Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Pike River Miners Tribute - Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own - ZM
This is an awesome tribute video for the Pike River Miners.
In memory of the Pike River miners
The church bells rang 29 times so we knew it was final and the end of the line. Now 29 are at heaven's gate with coal silt dirty faces asking "is it too late?" When God replies with half a grin "no my children come on in". They place their mining lights gently on heavens floor when God said "job well done" leave your boots at the door...
I offer my love to the families of the miners and the town of Greymouth.
I offer my love to the families of the miners and the town of Greymouth.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The nasty stuff Paul Henry had said on tv
Taken from http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4217429/Paul-Henry-quits-TVNZ
Former Television New Zealand host Paul Henry has a long list of questionable on-air comments:
On Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit:
"What's her name? Dick Shit. And it's so appropriate because she is Indian. So she'd be dick-in-shit, walking along the street. I've known about her for a while and I've been laughing ever since."
To John Key on Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand:
"Is he even a New Zealander? Are you going to choose a New Zealander who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time?"
Commenting on a Greenpeace spokeswoman:
"That was a moustache on a lady."
On the elderly:
"A lot of old people need to go to the toilet a lot, quite frankly."
On food poisoning:
"How do you get salmonella from fresh tomatoes? I suppose it could be some of those Hispanic people that pick them."
On women:
"They have no grasp at all of technology."
On infant mortality in the developing world:
"Oh they have enough babies to take care of that. Don't worry about that, we've got six others out the back."
On Susan Boyle:
"Here's the really interesting revelation. She is, in fact, retarded. And if you look at her carefully, you can make it out."
On an Indian petrol station attendant:
"I said you can't charge $1.71, and he said `oh ba-ding ba-ding ba-ding'. He couldn't speak English."
After convicted killer William Bell was bashed in jail:
"I still don't think that Bell got everything that was coming to him, but who knows, maybe he'll buck up, you know get a bit of good health, go back to prison and get bashed again – fingers crossed anyway."
About prisoners of war in Afghanistan:
"These people, these killers, these morons, are sort of taken out of their criminal activity, and then, as you say, we need, are expected to, hand them over with kid gloves. No, no, no! We need to get out the Stanley knives."
On homosexuality:
"It is unnatural, although homosexuality is through all species. I don't know if it's through all species but many, many species. A lot of monkeys are homosexual."
I am so glad he is gone. TV is definately not the place to use hurtful words.
Former Television New Zealand host Paul Henry has a long list of questionable on-air comments:
On Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit:
"What's her name? Dick Shit. And it's so appropriate because she is Indian. So she'd be dick-in-shit, walking along the street. I've known about her for a while and I've been laughing ever since."
To John Key on Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand:
"Is he even a New Zealander? Are you going to choose a New Zealander who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time?"
Commenting on a Greenpeace spokeswoman:
"That was a moustache on a lady."
On the elderly:
"A lot of old people need to go to the toilet a lot, quite frankly."
On food poisoning:
"How do you get salmonella from fresh tomatoes? I suppose it could be some of those Hispanic people that pick them."
On women:
"They have no grasp at all of technology."
On infant mortality in the developing world:
"Oh they have enough babies to take care of that. Don't worry about that, we've got six others out the back."
On Susan Boyle:
"Here's the really interesting revelation. She is, in fact, retarded. And if you look at her carefully, you can make it out."
On an Indian petrol station attendant:
"I said you can't charge $1.71, and he said `oh ba-ding ba-ding ba-ding'. He couldn't speak English."
After convicted killer William Bell was bashed in jail:
"I still don't think that Bell got everything that was coming to him, but who knows, maybe he'll buck up, you know get a bit of good health, go back to prison and get bashed again – fingers crossed anyway."
About prisoners of war in Afghanistan:
"These people, these killers, these morons, are sort of taken out of their criminal activity, and then, as you say, we need, are expected to, hand them over with kid gloves. No, no, no! We need to get out the Stanley knives."
On homosexuality:
"It is unnatural, although homosexuality is through all species. I don't know if it's through all species but many, many species. A lot of monkeys are homosexual."
