Willimson’s racist jokes OK by Key?

Written By: - Date published: 11:16 am, September 8th, 2010 - 42 comments
Categories: racism - Tags:

Days before accusing us of being racist for not wanting more of New Zealand’s land to fall under foreign control, Maurice Williamson was making racist jokes. John Key excused Williamson’s racism accusation by calling it a joke. So how will he cover for Williamson’s racist jokes?

At an awards ceremony Williamson, who had been drinking, climbed on stage to give out two awards. First, he asked MC Oscar Kightley if his “papers were in order”.

Then, for no apparent reason, he started telling Muslim jokes:

“What is the difference between Muslims and Kiwis? Muslims get to commit adultery and get stoned, Kiwis get stoned and commit adultery.”

And the one about the weather in Iraq: “Shi’ite in the morning and Sunni in the afternoon”

You’ll remember that Lockwood Smith lost his chance to be a senior minister because of his racist comments before the election. Will the same apply to Williamson?

Or is it OK in John Key’s government for ministers to get pissed and tell racist jokes in public?

42 comments on “Willimson’s racist jokes OK by Key? ”

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  1. Wyndham 1
    8 September 2010 at 11:58 am

    Presumably all part of what John Key calls Williamson’s “strong sense of humour’.
    The man is a loose cannon.

    • Mr Magoo 1.1
      8 September 2010 at 12:59 pm

      The man is an ignorant biggot if he did not realise this was offensive.

      Later he added “complete hypocrite” when he accused NZ of the same.

  2. Inventory2 2
    8 September 2010 at 12:17 pm

    Perhaps John Key has more pressing matters on his plate at the moment; just sayin’ 😉

    PS: Anti-spam word = WHATEVER; very apt

    • Pascal's bookie 2.1
      8 September 2010 at 12:31 pm

      …more pressing matters on his plate…

      Yeah Eddie, those cameras in Christchurch aren’t going to chase themselves y’know.

  3. grumpy 3
    8 September 2010 at 12:24 pm

    Actyually, I thought they were quite funny – a politician with a sense of humour!

    • Lanthanide 3.1
      8 September 2010 at 12:52 pm

      As far as jokes go, they aren’t bad. I wouldn’t say they’re especially good, though.

      But for a government minister to be saying these things in public?

    • Bright Red 3.2
      8 September 2010 at 12:55 pm

      would you be lauging if they were holochaust jokes?

      I’ve heard some that were “quite funny”

      the question is whether a minister of the crown ought to be making them in public.

    • A Nonny Moose 3.3
      8 September 2010 at 4:14 pm

      Boy, do some people need to do some reading and listening about what constitutes racism.

      But then, they wouldn’t be able to get past the brain explosion of being challenged on their privilege.

      But carry on, keep trying to ‘splain why they’re so funny, and showing off what a bigot you are.

    • Policy Parrot 3.4
      8 September 2010 at 5:57 pm

      While these jokes show poor taste, I really don’t think they are that offensive, in their own right. These are the type of jokes that some Kiwi Muslims have made when referring to themselves, and their presence in New Zealand, i.e. I’ve heard them before.

      Certainly less offensive than some of the stuff that Billy T used to come up with. You’d have to be very precious in the first instance to find them offensive.

      • Vicky32 3.4.1
        8 September 2010 at 6:11 pm

        You have heard them before PP – where? And what do you mean by ‘Kiwi Muslims’? Immigrants, refugees or people born here?
        Besides, it’s a different thing when people who *are* something joke about it – such as the Maori kid who lived next door to us when I was a teen making Maori jokes – he and his family would have been considerably upset had we (white people) joined in with *our* Maori jokes! I suppose I am precious then…
        Deb

        • Policy Parrot 3.4.1.1
          8 September 2010 at 9:41 pm

          Deb – I didn’t suggest that they couldn’t be offensive, just that they aren’t that offensive. I don’t think they are particularly funny though, and not a choice of words I would use myself.

          Seriously, think of all of the horrible racial epithets and stereotypes you have heard (and hopefully denounced). What Lockwood Smith said in 2008 was definitely racist and offensive. This, however is simply bad taste.

          BTW – Maurice Williamson is ideologically typical of the National caucus, he just finds it tougher to be less than upfront about his political views. Which are the same stupid views that we need to remove from power at the next election…

    • Vicky32 3.5
      8 September 2010 at 6:03 pm

      That’s not humour – it’s just idiocy on a par with Berlusconi complimenting Obama on his great suntan!) Actually no, much worse…
      Deb

  4. Thomas Beagle 4
    8 September 2010 at 1:03 pm

    Muslim is a race now?

    • nzfp 4.1
      8 September 2010 at 1:10 pm

      Rascism, prejudice, bigotry – it’s all pretty much the same. But no – a religion – despite what other people may try to tell you – is not a race.

      If that were the case then Ratana would be a race and Ringatu would be a race and last time I looked they weren’t separate races.

