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Kirwan

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="508161" data-time="1439526202">
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What is this discussion meant to deflect attention from?
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The flag discussion?
 
Nothing. It's possible to have multiple things going on at the same time, and I like that we are at least having the discussion about national pride and how we express that. Even if it means we end up chosing the existing flag, it's worth it IMO.
 
I'd rather change the bloody anthem though.

antipodean

Every time there's discussion over here about flags or republics you know someone wants the media and public not to focus on something else.
 
My response is always the same; what difference will it make? However I'm all for getting rid of dirges for anthems. Something like

or

Kirwan

That doesn't work in the modern age, particularly as peoples attention span is 30secs these days.
 
Do you think Key is setting up a dictatorship or something? 
 
I like Ireland's drinking song anthem myself.

taniwharugby

The deflection conspiracy theory is TPP....supposedly same as the US where they are dealing with the Confederate flag issue

Kirwan

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="508182" data-time="1439531945">The deflection conspiracy theory is TPP....supposedly same as the US where they are dealing with the Confederate flag issue</blockquote>
 
You gotta laugh at the tinfoil muppets.

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Kirwan" data-cid="508190" data-time="1439533892">
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You gotta laugh at the tinfoil muppets.
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well there aint no changing thier minds is there! 
 
One of my good friends is into his conspiracies, man it is fun when we are all drinking with him!

Donsteppa

The TPPA has been talked about publicly for several years now, yet people still insist it's being buried/distracted from/under reported in the media about every second week... 
There has been and still is plenty of commentary on it. If people don't have the attention span to get past the first three click bait articles on Stuff, then that's just a reflection on their attention span rather than anything more sinister. 
"Oh look! Kittens!"

antipodean

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Kirwan" data-cid="508177" data-time="1439529643">
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That doesn't work in the modern age, particularly as peoples attention span is 30secs these days.
 
Do you think Key is setting up a dictatorship or something? 
 
I like Ireland's drinking song anthem myself.
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Individuals might have attention spans that short, but the media loves to beat a story to death.
 
All I'm saying is every time I've seen such issues raised by the Government in Oz, it's never coincided with their greatest policy announcements. :D

No Quarter

I agree with Kirwan after we change the flag can we please change the bloody anthem?

canefan

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="508241" data-time="1439547298">
I agree with Kirwan after we change the flag can we please change the bloody anthem?</blockquote>Its a bit low energy isn't it? My favourites, off the top of my head would be the Marseillaise, the Italian anthem, and the Stars and Stripes is pretty decent

Donsteppa

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="508221" data-time="1439543067">
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Individuals might have attention spans that short, but the media loves to beat a story to death.
 
All I'm saying is every time I've seen such issues raised by the Government in Oz, it's never coincided with their greatest policy announcements. :biggrin:
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And bad policy announcements are never made at other times?

Rancid Schnitzel

Personally I love the NZ anthem. Particularly the Maori version. 
The Welsh and Scottish anthems are the best by far IMHO.

antipodean

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Donsteppa" data-cid="508248" data-time="1439548212">
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And bad policy announcements are never made at other times?
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Depends what side of politics you're on.

Catogrande

Ah! The Scottish national anthem. Would that perchance be "Flower of Scotland". Composed back in the misty days of 1967 by a third rate folk band and not even used at sporting events until 1993?
 
It is a good song mind, but anthem it ain't.

red terror

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="507797" data-time="1439367636">
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I'd be interested in Red Terror adding to this thread about what happened in Canada when they changed their flag which from memory was after ww2.
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The flag just celebrated it's 50th anniversary.
 
Off the top of my head, I believe the ruling Liberal Party believed the flag needed to be more distinctive. The old "Red Ensign" flag . . .
 
<img src="http://shop.flagshop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/f/l/flag-military-red-ensign1922.gif" alt="flag-military-red-ensign1922.gif">
 
 . . . looked like it could have come from any dinky principality in the Commonwealth. Moreover, the decision in 1965 to change it was looking ahead to Canada's centennial in 1967.
 
