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Down Under |
Australian opposition defends controversial cartoons |
2006-02-08 |
Australia's main opposition Labor party says violent protests prompted by cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad are an assault on fundamental freedoms in Western democracies. Labor's Kevin Rudd says the protests are repugnant and should not be tolerated. Mr Rudd says any decision on whether to publish the cartoons in Australia should be made solely on editorial grounds. "This is a free country, and we should not be stood over by any group, including militant Islamist groups," he said. "These decisions should be taken on their journalistic merits by Australia's news media. "We should not be kow-towing to anybody when it comes to freedom in this country." New Zealand protests Around 800 people joined protests at the weekend against the publication of the cartoons by two New Zealand newspapers. The prime minister, Helen Clark, has accused the newspapers of "bad manners". New Zealand exporters are concerned that the papers' decision to republish the images could harm trade with Muslim nations. The chairman of New Zealand Meat and Wool, Jeff Grant, says Middle Eastern markets are worth up to US$274 million to New Zealand. |
Posted by:Fred |
#5 And, LOTR was filmed in New Zealand, of course. I understand that one of the DVDs has extra scenes of the actors playing the orcs doing a haka. |
Posted by: Eric Jablow 2006-02-08 17:40 |
#4 For the unitiated in Rugby: Generations of rugby players have bad sweats about this song since this is the Haka the battle cry of the best players in world New Zealand "All Blacks" and is usually followed by a nightmarish defeat for their opponents. It is derived from one of the many battle cries of the Maoris (New Zealand first inhbitants) |
Posted by: JFM 2006-02-08 14:54 |
#3 Whahahahaha.... I doubt it. |
Posted by: Besoeker 2006-02-08 13:04 |
#2 Bes, is that what the orcs were chanting before the battles in The Two Towers? |
Posted by: Eric Jablow 2006-02-08 12:40 |
#1 Bugger the "bad manners" Helen, give us some Haka and sing it with enthusiasm please. We'll enjoy it a damn site more than your leftest drivel. KA MATE! KA MATE! We're going to die! We're going to die! Chorus KA ORA, KA ORA! We're going to live! We're going to live! Leader KA MATE! KA MATE! We're going to die! We're going to die! Chorus KA ORA, KA ORA! We're going to live! We're going to live! All together TENEI TE TANGATA PU'RU-HURU This is the man, so hairy NA'A NEI TIKI MAI WHAKA-WHITI TE ... who fetched, and made shine the ... RA! HUPANE! KA-UPANE! sun! Step upwards! Another ... ! A HUPANE! KA-UPANE! Step upwards! Another... ! WHITI TE RA! The sun shines! HI ! |
Posted by: Besoeker 2006-02-08 11:49 |