, it was brief. Sanity prevailed.

    Thanks mickey for highlighting this issue. As you say its no longer funny. What we have seen in the past week or so in NZ is a good example of what happens when individuals use the rallying cry of “free speech” to spread dangerously false memes and indulge in barely disguised hate speech. It’s a world-wide problem and there is potential for terrible consequences if it continues.

    I think the media – everywhere – face the biggest challenge of their existence. They must stand up and counter the fake stuff in the strongest terms possible. It may be the only way to ultimately win against the evil forces that currently hold sway… particularly in America. I hope they’re up for it.

    • Puckish Rogue 9.1
      9 August 2018 at 10:47 am

      “Earlier this year when she emerged dressed in fluffy pink with a new soft and beguiling hair-do”

      Well thats just plain wrong, it suggests her previous hair style wasn’t already beguiling

    • Draco T Bastard 9.2
      9 August 2018 at 11:40 am

      I think the media – everywhere – face the biggest challenge of their existence. They must stand up and counter the fake stuff in the strongest terms possible. It may be the only way to ultimately win against the evil forces that currently hold sway… particularly in America. I hope they’re up for it.

      Unfortunately, the MSM are owned by the evil forces.

      • Anne 9.2.1
        9 August 2018 at 12:04 pm

        True, some of them. But not all of them.

      • Sabine 9.2.2
        9 August 2018 at 12:34 pm

        and also the reader of such news should actually just engage their brains.

        I am so over the constant whinging of the press.
        they are all owned by someone, they are all expected to make money, they all to some extend peddle bullshit to entice clicks, and they all to some extend report the news, and yes the news they report is biased in regards to where they stand politically. However political bias does not make news fake.

        It is up to the reader to actually engage their brains, Judith Collins is just one of those that did not, ask themselves is what i read outlandish or not? Should i read another new source to see what they say etc. etc.

        Engage your brain. And you might find that it is not that hard to find news.

  10. Sabine 10
    9 August 2018 at 10:42 am

    but should she #deleteyouraccount?

    and this is the hope of the no mates party?

    .

  11. Observer Tokoroa 11
    9 August 2018 at 11:01 am

    True News ?

    Yes Tricledrown – you wicked man – she has been resurrected a couple of times. Fact

    Lol lol

  12. JanM 12
    9 August 2018 at 11:56 am

    Well, maybe we do need to have a stint of someone as appalling as her being PM for a term – apart from those of us who are dedicated sado-masochists, it should give even the most dedicated right wing nitwit pause for thought

  13. the other pat 13
    9 August 2018 at 12:30 pm

    jeez….give it no attention and it will get no traction!!……otherwise everyone with an account start doing it back at her or confiscate her phone and give her her favorite broom back!!

  14. Ken 14
    9 August 2018 at 3:52 pm

    It can’t be too long before she becomes fake leader of our fake opposition.

  15. WILD KATIPO 15
    9 August 2018 at 5:14 pm

    [ ” As far as we know, this is the first time a mainstream New Zealand politician has spread a false story in order to score points politically ” ].

    No its not.

    John Key did it all the time. A classic example being the lies and ‘fake news’ about the Cortex and XKEYSCORE surveillance programs. He was caught out and found lying about it.

    If that isn’t fake , what is?

  16. Gabby 16
    9 August 2018 at 5:31 pm

    Surely Big Judee has the right to lie through her satanic eyebrows? She’s a lawyer isn’t she?

  17. greywarshark 17
    9 August 2018 at 7:41 pm

    9.8.2018
    Then yesterday this happened.

    Judith Collins tweeted a story claiming France had made it easier for adults to legally have sex with children – but that’s not true.What’s true is the opposite: France has passed a law that strengthens consent laws, not weakens them.
    So far, her fake news link has been retweeted over 50 times.

    It might not seem like a big deal, but it undermines the facts. As one writer put it today, it “weaponises ignorance”.

    Pardon me but it is a big deal. It made a salacious claim, that was manifesstly untrue, against another country. That country is a large country, it is one of the big 5? with vetos in the UN, it is one of the big guys in the EU. We need to get on with countries in the EU like France, and trade is a major consideration. Also we need to respect all countries that seem civilised and even those we don’t agree with andI I draw attention to the spat between Saudi Arabia and Canada and recall a matter of a mob of sheep and a mopping up operation by National recently, which cost us.

    This is not personally decent or nationally diplomatic behaviour by a NZ politician; less of a joker than a wild card. It makes her and the National Party look like hicks and more than a little grubby.

    • greywarshark 17.1
      9 August 2018 at 10:07 pm

      And the worst term of all for a middle class aspirational business woman – she is ‘unprofessional’, as well as being gauche.

