Sports boycotts
January 10th, 2009 at 3:34 pm by David FarrarHamish McBrearty at Sports After Dark blogs on the protest against the Israeli tennis player. He says:
I don’t usually cover political events as it is my firm belief that sports should be apolitical. However, this particular protest is so intellectually dishonest and morally bankrupt that I just have to point out a few things.
Veteran protestor John Minto and a few of his followers protested outside the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland today, as is their right, and called for Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer to pull out of the tournament.
Minto had already indicated that his group, Global Peace and Justice would do so in this press release and a letter to Peer herself. The reason I find this protest so disgusting, apart from the hate in his press release, is that Peer is just a person going about her normal business. I can understand people protesting the 1981 Springbok Tour, as that team represented South Africa, was chosen along racial lines and gave some legitimacy to the regime, but Peer is a professional tennis player representing herself, she just happens to be Israeli. …
I’m not sure where these calls for a comprehensive boycott of Israel are coming from, but is he seriously suggesting that she should be unable to earn a living internationally based solely on where she was born?
The answer is yes.
January 10th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Amazing the actions of the mindless followers of the hypocritical John Minto
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
He really needs to be taken to task over his reasoning here.
It would be just as despicable for others to boycott Syrian, Lebanese, or Palestinian tennis players.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I am lost for words.
That man is a dangerous individual who uses our freedoms as a masquerade.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
If Minto feels so strong about it he should go and stand on the Gaza border crossing with his placard.
in fact I would even pay his one way fare
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
The question to me is whether it’s safe to have Minto teach in taxpayer-funded schools. How does he keep his far-left bigotry out of the classroom?
What a fanatical bully to hound the young Israeli tennis player like this.
Minto has been addicted to protest since the Bok tour demonstrations. It brings him limelight, headlines, importance and a sense of direction that would be more healthily filled by a conventional religion. Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, even Scientologists please note: Minto needs you. Go get him.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
MINTO is a boring OLD PRICK
but MINTO IS A WHITE RACIST ,why do we allow old WHITE RACISTS to teach our children.Minto(THE WHITE SUPREMIST RACIST), who would expell JEWS if given the chance managed to get 300 RACIST RETARDS in the city of Auckland to throw shoes at the USA embassy BUNCH OF DUMBIES,in the land of the free and the over taxed,Im free to abuse minto, and his rag tag diciples
Vote:Is his protest been sponsered by arabs ie HAMAS VIA(IRAN and SYRIA) THERES MONEY IN THE BACKGROUND i bet ???
January 10th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Someone may want to ask The Press why they publish his rantings every week?
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
The 81 Springboks had a coloured player and the assistant manager was coloured.
Vote:To say it is okay to protest against an amateur team only in those days is complete eyewash.
Here is the question, does Israel practice apartheid ?
In Greater Israel, the West bank etc the Arabs even though they live on land controlled by Israel they do not get a vote in the Israeli parliament.
Now if Israel wants to practice apartheid well and good, but like South Africa they will find there is a price to pay.
How soon will Europe start with sanctions ?
Because they will come.
January 10th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
I worry abou Minto teaching in schools too. And by the way he is one mean looking dude. I bet he kicks puppies too.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
V …
Vote:regarding The Press, we let our feet do the talking and cancelled our subscription. We certainly objected to paying for the increasing leftish drivel that Fairfax Media group is now filling their pages with, Minto was the last straw. I would encourage anyone else who subscribes to the Press to do the same if they feel strongly enough. The New York Times has discovered that people no longer trust the MSM with its omissions/lies and it looks like its death knell has been tolled. We now rely on the net for our news.
January 10th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
In the great light of day ,I would rather be a Israelie born palistinian, than some poor unemployed fuckwit under the jackboot of hamas in the Strip and radical ISLAM
Vote:Hell in ISRAEL if you are locally born arab IN A PROTEST you can still wave a palistian flag and not be crucified
IN THE GAZA STRIP if you waved a Israelie flag they would fuck you, beat you to death ,burn , crucify upsidedown all in the name of ALLAH ETC ETC. so (HORI)if you like PRIMATIVE jew hating apartied supporting CRETINS , get born in the gaza strip , as welfare benificeries(to the UN) the local arabs in the strip have a lot in common with the cussie bro in NZ who dont WORK and have lots of kids and kill them and live off the sweat of workers
January 10th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Dont conflicts, arouse passions, i dont give a crap either way but when you look at the leader of hizbolla, waving his hands around, in his gown ,with his tubin on,spitting in his speech, FUCK I THOUGHT OF HITLER ,in that speech in Berlin. Remember they dont just hate jews THEY HATE THE WEST ,that includes fuckwits that support them, ie ( YOU LOT) from the left, remember DARFOR and dark africans been RAPED and SLAUGHTERED in the 1000s.,
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
joeAverage, what they grill them but do not eat them, what a waste.
