New Zealand Thread

[Mekong]

.

 

[baa99]

 

[Coss]

NZ is not immune to the Anti - vax/mandate/5G/government/insert-cause-here, with the protests bedding in and religious freaks and malcontent deaks, taking advantage, everyone organising marches and the police, for now, being very light-handed.

The silent majority are saying, out loud, "if you wont prosecute these protestors for breaking the law, why should I obey the law?"

 

And the NZ branch of Cav's best loonies, are in full roar, tin foil hats,  yes really, this is true:

 

People wearing tinfoil hats, believed all that was required to deal with people's reported symptoms (they're getting sick at an event, jam-packed with un-vaccinated loons, surprise, surprise!), was to drink water and to remove shoes to reconnect through feet to the earth.

Wearing hats made of tinfoil at the Parliament protest after the rise of a theory that sickness was because of the Government using radiation as a weapon...

Sane people think, those sick people have got, Covid Omicron...

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/protesters-turn-to-tinfoil-hats-as-increasing-sickness-blamed-on-government-beaming-radiation-rays/FDCP6NEFJUQWWINL2GXI7OKS6E/

 

[Coss]

Hey tourists, welcome back to New Zealand: Here's what you need to know about us now...

NZ will welcome tourists, with vaccinations, starting in April.

That got the girl's attention...

 

 

 

[Coss]

On a serious note, and perhaps something, that some here may find interesting:

Please note: my interest has nothing to do with the subject matter in the article, being: the historical violence against Hindus - and/or - concerns of hate against Muslims.

Rather,  it is the reasoning of the Chief Censor in NZ, in dealing with this movie.

_______

Chief Censor makes Kashmir film R18, stops short of ban

It’s broken box office records in India, but a film about historical violence against Hindus has been made R18 after a classification review which set freedom of speech against concerns of hate against Muslims

A polarising Indian film about the treatment of Hindus has been made R18 – but the Chief Censor has opted against banning it outright, saying the movie provides a chance to build rather than erode social cohesion.

David Shanks has also hit out at claims from India's representative in New Zealand and others that his decision to review the film's classification was politically influenced, saying independence is "absolutely central" to his role.

The Kashmir Files is a fictionalised retelling of the exodus of between 100,000 and 150,000 Hindus (or Pandits) from the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley in early 1990s over fears of religious persecution and violence.

The movie has received praise from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian politicians, and been granted tax-free status in states by his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

However, there have been reports of anti-Muslim hate speech at screenings of the film, which according to its director Vivek Agnihotri has been banned in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

While the film claims that 4000 Pandits were murdered as part of a “genocide”, previous reports in Indian media have suggested a total of 219 had been killed in the region between 1989 and 2004. Questions have also been raised about the film’s deviation from history in recounting attacks on the Pandits and the omission of violence against Muslims in Kashmir during the same period.

American NGO Genocide Watch this month issued a warning about a potential genocide of Muslims in Kashmir, saying: "Islamophobia is no longer a fringe sentiment in India. It has become a state-manufactured ideology."

The Kashmir Files had been due to come out in New Zealand on March 24 as an R16 movie, but in the days leading up to its release Agnihotri claimed on social media that “terror sympathiser groups” were putting pressure on the Government to ban the film.

Announcing a change in the film's classification to R18, Shanks said he was satisfied the film did not promote extremism or violence in a way that meant it should be banned in New Zealand.

"However, I think an R18 restriction is warranted given the nature and intensity of the violence and cruelty depicted. This age restriction is consistent with what the film received in Australia and India."

He said the decision could disappoint some members of the Hindu community who believed the film had historical value and should be released with no age restriction, as well as some members of the Muslim community who believed the risk of harm meant it shouldn't be screened at all.

But community leaders had made it clear they would not tolerate expressions of hatred or oppression in their communities and would try to ensure the film did not prompt such actions.

"I believe them, and I think there is an opportunity here to build understanding and social cohesion, rather than erode it."

ACT leader David Seymour, National broadcasting and ethnic affairs spokeswoman Melissa Lee and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters had all expressed concerns about any ban impacting freedom of expression, while the controversy led the Indian High Commission to intervene.

In an open letter to Chief Censor David Shanks published on the high commission’s website, Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Muktesh Pardeshi said there was “unnecessary controversy” about the film’s planned release.

“It is gathered that some organisations led by the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) have approached the New Zealand Government, including the Hon. Prime Minister urging to stop the release of the film,” Pardeshi said.

“There are concerning reports that the Office of the Chief Censor is under tremendous political pressure.”

He claimed the film was intended to “educate future generations about the menace of extremism and terrorism”, and had been well received both in India and other countries.

“An erroneous, biased and politically-motivated impression is being created in the minds of New Zealand audience that the film is likely to create a sense of disharmony and Islamophobia."

However, Shanks said it was not true that he had been politically influenced, adding: "The independence of my office is absolutely central to carrying out our challenging role, and I will always act to protect it."