I am so glad he is gone. TV is definately not the place to use hurtful words.
Friday, October 8, 2010
It is time for a word swap
I snake my way through the crowds of people as I go from class to class. There is a big din as students gossip about the little incidents that happened last period. I hear people peppering their speech with a word that hurts people more than they realise. My stomach lurches and I want to speak out, to tell them to stop, but I am scared to be different to the crowd. You may be wondering, what word am I talking about? I am talking about the word ‘retard’, also known as the ‘r-word’.
People know that there are words that should not be used as they hurt the feelings of others. Advocates have spoken out and people have listened. Does this mean there is no more hate speech? No, far from it. The word retard is considered hate speech because it offends people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as the people that care for and support them. It alienates and excludes them. It also emphasises the negative stereotypes surrounding people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; the common belief that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities should be segregated, hidden away from society, which, in my opinion, is really old fashioned.
Unfortunately, people use the word retard as a synonym for acting dumb or being an idiot. Many well-known people have made the headlines for saying the ‘r-word’ on television and other media. Guy Richie, pop singer Madonna, the Black Eyed Peas and New Zealand television presenter Paul Henry have all been heard saying the ‘r-word’. They are supposed to be positive role models for the people who look up to them but by using the ‘r-word’ they sound ignorant. The DreamWorks film Tropic Thunder uses the ‘r-word’ several times. I am not surprised these incidents have sparked a big outcry from the disability community, resulting in protests and a campaign by Special Olympics and young people called ‘Spread the Word to End the Word’, where people are making others aware of the hurtful effects of the ‘r-word’ and people have chosen to not use it. The campaign also uses social media such as the websites Facebook and Twitter to reach out to a wider audience.
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities live successful lives out in the community. They hold down jobs, find romance and have hopes, dreams and ambitions just like anyone else in society. They are also very competitive, striving to perform to the best of their ability in Special Olympics competitions. They even earn high accolades from governments and the wider community like Robert Martin, who is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit and inaugural inductee into the Attitude Hall of Fame for his self-advocacy work, which has even taken him to the United Nations. These people do not feel hate, they are always respectful and I believe they can show everyone else some important life lessons that I feel have been forgotten. These include having a positive attitude, joy and the spirit of humanity. Why would you be horrible to people like that? I think people use labels like the ‘r-word’ even though those labels make others feel uncomfortable because it gives them a sense of comfort and control in a world of chaos.
I am a person that lives with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. I am tougher that many females my age, doing crazy things like eating raw huhu grubs and black water rafting. When I hear the ‘r-word’ though it cuts me deep and I feel like to vomit. I am in various activities, too many to mention because I do not like to brag, and a leader within my school. I also speak out on the issues that matter to me as both a young person with a disability. I am definitely not the ‘r-word’ because as one Special Olympics athlete put it, it means ‘dumb and shallow’ and I am not that.
In New Zealand, we have thousands and thousands of sheep. They are stupid animals because if one sheep does something, the rest of the flock does it without thinking of the consequences. Many young people use the ‘r-word’ without thinking because friends use it. According to a survey run by Gary N. Siperstein and Sarah Pociask from the Special Olympics Global Collaborating Centre at the University of Massachusetts Boston, called ‘Youth Experiences with the R-word’, young people were more likely to laugh and think it is funny (28% of respondents) or not care (25% of respondents) if their friends used the ‘r-word’. Why do we need to be like sheep and go with the crowd? There are too many sheep in New Zealand - we do not need anymore!
There are a large number of people, all over the world, making a stand and saying that the ‘r-word’ is not ok. These people believe that everyone has talents, gifts and abilities and that there is no need for hurtful language. There are well known people that are making a stand including heart-throb Joe Jonas, member of the Jonas Brothers and Special Olympics supporter, and John C McGinley, who plays Dr Cox on ‘Scrubs’. Mr McGinley has said his character has called another character many names but he would never use the ‘r-word’. He is also a spokesperson for the ‘Spread the Word to End the Word’ campaign.