Vote:Besides dear boy why should we give one flying fuck about a bunch of Semites who cannot get along..
Funny how the yanks go on about supporting Israel, yet when a thousand Jews turned up on a boat in 1940, they sent them back to Europe to be gassed by the Huns.
January 10th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
GOH>In Greater Israel, the West bank etc the Arabs even though they live on land controlled by Israel they do not get a vote in the Israeli parliament.
At various times over the last 15 years, NZ forces have occupied and controlled bits of Indonesia, East Timor, Iraq, and Afghanistan. At no stage were the residents of these countries allowed to vote for members of the NZ Parliament. I don’t recall you, or anyone else for that matter, calling for them to be given the vote. Why the double standard when it involves Israel?
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Yes the Christmas Congo massacre was another terrible chapter, wasn’t it joe?
How’s your cellphone?
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Wonder what the reaction would have been has it been say a white and/or a black Tennis Player from Zimbabwe.
Either living there, or expats in Israel?
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
“The answer is yes.”
Bullshit. He said she should withdraw from the tournament in protest at what her country was doing to the people of the Gaza strip, as she is famous in her homeland it would get news media attention.
“I’m not sure where these calls for a comprehensive boycott of Israel are coming from, but is he seriously suggesting that she should be unable to earn a living internationally based solely on where she was born?”
He never suggested that. It has nothing to do with where she is from and everything to do with her having an influential voice in Israel.
DPF might sit on his ass while the civilians in the Gaza strip get the shit blown out of their homes and schools on a daily basis, and casually pontificate as where the blame lies, while people like John Minto – love him or hate him – actually get out and voice their opposition to these attrocities.
[DPF: The pity is Minto never gets off his ass to protest against suicide bomings, deliberate blowing up of school buses, 10,000 rocket attacks against civilian targets etc etc]
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Change of subject ,you get a great blue cod dish(really to die for) at Gladstone winery in the Gladstone area in the WairarapaTook my wife and her sister there for lunch at Friday lunchtime (im a nice person)they had the chicken dish each , BEAUTIFUL meal , check out their webb site.Gladstone is about 1,25hrs from WELLINGTON (SORRY SICK OF DEATH AND DISTRUCTION)good wine and food beats death and distruction ,hands down
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
huh? where are you dialed in from, 1972? The internet is a valid form of communication these days. DPF gets out and about on issues that he holds dear, gets his face on TV personally and as guest on panels and on the radio. Whether you agree with what he says or not is opinion, but “on his ass” is simply untrue.
Are you suggesting Israel waits on the words of a tennis player for it’s national security?
Please, your naievity and the intellectual dishonesty has just hit a record for this site. And no, there is no prize.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
That’s right DPF but then when does your side demonstrate against unjust Palestinian killings when they happen? Point is, both sides are wrong.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Just ignore Minto and his fellow travellers. They are a bunch of die-hard communists and publicity seekers trying (and succeeding) in getting to the front page of the papers on almost a daily basis.
On a personal basis, Minto is a moron who has made a living out of his antics.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
I have just finished polishing my Minto Bar.
Vote:At the ready SIR.
January 10th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
reid asks DPF – when does your side demonstrate when there are unjust killings of Palestinians?
Vote:Clarity at last! Can we expect a reasonable response to reid’s question? Let’s see.
January 10th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
“Global Peace and Justice”
Being unburdened by the hefty shackles of honesty and rational analysis, the only limitation on the operational sphere of this cutting edge solution provider to global conflict would appear to be the geographic constraints of a Stagecoach bus pass.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
“reid asks DPF”
My point behind that comment greenfly was that I had a minor epiphany last night when I read that email I’ve quoted above that explains why both sides are wrong.
I suddenly realised that in all of the Gaza threads over Christmas we’ve had a common theme: that of polarity. It comes from passion. The more passionate your view, the less rational you are even though to you, you are being perfectly rational.
Lord Denning the most famous English Jurist said when he was a Barrister, before he prepared the Defence case, he’d prepare the Prosecution’s. That’s one way round it, if you want to train yourself to become dispassionate.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
You’re quite right reid – both sides are in the wrong in the Gaza conflict. Which is where Minto’s bigotry and hypocrisy come to the surface – he is blind to any wrongdoing by Hamas.