    • Blighty 4.2
      8 September 2010 at 1:14 pm

      Technically, there’s no such thing as a race. Just ethnic groups, and they’re defined by social characteristics like religion as much as by physical characteristics.

      Islam is mostly practised by members of ‘races’ other than Williamson’s.

      And, obviously, racism is a short-hand for xenophobia.

      So stop being a cock who just copies whatever he saw Farrar write.

  5. Pascal's bookie 5
    8 September 2010 at 1:19 pm

    ooh ooh I know a good one.

    Why does Wiliamson think muslims can’t be kiwi’s?
    Because he agrees with Al Qaeda, hates our troops and doesn’t support their mission, and wants to alienate Kiwi muslims. Fucking traitor

    🙂 Just kidding. lulz.

    PS: COIN is hard.

  6. MikeE 6
    8 September 2010 at 1:24 pm

    Personally, I find it more offensive the women are getting stoned for “adultery” rather than any joke about it.

    But thats moral relativisim for you..

    • Blighty 6.1
      8 September 2010 at 1:51 pm

      Not an ‘either or’ situation, old boy.

      no-one’s condoing stoning. You’re just trying to distract.

  7. Jim Nald 7
    8 September 2010 at 1:27 pm

    What is the law on throwing eggs and shoes at NZ Cabinet ministers?

    I’m considering stockpiling some.

    🙂

  8. gobsmacked 8
    8 September 2010 at 1:35 pm

    It’s time John Key stood up to the PC brigade! They’re always playing the Race Card!

    For example …

    Minister Tariana Turia said Mr Williamson’s remarks were “extremely offensive” and it was not acceptable to pass them off as a joke.

    Minister Pansy Wong described Mr Williamson’s comments as racist and said he should step down.

    “He can’t represent New Zealand if he wishes to voice racist opinions and alienate Muslim New Zealanders.”

    Yes, those quotes are all genuine. More here …

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10330802

    So Pansy, Tariana, anything to add today?

  9. nzfp 9
    8 September 2010 at 2:05 pm

    “They’re always playing the Race Card”?!? Who is? Williamson. Turia or Wong? The only one making racist jokes here is Williamson.

    • gobsmacked 9.1
      8 September 2010 at 2:13 pm

      NZFP, read the link. Irony alert.

      Racist comments are to be strongly condemned …. until it’s one of their own colleagues, it seems.

  10. TightyRighty 10
    8 September 2010 at 4:45 pm

    Hey remember that time when the left starting beating up on ministers in governmnet? and remember how the only people who were proven to do any wrong were members of the previous labour government?

    just saying, trev the cheating duck has been to known to let loose a few howlers in his time. you might not want to kick another own goal.

  11. BLiP 11
    9 September 2010 at 1:50 am

    I’m not really surprised John Key came rushing to the rescue of his Minister, I mean, its not like Key has anything to be proud of. Sorry fella, all right. Still, you gotta give it to Williamson, first the Jews , then the A-rabs – I guess he’s an equal opportunity bigot.

  12. Annalivia prurabella 12
    9 September 2010 at 5:43 am

    Had an English investor, say Lord Ashcroft, been the bidder for the Crafar Farms, would the out-cry be the same? No it would not.
    Williamson’s allegation if racism is correct. The fact that he made it in a bumbling manner and for other reasons does not take from it.

  13. Jake Q 13
    9 September 2010 at 8:09 am

    I like to think I have a sense of humour and in the privacy of my own home, workplace, random park benches, the pub, public buses, well almost anywhere I can be found, I will be *trying* to make a wise crack about someone or something, somewhere in the world. Maurice Williamson’s jokes, however, are neither funny nor clever, and for a minister of the crown it’s just not acceptable. If he was a small town mayor, or an eccentric breakfast tv show, perhaps, but he’s not. He’s behaving like a douche and needs to be called out on it by Mr Key, earthquake or no earthquake.

    my 2c.

  14. Murray 14
    9 September 2010 at 12:47 pm

    The big issue here which seems to be ignored by the Islamic radical apologists is the stoning of the woman. Latest news is that due to the world wide outcry this stoning is now off.
    Williamson with his rather crude attempts at humor is in a small way part of this outcry and a woman’s life may have been saved, surely more important then offending a few people who to all intents and purposes have remained silent about her fate.
    Now all we need now is to stop that crazy nutter fundamentalist in the USA from burning the Quran

    • Vicky32 14.1
      9 September 2010 at 4:47 pm

      Murray, when you say “Islamic radical apologists” are you referring to anyone here? (The word is humour by the way, with the letter ‘u’… )
      So, you say that people offended by Williamson’s ‘jokes’ have been silent about the fate of the woman? Where’s your proof about that?
      As for stopping that guy in the USA, I am surprised that you want to stop him! Good on you though..
      Deb

    • mcflock 14.2
      9 September 2010 at 11:53 pm

      nah, that’s too goddamn much for words, Murray.

      To argue that Williamson was being some sort of human rights campaigner is just fucking stupid.

      I had another response, but thought better of it.

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