Archive
Photo of anti-Brown protestors…
.
A pic of the protest “crowd” that harassed Len Brown yesterday (18 December),
.
.
Wow. I can count all of… eight people?!
Not quite the 50,000 who protested against National’s plans to mine DoC’s Schedule 4 lands, or the 5,o0o who protested against state asset sales…
Hint to Brown’s political detractors, if you’re going to mount a witch hunt, it should look something like this,
.
.
That’s how you do it. (Though you might need resource consent for the torches.)
New Zealand – we do moral panic very well.
.
*
.
Acknowledgement for photo: The Daily Blog
.
.
= fs =
How human is Michael Laws?
This is a Cyberman. It is devoid of emotions, compassion, and empathy for others.
.
.
It is a fictional character.
This is a Borg. It also is also devoid of emotions, compassion; and empathy for others.
.
.
It also is fictitious.
This is Michael Laws. Ex-Member of Parliament for NZ First. Ex-Mayor of Whanganui. Current member of
He is a real person (as far as we know).
Is he also devoid of emotions, compassion; and empathy for others?
.
.
Read this exchange between Laws and a mother on Facebook, and be the judge yourself.
Hi
I am a mum of a child with Smith Magenis Syndrome and your comments about DS are so ignorant. My son, like many children with DS, are thriving. It is amazing what early intervention can achieve. There are kids with DS getting their driver licences and being accepted into US universities without any quotas. My son is loved by his classmates at 6 years old and their parents often say to me how he enriches the class. Genetic testing should be available but I’m not sure people in your position should promote it. Cost to the health system? Let’s test unborn children for the cancer gene then and abort them too. What is the point of spending so much money on a kid that will just die? How does that feel. Maybe think before you put a knife in other parents heart. Kirsten
Seriously YOU’RE ignorant.
No-one wants a Downs Syndrome kid – 9 out of 10 women understandably abort if there’s the risk, and good on them.
Zealots like you want decent people to share your experience. Sorry, we don’t want to. Thank God we have the test & that the vast majority of women make the choice.
Wow. I can’t believe you actually wrote that. Yeah I must be seriously ignorant.
PS what do you mean by decent people. Are you suggesting that I am not a decent person as I have a child with a disability
Please share it – PLEASE.
The rest of NZ does not want to have a Downs syndrome child: that’s why there’s a test. And when we discover there is a heightened risk, we abort. Perfectly correct.
You’re not decent because you want to impose your child’s affliction on others. That’s monstrous.
My child’s afflictions on others? If that is so “monstrous” why didn’t you arrange for his murder when he was diagnosed at 18 months. 1 in 8000 chance that I had an abnormal pregnancy. Not quite as simple as you may think
Shall I repeat what you said?
“Genetic testing should be available but I’m not sure people in your position should promote it. Cost to the health system?”
You’re a zealot; bye bye.
Most parents don’t want disabled kids. End of story & the Downs test is classic proof.
… and I’m a DHB board member, very proud that our DHB offers local women that test and that option and the opportunity to abort, if they so choose.
I’m a lawyer … so thank you
then if you really are a lawyer you shouldn’t be lecturing elected DHB members to deny their constituents the right to test their foetuses for Downs syndrome and having the option to abort if it tests positive.
Lecturing? Responding to a public post. Happy to send these messages to the DHB and see what their reaction is.
You’re a zealot and now bugger off: your threat is pathetic.
And abortions thank God are still available to Wanganui women with Downs positives – fantastic policy. Stops fascists like you imposing your weird moral choices.
Will do. You have done yourself a favour
Like most people I’d automatically abort a DS foetus. Commonsense.
Didn’t you tell me to Bugger off last night? Why contact me tonight. How are you going with aborting people with ms tosa
“Today ” . . but obviously freud msy have had a point
Replying to last msg from you. now off you go.
Oh you think you need to have the last word. Good on you.
Fuck off and don’t contact me again.
I didn’t contact you after you told me to “bugger off” and after your incredibly hurtful comments. You decided to contact me this evening and then tell me to “Fuck off”. I’m the insane one?
Yep you’re a nutter and you DID contact me – now FUCK OFF: can’t make it plainer.
I contacted you in relation to your public comment which you are happy to share with the world. You have chosen to contact me and once again insult me tonight. What is with you?
PISS OFF
It is said that the civilised nature of a society can be judged by how well it values and protects it’s most vulnerable people. I’m not about to start passing comment or judgement on what prospective mothers should do if they are carrying a DS foetus. That is a matter deeply personal to them.
On an issue as sensitive as this, would it be too much to ask for a human being to show a measure of compassion for others?
I am not demanding that Laws agree with others on this matter. He obviously has his own viewpoint.
But where is his empathy for others who are determined to share their lives and love with their Downs Syndrome children? Where is the compassion? His understanding?
It is troubling that with such trenchant views and a strident manner in expressing said views, that Laws is a member of the Whanganui DHB. His apparent lack of empathy on this issue would seem to be counter-intuitive to his role within the health system that has as it’s first priority to help people in the most compassionate way possible.
The medical system is not here to make determinations in a manner so callous as Laws’ expresses.
It is a cruel, cold, world of steel and relentless ‘logic’ that Michael Laws inhabits. One that would suit Cybermen and Borg very nicely.
I doubt most of us would fancy living in it.
Laws’ comments come at a time when attention is also focused on intemperate comments made by National Minister, Judith Collins, on Twitter (see: ‘The Standard‘, Judith Collins: The obnoxious right; ‘The Daily Blog‘, How much more of an arsehole can Judith Collins be while Nelson Mandela is mourned? UPDATE).
What is it about New Zealand politics that seems to bring out the worst in some people?
This blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 12 December 2013.
.
*
.
Other blogs
The Daily Blog: Will a staff member at the Whanganui District Health Board please make a formal complaint about Michael Laws?
International Socialists Organisation of Aotearoa/New Zealand: Michael Laws: a sexist, eugenicist toad
.
.
= fs =
News Archives
Crony Watch
Keeping an eye on dodgy government appointees, crony-by-crony!
Frankly Speaking... 