STOP PRESS. It would seem the photo (now removed) is of Minister McCully showing his respects to victims of the tsunami that struck Samoa two years ago. It is therefore inappropriate and would be disrespectful to make a competition of the photo, but it is not disrespectful in New Zealand pakeha culture to mix a political point with humour while sniping at political leaders, as one reader suggests.
The competition for the best caption was prompted by a reader's comment to an earlier posting: "Who allowed this alien to land on earth?" Can you come up with something as clever or funny or appropriate? Something perhaps that comments on NZ's relations with the Pacific Isands? There are no limits to the number of entries and they can be quite daring so long as they are not personal and stay within the bounds of normal decency.
12 comments:
The bloody brochure said it was 5 star resort with a private nude beach.
Croz
The most apt comment for this post is that you have become a complete idiot?
Have you lost your mind Croz? Do you not know the circumstances of this picture? Or do you simply think it is funny that over a hundred people died on this beach? Get help Croz, you are ill.
Crosbie, you have a healthy disrespect for your politicians. The trouble is, you expect us to show an unhealthy respect for our own (as do they themselves).
If I were to run a similar competition to yours, ie encourage the poking of fun at our interim politicians, and if I were to do it under my own name, I would very likely find myself in court defending a charge of sedition.
All I ask is that you do what we cannot - invite captions for photos of Bainimarama, Sayeed Khaiyum, Qarase, Chaudhry et al. Then we'll be able to have a laugh at self important people who are of far more relevance to our nation's parlous state.
Croz
It would appear to me the hon Minister is paying his respects to those unfortunate Samoans who lost their lives in a tsunami? Perhaps you could show the same respect instead of negatively dengrating everything except the military junta in Fiji?
some grouchy people have no sense of humour.
@ Anonymous ... I see only an inappropriately dressed man on a beach. It reminded me of years ago when at the start of one toheroa season I was asked by a woman in high heels and perfectly dressed for the office how to find the toheroa. She didn't want to miss out on her "share" of this Maori delicacy that is now all but extinct even though she didn't know anything about the large shellfish or its value to Maori. But it seems from what you infer the beach is on the south coast of Upolu following the tsunami. If so, please verify and explain in full, politely if you can.
@Gutter Press ... I didn't invent this type of posting. Our politicians are regularly satirised in cartoons. It's political humour (making a point while causing a laugh) not disrespect for the man or his office. Like you, I had also thought of similar pictures of Fiji leaders but if the cartoons published in the anti-government blogs are anything to go by, the comments would be crude and disrespectful, and not very funny.
Sign he is holding says it all. The caption from the picture you lifted adds:
JOHN SELKIRK/ Stuff.co.nz
JUST A MEMORY: Murray McCully, in Samoa to help co-ordinate the New Zealand relief effort, looks at the devastation on Lalomanu Beach where he holidayed three months ago. All that is left of the resort where he stayed is a wrecked restaurant sign.
But if you find death and destruction amusing, then that that is you
Cros, if you had run it in Fiji, you would have been taken down the beach by the military and made to to those famous "exercises" by the military - image a caption targetted at Frank Bainimarama?
Context......if the Minister has just attended a memorial service and taken a stroll down to the beach, or has finished from a meeting.
Can hardly justify being seen in beachware when the resort and homes that were recently there have been swept away, carrying with them lives and livelyhoods.
...but have you seen Frank's hand in a bandage, they say from to much "Vutulaki"
Crosbie, now that several commentators have made you aware of the circumstances behind that particular picture of Murray McCulley on the beach in Samoa perhaps you would be good enough to replace the photo with another and redeem yourself for your inadvertent faux pas.
After all, you asked commentators to stay within the bounds of normal decency, so it would be nice if you would set the example.
@ Gutter Press ... I agree. Photo removed. Thanks for keeping me on my toes. Croz
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