Wow - I didn't think I'd ever have to make a post like this, but the much reported 'dirty tricks', 'gutter politics', 'character assassinations' and 'personality attacks' that have plagued this whole 2007 local election here in Christchurch like a horrible... plague, have come to my back doorstep.
Well, not my actual doorstep, but very close. This morning in Selwyn Street, less than a 5-minute pedal from my home, I encountered... this:
Some would laugh this off. Many would probably just get out the meths and wipe it off (I did, but not before documenting the evidence of just how low my political and philosophical opponents have stooped in trying to derail my candidacy.)
In my opinion this is no one-off, childish prank. Those of you who have been following the twists and turns of this election campaign will know that this is not the first time that low, underhanded techniques like this have come into play. Now I know exactly how mayoral hopeful Bob Parker felt two weeks ago when he was slandered, mocked, denigrated and debased, and compared to Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons.
It hurts. It really, really hurts. But I think I have an even greater claim to the moral high-ground, the righteous indignation and (most importantly) the sympathy vote than does Bob. Being portrayed as an animated fictional character is one thing, but those of you who are familiar with Star Trek (and if you're not, click here) will immediately recognise what these personality-plunderers are trying to say about my character.
Mr Spock is half-Vulcan, and devoid of most normal human feelings, which he scorns as 'illogical'. The twisted insinuation that I am 'not of this world', an alien, and therefore unfit to lead the city is one that I vigorously reject! I call upon those who have carried the campaign to such unseemly depths to 'get back to the issues!' and to leave my family out of this (there is of course a clear implication that my children also carry Vulcan genes, which they don't... not from my side, anyway.)
Anyway, I would also like to point out that, on closer inspection of the two photographs (click the first link if you haven't seen Bob's one), it seems to me that Bob and I were attacked by one and the same red-paint-wielding graffitist / character assassin. It is becoming abundantly clear that there is a concerted campaign to drag the names of prominent candidates through the sludge of pop-culture analogies, and thus render us unelectable.
And further, it appears that the dirty, smeary, muck-raking knows no political boundaries!! Bob is, of course, thoroughly independent, but his main rival, Megan Woods, is part of the same Christchurch 2021 grouping that I represent. From whence do these malicious insinuations come? I will be looking out for the next appearance of the telltale red paint..!
What next? Yani Johanson as Cartman? Megan as Wonder Woman?
This has to end somewhere, and it is my hope that bringing it out into the harsh light of day will see an end to the deeply troubling personal attacks, and we can all get back to stating policies and answering questions, like real grown-ups.
Thank-you.