New Zealand is known in the international community as a leader in the field of rights for people living with a disability. This country has done great things including being a main contributor to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and closing down all institutions for people with intellectual disabilities, the last in 2007, allowing them to live in the community. Why then, do people carry on using this word and allow these hurtful attitudes exist that promote exclusion rather than inclusion?
Labels have been used unnecessarily to describe people for as long as I can remember. If you are into computers and technology, you are labelled as a geek or a nerd. If you are really into sport, you are labelled as a jock. Dress in an ‘out there’ way that stands out with skimpy clothes, people think you are a ‘promiscuous’ person. With those labels, there are stereotypes that do not fit the individual, but clump a group of people together. People judge on those stereotypes instead of getting to know a potential new friend. For example, people think that jocks are really into their sport but do not work hard academically. In reality, many sportspeople work hard in their studies because they know that sport is not everything and they need qualifications for life outside of sport, some are even studying at university. What is this thing with perfection and normality? They are not real like things as tables and chairs and to me they are perceptions. I believe that normal is only a setting or a button on a washing machine and what is normal to me is not normal to someone else. Labels are only suited for jars and boxes, they are not suited to people.
It is time to realise that with rights come responsibilities. With the right to freedom of speech, there is the responsibility to choose our words carefully. Get rid of the negative labels and perceptions. It is my dream world, to have everyone live life as them, without being labelled with stereotypes, that prejudice is no longer a barrier to friendship. It is time to swap the unnecessary hurtful labels and replace them with ones that build up people. It is time to use and display a word that has powerful repercussions and will help make a better world for everyone. That word is respect.
-------------------------------------------------------------
For NCEA level 3 English, I had to write an extended piece of writing on a topic of my choice. I decided to do it on the r-word as it ts something that really matters to me.
People know that there are words that should not be used as they hurt the feelings of others. Advocates have spoken out and people have listened. Does this mean there is no more hate speech? No, far from it. The word retard is considered hate speech because it offends people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as the people that care for and support them. It alienates and excludes them. It also emphasises the negative stereotypes surrounding people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; the common belief that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities should be segregated, hidden away from society, which, in my opinion, is really old fashioned.
Unfortunately, people use the word retard as a synonym for acting dumb or being an idiot. Many well-known people have made the headlines for saying the ‘r-word’ on television and other media. Guy Richie, pop singer Madonna, the Black Eyed Peas and New Zealand television presenter Paul Henry have all been heard saying the ‘r-word’. They are supposed to be positive role models for the people who look up to them but by using the ‘r-word’ they sound ignorant. The DreamWorks film Tropic Thunder uses the ‘r-word’ several times. I am not surprised these incidents have sparked a big outcry from the disability community, resulting in protests and a campaign by Special Olympics and young people called ‘Spread the Word to End the Word’, where people are making others aware of the hurtful effects of the ‘r-word’ and people have chosen to not use it. The campaign also uses social media such as the websites Facebook and Twitter to reach out to a wider audience.
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities live successful lives out in the community. They hold down jobs, find romance and have hopes, dreams and ambitions just like anyone else in society. They are also very competitive, striving to perform to the best of their ability in Special Olympics competitions. They even earn high accolades from governments and the wider community like Robert Martin, who is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit and inaugural inductee into the Attitude Hall of Fame for his self-advocacy work, which has even taken him to the United Nations. These people do not feel hate, they are always respectful and I believe they can show everyone else some important life lessons that I feel have been forgotten. These include having a positive attitude, joy and the spirit of humanity. Why would you be horrible to people like that? I think people use labels like the ‘r-word’ even though those labels make others feel uncomfortable because it gives them a sense of comfort and control in a world of chaos.
I am a person that lives with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. I am tougher that many females my age, doing crazy things like eating raw huhu grubs and black water rafting. When I hear the ‘r-word’ though it cuts me deep and I feel like to vomit. I am in various activities, too many to mention because I do not like to brag, and a leader within my school. I also speak out on the issues that matter to me as both a young person with a disability. I am definitely not the ‘r-word’ because as one Special Olympics athlete put it, it means ‘dumb and shallow’ and I am not that.