And interestingly, while Minto and his rag-tag band of protesters were indulging in their bullying towards Shahar Peer during the week, one of his protesters had a placard calling on Israel to stop bullying Palestine!! Hoist by his own hypocritical petard, methinks
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
“reid asks DPF – when does your side demonstrate when there are unjust killings of Palestinians?
Clarity at last! Can we expect a reasonable response to reid’s question? Let’s see.”
Try reading DPF’s postings ya tool….he has said quite clearly that Israel isn’t the clean patato and that he disagrees with some of its actions…..BUT…its Hamas thats started this shit,Hamas that wants it,Hamas thats putting civilians in the firing line and Hamas that has the power too end it by acting like civilised people and recognising Israels right to exist.Till that happens I say to Israel….bomb baby bomb! You’ve earned the right via 6 million sacifices……and the millions more you will have to make if Hamas and its allies win..
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Funny this, isn’t it. They targetting Peer because she was apparently “too eager” to do her time in the IDF. IDF service is mandatory for two years for Israelis. It was probably this dedication that made the IDF inclined to give her an outstanding athlete concession, suspending her service requirements and allowing her to play tennis. To Minto, however, a woman who had been suspended from serving in the IDF so she can go back to doing her job as an athlete is a legitimate target.
And yet he heralds him self as John Minto, the worker’s advocate – unless he doesn’t agree with your profession, where you were born or the laws of your democratically elected government. Well done John, you stopped a hard-working and dedicated woman from doing her job.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Update: it was this post on another thread that I refer to above. Sorry.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I don’t always agree with DPF but this is a forum (in all senses of the word) for him to post about what he wants and for others to respond. Do you expect him to be out there with a little placard for the other side?
A wise man once said that the pen is mightier than the sword. In today’s world the saying would be something like, the keyboard is mightier than the placard, although I’m sure there is something to be said for a physical presence.
It was DPF who alerted the country to the Electoral Finance Bill on this blog; if not for him it would have gone largely ignored.
Vote:Cut the man some slack..
January 10th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
This is not about DPF, Fletch, he simply happened to be the person who wheeled out the oft-made point to which I responded. Here is the full exchange.
So what’s anti-DPF about that?
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Reid, DPF has stated that he regrets that Israeli strikes have resulted in civillian casualties. The point of difference is whether you find it acceptable to haphazardly fire rockets into another territory and then expect them not to retaliate or defend themselves. DPF thinks it is not.
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Crikey ThinkBig, you’re not making any sense. Wots the connection between DPF stating he regrets civilian casualties and anything I’ve said? Nevermind.
Look, I suggest if DPF wants to comment he will, if he doesn’t he won’t. Until he does, wots the point of talking about?
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Sorry if I’ve misunderstood, I’m still seething from sitting down to watch another cricket match that hasn’t finished. And I haven’t made any sense in years, ask the women in my life
Vote:January 10th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Women – Plural!?! Man, you do think big…
Vote:January 11th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Fletch: “It was DPF who alerted the country to the Electoral Finance Bill on this blog; if not for him it would have gone largely ignored.”
Numerous people and groups made submissions to rthe Select Committee. Allegations of the slowness of the Police investigation into Stephen Joyce’s claims of the misuse of the Helen’s Leader’s Funds were made to the Police Commissioner. The Electoral Commission dragged it’s feet and were party to the cover-up. Hon Margaret Wilson was rewarded with a New Zealand Honour.
Vote:January 11th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Peer should speak out against the mass murdfer of Palestinians:
“Since the Second Intifada broke out in 2000, Israelis have killed nearly 5,000 Palestinians, nearly a thousand of them minors”
Vote:January 11th, 2009 at 10:02 am
He-man, doesn’t Peer have every right not to be involved if she so chooses?
Vote:January 11th, 2009 at 11:24 am
He-man, doesn’t Peer have every right not to be involved if she so chooses?
Speak no evil?
Vote:January 11th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
He-man, doesn’t Peer have every right not to be involved if she so chooses?
Speak no evil?
No….Freedom of choice……something the Left and Hamas are against……and who knows if Peer hasn’t had family et el killed by Hamas rockets/violence in the past? Anyone asked…?
Vote:January 12th, 2009 at 7:54 am
I don’t understand why anyone takes Minto seriously. His only asset is a catchy surname and a sunset ember of 81 tour brand recognition.
Vote: