It's been somewhat amusing to see the right-wings reaction to a video the Internet/Mana party recently posted online showing a large group of young people chanting "Fuck John Key".
Not only have people like Matthew Hooton, Claire Robinson, Cameron Slater and David Farrar's over-the-top responses been a bit of a joke really, they've completely missed the boat on decrying that such chants are a terrible affront to their sensibilities. New Zealand crowds have been chanting "Fuck John Key" or similar for the last four years, so this is nothing new.
In case you missed it, here's the video everyone's talking about:
The other claim is that it was Kim Dotcom himself or his associates who initiated the "Fuck John Key" chanting. However, those making such claims have totally failed to provide any evidence to prove them correct. In fact their diversionary accusations simply appear designed to try and discredit a rival political party. Clearly such unsubstantiated claims have invariably been made by people with an ulterior political motive.
Perhaps the most ludicrous claim by someone with an ulterior political motive is one that was initially made by National party propagandist Matthew Hooton, who tweeted:
Apart from it being a large crowd I cannot see any association between a group of young people in New Zealand chanting "Fuck John Key" and a Nazi propaganda rally. As already established, the chanting wasn't initiated by the event organisers and was instead completely spontaneous.
Furthermore, the "Fuck John Key" chant has been a regular feature at music events throughout New Zealand since around 2009. Those who claim this is a new thing are simply confirming that they're ignorant and live in ivory towers. They really need to get out more and see what New Zealand is really like.
The main point that needs to be made is that there's absolutely nothing comparable between young people in New Zealand voicing an opinion and the propaganda used in Germany by Adolf Hitler to initiate war. In fact it's highly insulting to even suggest such a comparison, not only to those opinionated youth who have a right to express themselves, but also to anybody who was actually affected by Nazi propaganda and the atrocities committed in Hitlers name.
The reality of the situation hasn't stopped the right-wing from trying to discredit Kim Dotcom though. It's perhaps because of his German heritage that such unfounded claims as those
published in the NZ Herald today are being made:
Crowd's call likened to Nazi chant
An Internet-Mana Party video clip of a frenzied crowd cheering on Kim Dotcom and chanting "F*** John Key" is being compared to Nazi Germany propaganda - although a political marketing expert concedes it could appeal to youth.
[...]
Auckland University political marketing specialist Jennifer Lees-Marshment said the video's rhetoric about revolution and changing the Government looked effective, but "reminds me of propaganda, chanting-type campaigning more reminiscent of Hitler and fascism [in Nazi Germany] than New Zealand in the 21st century".
It appears that those who support John Key cannot understand why a large proportion of young people dislike him so much. They're trying to dismiss the young people's chanting by initially and wrongly blaming Kim Dotcom for it and then likening those young people to Nazis. This way they can look down upon young people and dismiss what they have to say. In fact it's the right-wings way of coping with the realization that a lot of people strongly dislike the current Prime Minister.
"Negative marketing is never as effective as positive marketing and giving people hope and something to vote for." She conceded the chant might appeal to youth, who the party is trying to reach.
This blanket statement by Lees-Marshment is clearly wrong! Whether negative themes are more effective than positive ones really all depends on what social climate they're being promoted in. Back when the Nazis were getting ready to try and take over the world, the social climate was very negative indeed. Germany was a highly sanctioned and depressed nation after world war one, which in many ways allowed Hitler to gain so much traction with the masses.
The self-professed specialist is also wrong because the "Fuck John Key" message shouldn't necessarily be viewed as negative. Young people who feel strongly enough to voice an opinion and chant "Fuck John Key" will hopefully get out and vote in the September election.
Being that young people have been disproportionately effected by the current governments numerous adverse policy changes, they're also more likely to vote for anybody but National. That's the bit John Key and his supporters really hate, the fact that a lot of young people are strongly opposed to the neoliberal agenda and will likely vote to change it.
Unfortunately it's not just young concert going Kiwis or Kim Dotcoms’ heritage that has come under fire. Right-wing propagandists have also attacked the Internet party leader, Laila Harré:
Massey University political marketing expert Claire Robinson said the video undercuts Ms Harre's claim to integrity. "Laila Harre was expressing such indignation about John Key's 'sugar daddy' comment and the need for respect in the political debate, and at the same time you have Kim Dotcom posting a video inciting hate speech, in effect.
"It is sinking to such a low, and completely at odds with what she's trying to do, exposing yet again the enormous disconnect between Kim Dotcom's hatred for John Key and the way that she wants to campaign."
For Claire Robinson's claims to be true, Laila Harré would need to be responsible in some way for the "Fuck John Key" chanting. She wasn't, which makes the "experts" accusations entirely feckless!
There's nothing wrong with a political party posting a video showing that many thousands of young people are strongly opposed to the current regime.
In fact the Internet/Mana party was doing the right-wing a favour by trying to show them that their policy direction isn't supported by a majority of young people, mainly because they've been the ones who've had to bear the brunt of National's budget cuts.
While National and their propagandists are busy with their faux outrage and negativity towards the youth of New Zealand, the left-wing should get on with campaigning and winning votes. After all, a change in government is really the only way to ensure that young people change their tune towards our leaders.
