Money Vs Integrity a growing problem

Wheeler's Corner 41 6th October 2018.
“Connecting people who care”

1.
“Being a character – an interesting, unusual or amusing personality – and “Possessing character – being a person of integrity, probity, substance, resolute in the face of adversity.
This week I’m asking each Councillor publicly, and I include the Mayor “Are you being an interesting character...or do you possess character in regard to your council role.

Now don’t take offence, just read the first paragraph again and consider just where you fit. Consider your actions, over lets say the last three months and decide where you sit in regard to ‘possessing and living’ the items listed in paragraph one. Have you practiced integrity, probity, substance and resolution in your decisions and actions?
I imagine that this would depends on your understanding of the word ‘character’, never-the-less it’s a serious question worthy of serious consideration. In fact it’s a question worthy of being asked by all of us about ourselves and those with whom we interact.

Last Monday [1st October 2018] Brent Barrett moved a notice of motion and Lorna Johnson seconded the motion:

“That the Chief Executive be instructed to develop a PNCC venues Policy which includes hireage and allowable uses of PNCC venues, ensuring it is consistent with our investment policy and other broadly accepted ethical standards such as the Human Rights Act and the NZ Bill of Rights Act”

The reasons for the NOM from Brent Barrett has been well covered in our local newspaper, and it gave Councillors the chance to review the permission granted to the Defence Industry Association [DIA] for use of a PNCC controlled site, but sadly because staff had already [according to a staff member] signed a contract [without councillors knowledge ] that question was never debated, But the request for a full Council workshop on the Barrett / Johnson motion was successful. So I suppose we should be thankful for small mercies.

Those who opposed the motion were: Grant Smith [Mayor] Tangi Utikere [Dep Mayor] Bruno Petrenas, Adrian Broad. All the rest voted for the Motion, and an interesting fact was that all the women voted for!
The arguments put forward by the Mayor Grant Smith were interesting and while I might not have this in exact presentation order this is in basic terms what he said... “This is a Defence Force event” [It is not it is a Defence Industry Association event] He earlier had stated that the event was being sponsored by a catering company [Compass] but offered no evidence of that fact. The Compass web site doesn’t indicate it is sponsoring this event.

He also suggested without presenting any evidence that the notice of motion was politically driven because it was moved by Barrett [Greens] and Johnson [Labour], that claim was a very Donald Trumpish like claim...I was expecting him to accuse them of spreading ‘false news’ but instead he went on to say. “What next, would we stop the ANZAC parade! He even suggested that PN was not a peace city but a Defence City! He also suggested that his Father who served in the 2nd world war would be most upset if we banned the military!

This was really over the top, for no one had suggested that our military be banned, The Defence Industry Association only link to the military is that they sell them arms etc., and that’s the real problem.
The Mayor also talked about freedom of speech, after that I really lost interest. Is banning tobacco advertising, banning freedom of speech? Is banning boobs on bikes in the Square banning freedom of speech? Anyway the Mayor’s plea was rejected by a huge majority. [12 to 4]

So returning to my first paragraph, where do you think the Mayor and those three other males fit...Are they being a character or possessing a character, you decide, those who voted for the motion still have to prove their sincerity by taking part in a ‘Workshop fully and are not simply hiding behind a ‘closed door work shop’ they could do this by opening the workshop up to the public...now that would be clear proof of ‘possessing character’
Donald Trump is a character but he does not have character and that’s a fact...where do those who voted against the Notice Of Motion fit?
2.

On the far left you may recognise an ‘old white male’. This photo was taken at CARE workshop held at Massey, the workshop was conducted by Dr Sue Bradford and it related to how to get students once again active in ‘activism’ type behaviours.
I don’t doubt that I was the oldest person there, but I learned so much by listening to the views expressed by those participating. What it proved for me, was that you never stop learning and ideas and processes to encourage activism are ever expanding and changing.
A good example of dying student activism was when the ACT Party and the Massey Student Political Club [so-called] held a protest against Massey VC banning of Don Brash only five people actually attended and its uncertain if any of them were ‘students’ yet our local media and the MSM turned up in mass and screamed how wrong she was.  
Talk about false news, that so-called event was simply one example. I was at Massey at the time and asked a couple of students, 'What did they think of Don Brash? Their reply, 'Who is Don Brash". That says it all. But across the ocean the story is a little different:

3.  Judging America.

Brett Kavanaugh a so-called judge has united the women of America. But his accuser Dr. [Prof] Christine Blasey Ford was the real driving force...and a real hero to millions of women around the world.

Now this is truly a case for all to see of 'activism' in action. Have a look at this report and learn how the 98% are combating  the 2% that rule the US.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/04/mass-arrests-thousands-descend-senate-office-building-demanding-lawmakers-reject?cd-origin=rss&utm_term=Mass%20Arrests%20

And this from RNZ:

"It's a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of," Mr Trump told reporters. "This is a very difficult time."
"You could be somebody that was perfect your entire life and somebody could accuse you of something - doesn't necessarily have to be a woman - but somebody could accuse you of something and you're automatically guilty."

The president repeatedly said in response to questions about his top court pick that he was waiting to see what would come out of the FBI investigation and did not want to "interrupt" anything.

It's nearly impossible to argue Mr Trump is referring to a genuine fear with his comments. Simply put, false accusations of sexual assault are rare - only 2 to 10 percent of sexual assault reports in the US are found to be false, and it is equally rare that false accusations lead to convictions.
According to the National Registry of Exoneration's in the US, there are only 52 cases where men convicted of sexual assault were exonerated because it turned out they were falsely accused. 
Meanwhile, it's estimated 1 in 6 American women will experience rape or attempted rape in their lifetime. Welcome to the scary party, young men - it might be a scary time for you now but, as someone on Twitter said, it's been a scary millennium for women". RNZ quote ends.

Hence my admiration for those women who speak out, regardless of ones point of view, and as I said before courage comes in many forms, but exposing ones past sexual history must be high on the list. I can only speak as a man, because I am a man, but I truly feel we need to accept responsibility as a gender for our learned behaviour...as our PM said 'Me Too' should become should become 'We too' I would only add that the WE must include the male gender. 

That's it for this week, I hope you are all well and that the sun will shine on you this weekend. Below a film not to miss...

The Man Who Saved the World is a 2014 Danish documentary film by Peter Anthony which tells the gripping true story about Stanislav Petrov, a former lieutenant colonel of the Soviet Air Defence Forces and his role in preventing the 1983 Soviet nuclear false alarm incident from leading to nuclear holocaust. On 26 September 1983, Petrov was duty officer when the computers in the Serpukhov-15 bunker outside Moscow, which housed the command centre of the Soviet early warning satellite system, twice reported that U.S. intercontinental ballistic missiles were heading toward the Soviet Union. 

Come along to the GLOBE on SUNDAY the 14th October 2018 at 2.30, its free, but you may like to make a donation...