The Sunday Star Times has given artist Sam Mahon’s stupid game unnecessary publicity.
Bloggers have added to that by linking. I’m not.
I’m generally in favour of a pretty liberal interpretation of what it is appropriate for media to cover. But a game that is based on killing the PM is not.
Many politicians who have been in the spotlight get threats. Most are not serious and the vast majority are from people with psychiatric conditions that are unlikely to follow through.
Notwithstanding that, I think it is better for media to if there is any doubt just to ignore stuff like that.
@Trevor well said
Good call Trevor.
In Ferrymead someone has taken it on themselves to deface all the National posters with red paint – generally painting out Key/Carter’s face, or at least the eyes. Persumably they don’t realise what a bad look that sort of thing is for all but a tiny minority of idiots.
White paint on my signs in Hutt South. I’ve got a great team that cleans them up every morning.
Yeah, good call. Bottom of the barrel stuff, IMO!
Makes you wonder what they consider’s being achieved, doesn’t it?
Most reasonable response I’ve heard to this issue so far, Trevor. Credit where credit’s due.
Well said.
I tiny minority of people really make politics nasty.
Mahon appears to be a self promoter, and speaking as one lefty don’t endorse his idiocy. ‘Artists’ have somewhat of a free pass for self expression but should not expect everyone to like the results. I have no foreknowledge here, just the context of a vital election for kiwis and a highly iffy published image and concept. Assassination of political figures has too many real world associations to be taken in any way lightly.
Less than two weeks out from an important election, all I can say is he is either a tiny brained provocateur, or the art world equivalent of a troll.
Your attitude, Trev, assumes it’s okay for one group to control what another group knows about, and simply adds to the problem of media as gatekeeper. It’s Orwellian thinking at its best.
Out of interest, what sort of $ does a billboard go for? Can’t imagine they’re cheap, no time at all for the d**kheads that vandalise them.
I have no opinion on this.
Looks like hard ass satire to me.
Defacing political billboards is a perfectly valid tradition. I have no problem with it.
The Sam Mahon thing is nasty and over the line though.
It’s a shame because Mahon is a talented artist.
I don’t think it’s good manners.
Gosh everyone is SO sensitive these days, could almost accuse you all of being PC gone mad. And you HAVE given it publicity, not lining doesnt mean you haven’t just promoted it and given it legs
Trevor the media give unworthy publicity to many things, and to other so you who are disgusted, it’s not a game based on ”
killing the PM’ it’s based on a death which now needs solving.
having said that he needs to change his 6 man body guard crew, because were someone wanting to kill him, they wouldn’t have much to get past judging by the unknown package at the cuppa tea.
In my electorate ACT stickers appear across Labour billboards.
{Offensive, and not who you say you are. Banned, Grant}