11%

13 seats in Parliament! 11% fucking percent of this country believe in NZ First. I am.. well words actually fail me. I am talking about the NZ election results. So Winston pandered to the very worst instincts, pushed all the xenophobic and racist buttons of the electorate and was rewarded. I am disgusted with my fellow citizens, well the 11% of them that bought for it.
It looks like it isn't actually going to make any difference, true my old headmaster has become an MP, but Helen has declined to include them in her government.
But that is not really the point.
Ok cards on the table, I am an immigrant, so taking the success of an anti-immigration party personally is not suprising. Still I am the "right" type of immigrant. I am white and middle class and I have largely faded into the background. You have to know me well or be sensitive to accent to pick up on the fact that I am not Kiwi born and bred. Doesn't mean it doesn't piss me off.
Elections, wonderful opportunities to see just how little you have in common with huge sectors of your country folk. I always knew there were the tax-cut new right economic nutcases, who are horribly wrong, but I have also thought there was a case for forgiveness for them. I think that most of them are essentially well meaning, they are just, well selfish, stupid and horribly misguided. But the NZ First people, a popularist party that deliberately exploits people's prejudices, tries to stir up anti-Asian feeling and 'not one of us' fears. That is just evil.
And the fact that 11 % of the eligible voter of this country fell for it is just terribly sad.