SOLO-NZ Press Release: Close Down the Thought Police!
December 18, 2011
The Race Relations Commissioner's call this morning for golliwog wrapping paper to be withdrawn from the shelves of a
popular chain store underscores the need to abolish that office and repeal the odious legislation under which it pursues
its anti-freedom agenda, says SOLO Principal Lindsay Perigo.
Commissioner Boris (aka Joris) de Bres says the paper might cause offence.
"What's beyond offensive is Boris's ongoing state-sponsored attempt to police our thoughts," says Perigo.
"Equally offensive is the legislation empowering goons like Boris to do this. Under our grotesquely misnamed Human
Rights Act:
Every person commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or
to a fine not exceeding $7,000 who, with intent to excite hostility or ill-will against, or bring into contempt or
ridicule, any group of persons in New Zealand on the ground of the colour, race, or ethnic or national origins of that
group of persons,—
(a) publishes or distributes written matter which is threatening, abusive, or insulting, or broadcasts by means of radio
or television words which are threatening, abusive, or insulting; or
(b) uses in any public place (as defined in section 2(1) of the Summary Offences Act 1981), or within the hearing of
persons in any such public place, or at any meeting to which the public are invited or have access, words which are
threatening, abusive, or insulting,—
being matter or words likely to excite hostility or ill-will against, or bring into contempt or ridicule, any such group
of persons in New Zealand on the ground of the colour, race, or ethnic or national origins of that group of persons.
"Is Boris going to deem this golliwog wrapping paper matter likely to excite ill-will, and prosecute personnel of the
Look Sharp chain of stores if they don't remove it?
"Kudos is due to Tainui spokesman Jeff Green, who says it's nonsense for anyone to be offended by golliwog wrapping
paper, and the episode shows the extent to which New Zealand is bogged down in political correctness.
"It's also a reminder that the whole world is bogged down in the tyranny of umbrage, to which the best rejoinder was recently offered by Stephen Fry: 'You're
offended? So fucking what!'
"I call on John Key and his new government to abolish Boris and his Thought Police and repeal the legislation that
spawns them," Perigo concludes.
Lindsay Perigo: linz@lindsayperigo.com
SOLO (Sense of Life Objectivists): SOLOPassion.com
ENDS