New Zealand’s response to the Christchurch massacre made waves several years ago. Most folks who have followed the issue of guns for any length of time knows that gun buybacks don’t really work, banning guns doesn’t help stop gun violence, and there’s always a new definition of the dangerous guns that the left doesn’t like in order to move that football down the field.
Well, if the people of New Zealand couldn’t have guns, they needed something to defend them. Christchurch has been in the news once again. This is because New Zealand’s people are taking away their next line of defense.
The official Wizard of New Zealand, perhaps the only state-appointed wizard in the world, has been cast from the public payroll, spelling the end to a 23-year legacy.
The Wizard, whose real name is Ian Brackenbury Channell, 88, had been contracted to Christchurch city council for the past two decades to promote the city through “acts of wizardry and other wizard-like services”, at a cost of $16,000 a year. The total amount he has received is $368,000.
I am all for smaller government, but defense spending is still important to me and this is a huge mistake on New Zealand’s part.
After arriving in New Zealand in 1976, the Wizard, born in England began entertaining people in public places with acts of magic and entertainment. The council tried to stop him initially, but the public protested. In 1982, the New Zealand Art Gallery Directors Association said he had become a living work of art, and then, in 1990, the prime minister at the time, Mike Moore, asked that he consider becoming the Wizard of New Zealand.
“I am concerned that your wizardry is not at the disposal of the entire nation,” Moore wrote on his official letterhead.
“I suggest therefore that you should urgently consider my suggestion that you become the Wizard of New Zealand, Antarctica and relevant offshore areas … no doubt there will be implications in the area of spells, blessings, curses, and other supernatural matters that are beyond the competence of mere Prime Ministers.”
Since then he has performed in Christchurch, rain-danced in New Zealand and Australia during droughts, and was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal in the 2009 Queen’s Birthday Honours. He has made off-color comments about women, however.
This is a terrible act for New Zealand’s government, as it clearly doesn’t work in its citizens’ best interests. To terminate the nation’s – hell, the world’s – only state-appointed wizard is very risky. This is not just for entertainment, but it was also the reason he fought against climate change through rain dances.
However, it was cancel culture who brought the wizard.
In an April screening of channel Three’s comedy current affairs show New Zealand Today, hosted by Guy Williams, the Wizard said he liked to tease women by telling them they were devious, and said “they use cunning to get men who are thick”.
“I love women, I forgive them all the time, I’ve never struck one yet. Never strike a woman because they bruise too easily is the first thing, and they’ll tell the neighbours and their friends … and then you’re in big trouble.”
Lynn McClelland (consultant for the council) stated that it sent the Wizard a thank you letter, in which they expressed gratitude to him for his contributions over the decades. Also, the council informed him they would be closing his contract.
The man is 88 years old and made some jokes he’s probably made for decades. Perhaps a bit out of character? Perhaps. It might be worth removing his services. This is very doubtful.
Yesterday I said that cancel culture is trying to shield everyone from all things, which has led to some very frustrating battles. The retirement of one of rock and roll’s most recognizable songs is just the most recent one (aside from this whole wizard situation). It was either misunderstood or lacking a sense humor.
That’s why we’re seeing the controversy surrounding Dave Chapelle, whose entire point in the comedy special is being ignored in favor of focusing on a few statements, and that’s why we’re seeing more focus being given to the people screaming that they are victims. Because if we actually paid attention to the point behind the jokes, the controversy goes away and a supposedly victimized group isn’t really the victim anymore.
This wizard seems to be in the same boat. No, he’s not really making a point, but he is apparently in trouble for making some jokes that weren’t in the best taste, people complained, and now he’s out of a job.
The Galdalf will cause New Zealand to suffer.
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