Riff-raff

Tory, that statement is going to get you in a lot of trouble unless you apologise. Here's my unpacking of a potential court hearing:

First, the exact quote:

"But, I'd just encourage the public, you know, don't let that sort of, you know, political riff-raff take over the good work that the council is doing. We have a really solid long term plan that will put our city into the future." Lawyer for the Council: how can you be sure that Tory was referring to you with that particular line that you took offence to in her Q&A interview?

Amanda: because Riff-Raff is the name of the character that Richard O'Brien portrayed in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and I famously campaigned for weed reform at the Carmen Crossing wearing an outfit that was similar in 2020.

Our feud is well-known within the Wellington arts world, and this was obviously a dig at me and my position that I'm owed an apology for Tory's arts hui in 2022.

Given my status as a fringe politician, it's reasonable to think that the reference was a direct and intentional comment on my views of her tenure, and my refusal to allow my Weeded Out script to be filmed (which was part of Tory's plan for the future in 2022).

The dictionary definition of riffraff is:

1. people, or a group of people, regarded as disreputable or worthless. 2. the lowest classes; rabble 3. trash, rubbish.

This is a clear statement of punching down. Miss Whanau considers herself to be above me, and thinks that my anti-Tory statements are just random debris.

One might also add that Richard O'Brien is transgender as well, and that to state that a trans performer is riffraff for behaving in a manner that was contrary to the desires of a narrow-minded elite has a strongly transphobic implication, suggesting that I'm not valid in society unless my trans identity is passable (and palatable). -

This is one of literally hundreds of statements that Tory and her minions have made since I refused to produce the Weeded Out screenplay. This just happened to be caught on national TV, rather than in my porn feed.

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We could do this all day, so just tell Tory and Nadine that it's over and that the apology is important to demonstrate that the rainbow community can challenge authority and expect redress when we feel our lives and identities are marginalised by those who have more power and influence.