In New Zealand, we have thousands and thousands of sheep. They are stupid animals because if one sheep does something, the rest of the flock does it without thinking of the consequences. Many young people use the ‘r-word’ without thinking because friends use it. According to a survey run by Gary N. Siperstein and Sarah Pociask from the Special Olympics Global Collaborating Centre at the University of Massachusetts Boston, called ‘Youth Experiences with the R-word’, young people were more likely to laugh and think it is funny (28% of respondents) or not care (25% of respondents) if their friends used the ‘r-word’. Why do we need to be like sheep and go with the crowd? There are too many sheep in New Zealand - we do not need anymore!
There are a large number of people, all over the world, making a stand and saying that the ‘r-word’ is not ok. These people believe that everyone has talents, gifts and abilities and that there is no need for hurtful language. There are well known people that are making a stand including heart-throb Joe Jonas, member of the Jonas Brothers and Special Olympics supporter, and John C McGinley, who plays Dr Cox on ‘Scrubs’. Mr McGinley has said his character has called another character many names but he would never use the ‘r-word’. He is also a spokesperson for the ‘Spread the Word to End the Word’ campaign.
New Zealand is known in the international community as a leader in the field of rights for people living with a disability. This country has done great things including being a main contributor to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and closing down all institutions for people with intellectual disabilities, the last in 2007, allowing them to live in the community. Why then, do people carry on using this word and allow these hurtful attitudes exist that promote exclusion rather than inclusion?
Labels have been used unnecessarily to describe people for as long as I can remember. If you are into computers and technology, you are labelled as a geek or a nerd. If you are really into sport, you are labelled as a jock. Dress in an ‘out there’ way that stands out with skimpy clothes, people think you are a ‘promiscuous’ person. With those labels, there are stereotypes that do not fit the individual, but clump a group of people together. People judge on those stereotypes instead of getting to know a potential new friend. For example, people think that jocks are really into their sport but do not work hard academically. In reality, many sportspeople work hard in their studies because they know that sport is not everything and they need qualifications for life outside of sport, some are even studying at university. What is this thing with perfection and normality? They are not real like things as tables and chairs and to me they are perceptions. I believe that normal is only a setting or a button on a washing machine and what is normal to me is not normal to someone else. Labels are only suited for jars and boxes, they are not suited to people.
It is time to realise that with rights come responsibilities. With the right to freedom of speech, there is the responsibility to choose our words carefully. Get rid of the negative labels and perceptions. It is my dream world, to have everyone live life as them, without being labelled with stereotypes, that prejudice is no longer a barrier to friendship. It is time to swap the unnecessary hurtful labels and replace them with ones that build up people. It is time to use and display a word that has powerful repercussions and will help make a better world for everyone. That word is respect.
-------------------------------------------------------------
For NCEA level 3 English, I had to write an extended piece of writing on a topic of my choice. I decided to do it on the r-word as it ts something that really matters to me.
Crud!
Sorry for not updating but as usual, things have gotten a bit hetic. Exams, swimming, trying not to go crazy about what the government wants to do. I will try to update once a month.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Autism NZ
Autism NZ is an organisation in New Zealand that supports people with Autism Spectrum disorders including Asperger's Syndrome, their families, caregivers and professionals that work with them. There are branches throughout NZ that work at a local level to provide services which include information and advocacy.
The Bay of Plenty Branch in particular, has been a real support to myself and my family in which 3 people, including myself, are diagnosed as being on the spectrum. They have helped through things such as advocating on our behalf when we are dealing with Social Welfare and teachers for example, to just being there to listen when I need to vent my frustrations about how people percieve me. I also use the forums for teenagers and young people on the Autism NZ website and it allows me to meet people from other places who are going through what I am going through. I don't think I would be the same person without their support.
The Bay of Plenty Branch in particular, has been a real support to myself and my family in which 3 people, including myself, are diagnosed as being on the spectrum. They have helped through things such as advocating on our behalf when we are dealing with Social Welfare and teachers for example, to just being there to listen when I need to vent my frustrations about how people percieve me. I also use the forums for teenagers and young people on the Autism NZ website and it allows me to meet people from other places who are going through what I am going through. I don't think I would be the same person without their support.
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