The government has ruled out legislative action to stop the Black Caps' tour of Zimbabwe. This means that the only way the tour can be stopped is if the ICC relents and allows teams not to tour on human rights grounds, or Sneddon changes his mind. The former is highly unlikely - they are a morally blind organisation which cares about nothing other than money and cricket - and even if they did, Sneddon would likely still chase the money and go regardless. Which means we have to focus on the latter. And the only way to produce change is to target the sponsors so they will apply pressure to NZ Cricket. Global Peace and Justice Auckland will be holding a march on July 16th to protest the tour and The National Bank's sponsorship of the Black Caps; hopefully they'll have some flyers up soon if you want to stage something outside your local National Bank branch.
The government is also reportedly considering compensating NZ Cricket for the income lost by the cancellation of Zimbabwe's tour here. Frankly, I don't see why we should give them a cent when they're pissing in our faces by going in the first place. Perhaps if they'd shown some backbone and stood up to the ICC themselves, but compensating them for phantom revenue when they are doing something we fundamentally disagree with is simply encouraging a repeat performance. They're independent (their supporters keep telling us that), they have sponsors, let them carry the can.
Just like you are allowed your opinion, so are Snedden, the National Bank and the cricketers. You have the right to protest.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find objectionable is that you think the rights of individuals and organisations to do anything they like within the law is to be curtailed somehow.
The fast you can't stop them is great. The fact they can't stop you protesting and trying to change public opinion is great too.
But to lament the fact you can't force them to cancel the tour just make you a powerless bully.
Sneddon and NZ Cricket are indeed allowed to do anything they like within the law. What I'm complaining about is the government's refusal to change that law by imposing economic sanctions on Zimbabwe - something it has an unquestionable right to do, and which does not violate the Bill of Rights Act in any way.
ReplyDeleteAs for the next step, I think the New Zealand public needs to make it absolutely clear to the world that the Black Caps do not represent us, and that their playing cricket with Mugabe while he is running over children with bulldozers utterly disgusts us.