81 Springbok Tour..Where were you..?

[Lias]

Anything I ride goes fast.

So its all over in 30 seconds?

[Oscar]

So its all over in 30 seconds?

I wouldn't want you to suffer...

[Finn]

Jeez, what a maroon.
KTM's are Austrian.

So was Hitler. Didn't make him any good did it?

[Lias]

I wouldn't want you to suffer...

Ahh so you like to ride other men for 30 seconds. Explains a lot really..

[Oscar]

Ahh so you like to ride other men for 30 seconds. Explains a lot really..

All it explains is that when I promise to give you a whooping, you start to fantasise about being ridden...

[Lou Girardin]

So was Hitler. Didn't make him any good did it?

He built some great roads, set up a brilliant European tourist agency ( motto - see Europe and kill people), supplied material for John Cleese, isn't that enough?

[Finn]

He built some great roads, set up a brilliant European tourist agency ( motto - see Europe and kill people), supplied material for John Cleese, isn't that enough?

You missed one little detail... he had a Swedish girlfriend.

[Jackrat]

I was building the house just before the hair pin at Pukekohe at the time.
I was also fence sitting a bit,being a rugby supporter but not approving of SA's race policys at all.
I do remember copping shit about being a protester from some dick heads in Otahuhu because I was wearing/carrying a full face helmet.
If I was pushed I would of supported Minto an Co', But not to the point of clashing with Rugby supporters,or the police.

[Hitcher]

So was Hitler. Didn't make him any good did it?

He transformed German into the most powerful economic and military state in Europe. But like most despots, he didn't know when to stop.

[kro]

I was in Form 1, and didn't have alot of knowledge of the reasons for it all, but distinctly remember thinking that protestors were a public menace, and the only thing between a peaceful protest, and a full scale riot, was the cops.\

That whole fiasco also showed me my first taste of "media carnage". Friends of my Mum and Dads went thru a messy divorce over it. As I remember, the wife suddenly developed a strong dislike of apartheid, and race issues, that had somehow never come up in the marriage as a conversation, and after seeing all the hype on the news, she went overboard, and split the family down the middle, because hubby wouldn't "take sides"

The husband was just a live and let live easy going kind of guy, who got blind sided by the whole thing, and ended up dying of cancer, and refused to let her see him, in his final weeks, because she had been such a bitch, and taken what he referred to as the moral high ground, and willingly killed a happy marriage with it.

Funny what memories come back when you do a retro thread.

[kiwisfly]

Reading the thread conjurs up memories of similar "debates" at the time. Pretty heated & alot of it founded on baseless bullshit...who really knew the situation in SA then?
I went to the Athletic Park game. Ran the protest line along Rintoul St, pretty bloody ugly really. Did I have an opinion or care then, not really, it was just a game of rugby. What did begin to make me question & explore the SA situation was the news of Steve Biko...hmmm

[terbang]

Do you seriously believe that the tour had anything to do with the demise of the SA apartheid?

Not on its own but it certainly contributed in some way. Apartheid died a natural death as a result of pressure from all over the world including NZs small contribution.

[oldrider]

Not on its own but it certainly contributed in some way. Apartheid died a natural death as a result of pressure from all over the world including NZs small contribution.

I agree with that conclusion but there are those who think it was the major contribution to the downfall of apartheid!
What arrogant bullshit!
It was only big in New Zealand and then only among a vocal minority. (The bulk of the antiaparthied feelings in NZ were very genuine on both sides)
Most of the destructive insane behaviour was carried out by criminally minded anarchists who grabbed the opportunity to jump on the band waggon and hide amongst those with genuine feelings about the issue.
Muldoon was worse than the anarchists because he used the issue to try and bolster up his failing political support to further portray his image as a tough guy and a firm leader!
Muldoon used the welfare of our country to create a scenario of discontent and used the police force as a political tool for his own personal advantage.
He was the worst offender, the anarchistic rabble took the bait and the gentle genuine caring people were too stupid to know that they were just being used for political expediency.
It was a black time for New Zealand because it exposed just how illiterate and undereducated the bulk of the populace really is here.
Politicians have always used their ability to create a diversionary circus to distract the voters from the real issues of the day, it's happening today right under our noses.
Watch closely and ask, "who really benefits" :spudwhat:
A and B at loggerheads publicly for the benefit of C!
Who are the losers? Usually, you and me!
Even more intriguing is the question,"who are the winners"?

[El Dopa]

He transformed German into the most powerful economic and military state in Europe. But like most despots, he didn't know when to stop.

To digress, he transformed Germany by creating/playing up both internal and external threats, and 'countering' these by creating a hugely powerful military machine/state juggernaut. So if he had wanted to stop, he woudn't have been able to.

Interesting reading these accounts as an outsider.

[ajturbo]

as i was captin of the under 18's waimera old boys rugby club... i asked the ref if we could finish early... we were loosing by the usall 30 to nill.. and he said yes, in shower, on bike into town (nelson), pushed through protesters, pass the police, and into the game ( free tickets).. what a game nelson bays got hammered ( i think.. hell it was a long time ago) left game, got pissed, rode bike home, showered, went to party at my place forgot i had organised that, got even drunker, threw up off the belcony, chatted up some ugly chick that was starting to look good, threw up after drinking a yard glass... fell asleep on the toilet that was in our lounge, woke up to see the police had poped in to say hi and ask us to turn the music down, they looked at us drunks and went and turned the music down themselves.. woke up next morning, went for ride to kiteriteri..... what a great weekend