Good call Nanaia
Finally some sense in the Chris Brown controversy.
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3 News reports:
A top-ranked Maori MP has dismissed the show of support for US rapper Chris Brown as a bid by tour promoters to sell more tickets.
Labour’s Maori Development spokeswoman Nanaia Mahuta spoke out after a number of Maoridom’s most distinguished women leaders announced they were backing Brown’s bid to come to New Zealand.
“The Chris Brown story is nothing more than the tour promoters trying to influence the outcome of a visa application, promote the tour and sell tickets,” she said.
“Unfortunately, those that have talked out on the issue to support Chris Brown have failed to see it for what it is.
Not often I agree with Nanaia, but she is so right here.
Yesterday, Dame June Jackson, Dame June Mariu, Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, Lady Tureiti Moxon and former Women’s Refuge boss Merepeka Raukawa-Tait joined Dame Tariana Turia in supporting Brown’s visit.
They seem to have been sucked in by the argument that Chris Brown made a mistake once, and has been seeking atonement. To the contrary, he has carried on with violent behaviour in the last few years, and has even got violent when someone dares to ask him about the domestic violence conviction.
I absolutely agree that a conviction should not mean he can never ever travel to NZ. But the three factors are:
- How long ago was it
- How serious was it
- Has there been a sustained period of good behaviour since
He fails on pretty much all three. It was relatively recent (not decades ago), was very nasty, and he has carried on with violence since.
Good to see Nanaia speaking out so firmly on this.
Political commentator David Farrar posts at Kiwiblog.
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Good call Nanaia
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