Lots of Canadians were attached to their old flag and despised the new one. (There was for many years a conspiracy theory from the Conservative Party, whose colour is blue, that the Liberals deliberately chose the dominant red colour on the sides of the maple leaf of the current flag because Liberal colour is red. The two red panels are "supposed" to represent the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans ("sea to sea"), and since when is water red, huh?)
 
But the new generation of Canadians is incredibly attached to the Maple Leaf flag, it's probably now one of the three or five most distinctive and easily recognizable flags on the planet.
 
That's the reason I just bought my silver fern flag. People don't recognize my kiwi southern cross flag, but the silver fern is something people can see a mile away and they are getting to know what it means. It is the de-facto flag.

taniwharugby

I wonder if it was anyone other than John Key driving this if some people's attitude might be different or more open, as there is a section of the NZ public who see Key as the devil and hate on anything he says or does, fearing some conspiracy, self interest or to help his mates!

Rancid Schnitzel

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="508275" data-time="1439562655">
Ah! The Scottish national anthem. Would that perchance be "Flower of Scotland". Composed back in the misty days of 1967 by a third rate folk band and not even used at sporting events until 1993? 
It is a good song mind, but anthem it ain't.</blockquote>
 
Do the Scots call it their anthem? Surely then its origins or year when used are completely irrelevant.

Godder

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="508278" data-time="1439581628">
I wonder if it was anyone other than John Key driving this if some people's attitude might be different or more open, as there is a section of the NZ public who see Key as the devil and hate on anything he says or does, fearing some conspiracy, self interest or to help his mates!</blockquote>
 
I personally don't think it's generally about that, although some fools think like that. 
There just seemed to be real apathy in general toward the idea when it was announced, but it went ahead anyway, so there's a sense of it being pursued with no real public support. 
Also, at least some people are really attached to the current flag, and are strongly opposed to changing it.

Kirwan

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="red terror" data-cid="508276" data-time="1439566395">The flag just celebrated it's 50th anniversary. 
Off the top of my head, I believe the ruling Liberal Party believed the flag needed to be more distinctive. The old "Red Ensign" flag . . . <img src="http://shop.flagshop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/f/l/flag-military-red-ensign1922.gif" alt="flag-military-red-ensign1922.gif"> 
. . . looked like it could have come from any dinky principality in the Commonwealth. Moreover, the decision in 1965 to change it was looking ahead to Canada's centennial in 1967. 
Lots of Canadians were attached to their old flag and despised the new one. (There was for many years a conspiracy theory from the Conservative Party, whose colour is blue, that the Liberals deliberately chose the dominant red colour on the flag because Liberal colour is red. The two red panels are "supposed" to represent the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans ("sea to sea"), and since when is water red, huh?) 
But the new generation of Canadians is incredibly attached to the Maple Leaf flag, it's probably now one of the three or five most distinctive and easily recognizable flags on the planet. 
That's the reason I just bought my silver fern flag. People don't recognize my kiwi southern cross flag, but the silver fern is something people can see a mile away and they are getting to know what it means. It is the de-facto flag.</blockquote>
 
Man, that really drives home that Key is right. We really should be changing our flag to something uniquely Kiwi.

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="508278" data-time="1439581628">
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I wonder if it was anyone other than John Key driving this if some people's attitude might be different or more open, as there is a section of the NZ public who see Key as the devil and hate on anything he says or does, fearing some conspiracy, self interest or to help his mates!
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I'm no fan of the gambler but am 100% behind the change*, conversely, in the real world most of the people I know who are opposed to the change are National voters.
 
 
*I should qualify that by I'm 100% behind the change to a Silver fern on black - if we come up with one of the ugly ones I'm still behind the change, but not 100% :).

The Silver Fern

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