John MacDonald: States of emergency are woke? Give me strength

Two questions: what does “woke” mean to you? And are states of emergency “woke”? 

The reason I'm asking is that the Mayor of Wairoa thinks they are. Which I think is a load of old nonsense. 

Unlike other mayors in other North Island areas - who declared states of emergency in anticipation of Cyclone Vaianu at the weekend - Craig Little didn’t. Because he thought it was all a bit over the top and not necessary. 

He went further yesterday, saying that he thinks they’ve become “woke”. 

He says: “we’re becoming woke as a country when it comes to states of emergency”. 

That’s what he says. And I say: nonsense. 

The Prime Minister thinks the same. Hitting back, saying he’s happy to be labelled woke if it means keeping people safe. 

Christopher Luxon says: “I'll happily wear a woke label this time if it means we didn't lose anyone's lives.” 

He says: “This was a significant event with 10 local states of emergency actioned, and in a number of regions there were road closures, power outages and flooding." 

And Christopher Luxon is right. States of emergency aren’t woke and this mayor is just another one of these people who has no idea what woke actually means.

Put simply - and this is my definition - woke means being aware of how things impact people. 

The more official definition - courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary - says woke means "alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice". 

What that has to do with states of emergency, I’ll never know. 

Well, I do know actually. It’s got nothing to do with states of emergency. 

And the Mayor of Wairoa is just another one of these people who think calling someone or something “woke” is a way of having a go at them. 

But, whether we like it or not, it’s a word that’s been hijacked to the point where some people have no idea what it means, but are happy to bandy it around left, right and centre. 

Nevertheless, are states of emergency “woke”?

Last October, when we had those huge winds in canterbury and a state of emergency was declared, one Christchurch business owner got in touch with me, very unhappy about it. Saying they thought it was overkill.  

Their takings were down 50 percent, and they were criticising the decision to include Christchurch city in the state of emergency. Because the city wasn’t as badly affected as other parts of the region. 

I disagreed with them. Because we had no idea how bad it was going to get, so it made sense to be cautious. 

Because - and this is what i say to anyone who thinks we go a bit O.T.T with states of emergency these days - what would you rather have? Be prepared just in case? Or find out too late and deal with the consequences. 

Which is why i think this mayor up north not only has no idea what woke means - he’s also wrong thinking states of emergency have become a woke over-reaction.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from News Talk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
What does woke mean to you and states of emergency woke?
The reason I'm asking is that the mayor of Wydraor
thinks they are, which I've got to be honest with you,
I think is a load of odd nonsense. Now, Unlike
other mayors in other North Island areas who declared states

(00:35):
of emergency in anticipation of the cyclone at the weekend,
Craig Little of Wyber didn't why because he thought it
was all a bit over the top and not necessary.
And he went further than that yesterday saying that he
thinks they've become woke. He says, quote, we're becoming woke

(00:57):
as a country when it comes to states of emergency.
That's what he says. And I say with absolutely not
since Prime Minister he thinks the same, heading back saying
he's happy to be labeled woke if it means keeping
people safe. Christopher Luxin says quote, I'll happily wear a

(01:18):
woke label this time. Might get one made from He says,
I'll happily wear a woke labeled this time if it
means we didn't lose anyone's lives. Prime Minister says, quote,
this was a significant event with ten local states of
emergency actioned and in a number of regions there were
road closures, power outages and flooding. And Christopher Luxon is right,

(01:41):
states of emergency, emergency aren't woke and this mayor he's
just another one of these people who has no idea
what wyke actually means. Put simply, and this is this
is my definition. Woke means being aware of how things
impact people. What's wrong with that? The more official definition,

(02:04):
courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary, says woke means quote
alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice. So I'm on,
I think I'm on the same page as the Oxford Dictionary.
And what that has to do with states of emergency,
I never know. Well, I do know, actually absolutely nothing.

(02:25):
It's got absolutely nothing to do with states of emergency.
And the mayor of Waibrou there is just another one
of these people who think calling someone or calling something
woke as a way of having a go at them,
you know, go woke, go broke, which by the way,
has to be one of the lamest cliches of the
last few years, doesn't it. But whether we like it

(02:46):
or not, it's a word that's been hijacked to the
point where some people have no idea what the hell
it means, but they're happy anyway to bandy it around left,
right and center. Nevertheless, this is the second question I've
got for you. Are states of emergency woke? Have they
become woke or whatever term you want to use. You
might remember last Tober and we had those huge winds

(03:08):
in Cannar, remember that, and the state of emergency was
declared for the whole region, and one christ Church business
owner got in touch with me very unhappy about it,
saying they thought it was overkill because their takings were
down fifty percent, and they were criticizing the decision to
include christ Church City and the state of emergency because
we went as badly as affected as other parts of
the region. I disagreed with them, because we had no

(03:32):
idea how bad it was going to get, so it
made sense to be cautious because you know, and this
is when I stayed to anyone who thinks we go
a bit ott with states of emergency these days, what
would you rather have? What would you rather have? Be
prepared just in case, or find out too late and
deal with the consequences. Hey, which is why I think

(03:52):
this mayor up north. A has got no idea what
woke means, and B he's talking out his backside, staying
saying that states of emergency have become nothing more than
I woke over reaction. But what do you think? How
do you feel about it?

Speaker 1 (04:06):
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