Pardeshi and the Indian High Commission have previously spoken out to criticise the research of Massey University academic Mohan Dutta, who has written about New Zealand’s Hindutva movement and the Islamophobia from those who subscribe to the strain of Hindu nationalism.

Hindutva has grown in prominence under Modi’s BJP, and has been described by critics as a form of right-wing extremism or fascism.

In a November 2021 briefing, the NZ Security Intelligence Service said there was “almost certainly a small number of individuals and groups in New Zealand who adhere to Hindutva IMVE [identity-motivated violent extremism]” according to the interagency Combined Threat Assessment Group.

“It creates Islamophobia and basically sows those seeds of distrust, anger and violence. My concern really is…how much hate is generated already: the movie hasn’t even started and there have been threats against the Muslim community.”

A Muslim community leader in New Zealand, who asked not to be identified due to fears of retaliation, told Newsroom (before Shanks' final decision was announced) he and others were concerned about the movie “weaponising the plight of Kashmiri Pandits” through half-truths to encourage hateful action against Muslims.

While the community leader did not believe the film would itself cause direct acts of violence on New Zealand streets, it could galvanise extremists who the Government and others wanted to de-radicalise.

“Over the last three years since March 15, we have worked really, really hard in terms of trying to get social cohesion within New Zealand, trying to [make] everybody understand each other better…this is going to destroy that three years of investment, and that's what my concern is.”

A spokeswoman for Ardern referred Newsroom to Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti, who in a statement said she was not involved in the Classification Office process given its independence.

“After concerns were raised about the possibility of incitement to violence Chief Censor David Shanks thought it might be useful to take another look at the film and the distributor agreed not to screen the film in the interim,” Tinetti said.

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/chief-censor-makes-kashmir-film-r18-stops-short-of-ban?utm_source=Friends+of+the+Newsroom&utm_campaign=4b1a602882-Week+In+Review+26.03.2022&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-4b1a602882-97951796

[Mekong]

Why should the movie be banned? “Oh! It may upset the Muslims” well get over it.

Christians haven’t been offended by movies such as The Last Temptation of Christ, The Da Vinci Code and even The Life of Brian. You get a few religious fruitcakes demonstrating outside movie theatre with a couple of placards.

Upset a Muslim on the other hand and face a Fatwa over your head, such peace loving people.

[Coss]

Please see this bit:

7 hours ago, Coss said:

Please note: my interest has nothing to do with the subject matter in the article, being: the historical violence against Hindus - and/or - concerns of hate against Muslims.

Rather,  it is the reasoning of the Chief Censor in NZ, in dealing with this movie.

And then see this bit:

7 hours ago, Coss said:

But community leaders had made it clear they would not tolerate expressions of hatred or oppression in their communities and would try to ensure the film did not prompt such actions.

"I believe them, and I think there is an opportunity here to build understanding and social cohesion, rather than erode it."

 

[Mekong]

And my reply was how he dealt with it, as I’m not kow towing to the Muslim Radicals

How can you “Build understanding and social cohesion” to a group of “Terror Sympathisers” if all you do is back down to their demands, would that not upset the non Muslims, allowing 1.3% of the population ( Muslims in NZ) to dictate to the Chief Censor and the 98.7% of non Muslims 

As I said, Christians protest and wave placards, Muslims issue fatwas and demand bans

[Coss]

Key dokes

 

[Mekong]

Top British diplomat’s husband pokes fun at New Zealand’s ‘crappiest fountain’

Tweet about Wellington water feature drew light-hearted responses from MPs and the public, with one saying: ‘There’s a fine line between iconic and crap

The husband of New Zealand’s British high commissioner has announced his loathing of the Wellington bucket fountain, a well-known and polarising water feature that graces the centre of the nation’s capital.

Toby Fisher, husband of British commissioner Laura Clarke, tweeted: “After 4 years in Wellington, it’s time to be straight with you all, this is the crappiest fountain ever.”

Fisher’s joking statement is only the most recent in a long history of controversy surrounding Wellington’s bucket fountain. Actor Elijah Wood famously urinated in the fountain while in New Zealand filming the Lord of the Rings. The structure’s primary-coloured pails are semi-frequently stolenas souvenirs, and have to be reconstructed at a cost of about $2,000 a pop.

Installed in October 1969, the fountain dumps an erratic stream of water through its buckets, slopping a large portion over the surrounding pavement as it descends.

The Dominion Post newspaper recorded less-than-impressed letters to the editor from the time of its installation: “It is, I think, the sheer ugliness of the thing that fascinates,” one letter-writer wrote. “The fact that it doesn’t work efficiently merely adds to the onlooker’s incredulity.”

Clarke stepped in to jokingly denounce his remarks: “As British high commissioner to NZ I’d like to be clear that the opinions of my husband … in no way represent my views, or the position of the British Government.”

Link

It pretty Crap to be honest.