  18. JustMe 18
    9 August 2018 at 8:04 pm

    If Judith Collins doesn’t delete the tweet then that is proof she is arrogant. Well done Judith Collins. Keep up perpetuating the arrogance that is so riddling and decaying rapidly the NZ National Party. Your excellent work in destroying the NZ National Party is going along nicely.
    Well done Simon Bridges for showing the apathy and gutlessness that you as a Leader of the Opposition shows to ALL NZers. Your excellent work in destroying the NZ National is also going along very nicely.
    However lets acknowledge that politicians the world over resort to ‘fake news’ just to gain attention especially from an easy to manipulate media(like say the NZ Herald).
    One only needs to look at John Key and Bill English whilst they were in government to see the holders of the Fake News accolades. Lets call these accolades the “Golden Idiot Awards”.
    John Key used ‘fake news’ in his pre-election promises eg ‘we will get the boys(the Pike River 29 victims)out’. There is also the fake news of the Meth-myth(again perpetuated by the previous National government).
    Fake News may as well be referred to ‘Lies that Politicians eg Judith Collins; resort to just to draw attention to a matter that doesn’t really exist but it makes them(the politician concerned)look oh so smart and attention seeking”.

  19. WILD KATIPO 19
    9 August 2018 at 8:14 pm

    Lol !- there’s a few Nat / ACT type characters who I just cant seem to totally dislike because they seem like caricatures to me of sorts…

    And that’s bumbling , academic Don Brash and grumpy stroppy Judith Collins. 🙂

    Brash had his turn and it all turned to custard, – but if Judith got in , – it’d be an outrageous , … almost surreal time of govt strife, acrimony and vociferous opinions.

    The bombast would be palpable !

    Better cancel that thought,… but it would be fun for a small while.

  20. JustMe 20
    9 August 2018 at 8:49 pm

    Here is something. More than 30 years on from the Rainbow Warrior sinking by French agents from the DGSE it looks like Judith Collins wants to make NZ look like the laughing stock of the world.
    Why does Collins wants to start based on a fictitious and quite obviously proven to be totally wrong argument towards the current government in attempt to incur the wrath of France?
    What is she wanting to achieve???!!!
    Because, as it turns out to be, she has made herself look like an arrogant twit and the NZ National Party to be equally arrogant in her and their(Nationals)actions to date.
    The lack of voice by Bridges shows him as being a weakling. The fact a National MP like Collins is prepared to use a fictitious posting shows how desperate National have become just to gain ‘brownie/Bridges/Collins points. It’s also a pure reflection that National are now grasping at straws in attempt to get attention. If anyone wants to believe their codswallop then you may as well confirm yourselves are being National Party followers of stupidity through and through.
    Lets face it but National do not really have much going for it in the credibility stats. They have MPS harping on more so on matters going on in France than is what is actually happening right now, today and every day of the week here in NZ and in their very electorates.
    So whilst Judith Collins tries to throw a speck into Jacinda’s eye she does not look at the log in her very eye. And that is a pure reflection of arrogance and the fact National don’t have anything to be credit worthy of when it comes to ordinary NZers on low incomes.
    Lets not forget Bill English claimed low income NZers were ‘living beyond their means’. This coming from the very National MP who had no remorse or hesitation to DOUBLE DIPPING at NZ taxpayers expense because it suited him.

    • WILD KATIPO 20.1
      9 August 2018 at 9:19 pm

      ” The lack of voice by Bridges shows him as being a weakling”

      I think it shows that Bridges is the pupil and Collins is the mentor.

      The rest of your post was excellent.

  21. peterlepaysan 21
    9 August 2018 at 10:26 pm

    As I recall the tweet Collins was suggesting that Jacinda should be doing something about the dreadful state of affairs in France.

    Pourquoi?

    No other government leader was invited to intervene, only the one who had recently given birth to a baby daughter.

    Bored, ignored and the media all over Simon? What is a girl to do?

    What is the word for a female dog?

  22. Chris T 22
    10 August 2018 at 8:28 am

    As an aside, that Project program has turned awful

  23. Ross 23
    13 August 2018 at 2:09 pm

    They know that if someone reads or hears something they want to be true – things they’re scared of being true – they’ll often believe it if it feels true: Muslims are terrorists, vaccines cause autism, global warming is a hoax.

    They want to be true but are scared of being true? A contradiction right there.

    In regards to vaccines and autism, we know that various medical experts – ie, doctors – said that Hannah Poling acquired autism as a result of being vaccinated. Her family will be paid millions in ongoing compensation. That’s real money, not fake money.

    https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/court-awards-over-20-million-for-vaccine-caused-autism-102981579.html

    And you have a senior health official in the US saying that there may be a secondary link between some vaccines and autism.

    https://sharylattkisson.com/2015/01/25/cdc-possibility-that-vaccines-rarely-trigger-autism/#audio

    And there are other cases.

    https://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/post2468343_b_2468343.html

    Newshub may be a fake news site….

    • te reo putake 23.1
      13 August 2018 at 3:59 pm

      Hannah Poling has autism like symptoms, not autism. She was harmed by receiving a series of shots all at once, instead of them being spread over time. She was awarded damages for the process, not the vaccines.

      Vaccines do not cause autism.