Thick-skinned Seymour must get message on semi-automatics
Richard Lewis, the American comedian who passed away this week and was known for both his neurotic stand-up specials and playing a heightened version of himself on the show Curb Your Enthusiasm, once quipped: “When you do something in the moment, it may just be for that stage, that audience, that headspace you’re in.”
Perhaps that was the case when a youngish David Seymour appeared on Canada’s Alberta Primetime with what can only be described as a “Canadian-curious” accent. From the cheerful mocking taking place online by New Zealand’s political left, you might suspect this intriguing moment in North American televised history occurred in the past few weeks. In fact it was 14 years ago.
But who really cares that David Seymour faked a Canadian accent for an interview in 2010? Is it funny? Objectively, yes. With hindsight it comes across very silly. Does he look a bit stupid? Sure, but that has more to do with his opinions on public transport than the annunciation of his points. Does it matter though? Enough to go viral online and require an profile, no matter how beloved, has at least one stupid-looking take in their internet history. Sometimes it’s a bad quote, or a weird accent, or claiming a housing accommodation payment of up to $52,000 on a property you fully own when you spent most of your election campaign promising to cut down needless government spending.
Let they who are without gaffe throw the first stone.
Seymour has detractors from both sides of the political spectrum, but he has shown that his time with the critical-racetheory-opposing Canada Strong and Free Network (formerly the Manning Centre) and the climate change-denying Frontier Centre for Public Policy taught him to walk through the fires of criticism with a teflon skin.
He’s taken all the jokes thrown at him, absorbed them, and smirked all the way to the polls. This October will mark 10 years since he took over leadership of the ACT Party, a job that has consumed almost his entire 30s. If he was to resign at the end of this term, and spend his 40s being much more financially rewarded in the international private sector, he would still have a strong case for being the party’s most successful leader.
In some ways, Seymour’s staying power highlights a key problem for his opponents. Once they’ve thrown jokes, or hurled insults, or cried shame, what exactly is left?. “Facts! Science! History!” you may cry or dismiss, depending on your Youtube history.
Where, though, are the counter-policies? Or perhaps more pertinent, where is the loud trumpeting of counter-policies?
Because right now, there are some very interesting pieces of legislation being passed and discussed in what could be said are very interesting ways, if only people can be actively interested in such things.
One announcement sticks out, and no it’s not the one you’re thinking of, or that other one. This isn’t about language, or healthcare, or representation, even smoking (which is somehow separate to healthcare). It’s actually guns, and in particular the prospect of the laws around semi-automatic weapons being rewritten.
To be very clear, this is not a condemnation of the discussion taking place. There is nothing wrong with checking in on legislation for updating, even if the timing raises eyebrows and is led by former gun lobbyist turned ACT no.3 and Associate Justice Minister Nicole Mckee.
This is simply a firm, and perhaps more direct than usual, reminder to New Zealand that semi-automatic weapons have no place in this country except with police, armed forces, and the sub-sector of Aotearoa’s military that is Farmers Hunting Rabbits. The Elmer Fudd division, if you will. They certainly have no place in recreation and sports shooting.
If rugby can live with concussion protocols, and smokers herded into tiny rooms at airports, then sports shooters don’t need semi-automatics.
There is nothing inherently wrong with being a gun owner, of which there are probably a lot more in New Zealand than anyone at home or abroad realises. It is very much a part of our national history. No-one is saying don’t hunt. (OK, some people do, but not for this reason)
No-one is saying don’t go down to the shooting range. Most people don’t know where the ranges are.
There are very few laws that have penetrated the Kiwi psyche to the level of the 1980s nuclear ban but, after March 15, 2019, the laws on semi-automatic weapons are tragically one.
Changing them just five years on from the Christchurch terror attack seems a little soon. Fifty-one years might be more appropriate.