Posted on 11/07/2004 4:25:21 PM PST by NZerFromHK
Anti-American feeling was one of the reasons behind the shock departure of the former dean of Wellington's Anglican cathedral.
Speaking from the United States, Douglas Sparks said Kiwi kids taunted his children for being Americans and told them they hoped Iraqis would kill American soldiers.
"We realised six-year-old children don't come up with those kinds of statements on their own. They have to have heard it from some other adult or influential person in their lives.
"My daughter came home from school and said, `I am so upset about what George Bush has done to my life'."
Despite receiving an anonymous note saying "Go home Yankee" from a disgruntled parishioner soon after he started the job in February 2003, Dr Sparks and his family stayed 18 months before homesickness and culture shock took their toll.
The generation who remembered World War II and the Korean War seemed to see New Zealand's ties with the US differently from those whose views were formed at the time of the Lange government's antinuclear stance, former US president Ronald Reagan's administration and now, the war in Iraq, he said.
"I wouldn't say all New Zealanders are anti-American. There were people who had genuinely diverse opinions about the United States and Great Britain vis-a-vis Iraq.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"But being an American, being a point person in that context at that point in time, was detrimental to our family."
Dr Sparks now leads a Minnesota congregation.
He and his family also have fond memories of their time in New Zealand and keep up with the news through the Internet, including National Party leader Don Brash's Orewa race speech.
"I also want to say that part of the anti-American process is somehow connected to the issue of identity," Dr Sparks said.
"What does it mean to be a New Zealander?
"To that extent it's not only Americans. I think the Aussies and Poms have the same kind of experience to a lesser degree."
Dr Sparks was replaced by Frank Nelson as dean of Wellington's Anglican cathedral.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1272989/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1273551/posts
take note.
Her parents taking her to NZ did it to her....NOT President Bush!
Maybe Islamic "justice" will be established in New Zealand and
these goons will get the idea.
Methinks he picked the wrong South Pacific country to move to...
This only confirms my thoughts. We are not only in a "Holy War" with Islamofacist, but we are also in a war with the Internationalists.
New Zealand women, put on your burkas. Men, grow your beards. No more fun!!!
Too bad. I loved New Zealand when I traveled through there a few years back. Of course that was pre-9/11 and Iraq.
Oh man, you just posted that so our libs will stay here. Thanks a freakin' lot.
US leftists, most college professers, and democrates in general need to understand that.
You know, if the Michael Moores still receive this type of treatment, how much worse will Freepers fare in this country ;-)
Seriously, NZ is very, very sick. I saw a response to this news on a blog that perfectly captures what I think:
"I lived in New Zealand for many years (my wife is a Kiwi) and at first I found New Zealanders to be among the most tolerant people I'd come across anywhere.
About ten years ago that began to change-the most common response to disagreement with Kiwis was "why don't you go back to where you came from" or 'f..ing foereigner" etc.
Now, I'm also white and English is my first language so in the far North where we lived we also had to put up with abuse from Maoris because of our skin colour. We3 lived on a farm and they seemed to think that it was just fine to help themselves to our property and any objections to their thieving, thuggish behaviour were because we were "racist".
We gave up, finally and moved to Australia.
New Zealand may well be a tolerant country--provided you're apathetic about civil liberties, brown or black and a lefty.
Otherwise, forget it."
The anti-Americanism was present even at the time of your visit. When Albright and Clinton came to visit NZ there were the usual anti-US claptrap demonstrators around - but they were of course ignored by the US MSM.
The most left-wing NZ leftists are 5 degrees to the left of Noam Chomsky and Barbara Lee is a maintream NZ Labour MP had she been in this country. But conversely our paleocon is also much stronger than in the States - the bearer of this torch, Winston Peters, was Deputy Prime Miniter from 1996 to 1998 because he did well enough in 1996 general election with hi paleocon stand.
Exactly so.
And I didn't ANY complains from the European Internationalists when we fought the Dreaded Serbs in THEIR backyard WITHOUT UN approval OR CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.
Of course Bill Clinton was their Buttboy, protecting THEIR A$$eS and doing the good work FOR the UN back then....
Blood for Oil (National Self-interest) BAD!
Blood for UN (One world Government) GOOD!
Ah, from one Socialist utopia to another.
Actually, this guy's story seems to have more than a little hogwash to it.
Oh don't worry, "our" libs hate the US so this will make NZ even more appealing to them. They can go there and spew their hate and be applauded. It's a good fit.
I'm actually on the brink of quitting my job for similar reasons...only I'm in Chicago! The company I work for is owned by a European and every single employee shares the Michael Moore mentality. I have become very uncomfortable in the knowledge that I am the embodiment of their collective scorn, contempt and resentment.
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