N.Z. Prime Minister Apologizes for Pulling Waitress’ Pony Tail

[alp227]

Source: Bloomberg

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has apologized to an Auckland waitress who accused him of bullying after he repeatedly pulled her pony tail.

The unidentified waitress wrote an article on The Daily Blog website saying he tugged on her pony tail on several occasions when visiting the cafe with his wife Bronagh and security personnel.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-22/n-z-prime-minister-apologizes-for-pulling-waitress-pony-tail

[vlakitti]

1. The Frat Boy universe rides again

Stuff like this was considered boorish behavior even back in the 1950s, i.e., the stone age.

New Zealand must be a swell place to visit if you are a fan of deep ignorance.

[BlueMTexpat]

3. NZ is actually a pretty decent place.

And at least, the boor apologized.

Did Dubya ever apologize to Angela Merkel? Talk about an example of boorish behavior ... to say the least.

[MADem]

15. I don't know--it seems to me more like "mixed signals."

As well as a power imbalance.

He was with his WIFE on many of the occasions. He regarded the activity as light hearted, the server felt put-upon.

He would do well to really focus on how people are reacting, and not assume that his "rank" in society gives him automatic bonhomie with his constituents.

The behavior persisted until the woman confronted Key in late March, she said. He returned to the cafe the same day to apologize and give her two bottles of wine.
“It’s a familiar cafe which he regularly visits with Bronagh and both have a good relationship with those who work there,” a spokeswoman for Key said in a statement. “His actions were intended to be light hearted. It was never his intention to make her feel uncomfortable and he has apologized to her.”

[LisaL]

18. He should respect other people's personal space.

[MADem]

23. You're right. It's obvious he's clueless.

I'm not ready to ascribe to turpitude, though, that which can be explained by stupidity. His subsequent apology suggests that he's just a moron who thinks people like him more than they actually do. This suggests he's surrounded by sycophants who give him an over-inflated view of his personality and character.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

26. Keys is the leader of the Republican-equivalent party there.

This is like W going up behind Angela Merkel and trying to give her a backrub.

[merrily]

2. Just what every exhausted waitress needs, a juvenile plutocrat with no boundaries.

Light-hearted, my ass. I would love to see how light-hearted the PM would be about a busboy's pulling Mrs. Prime Minister's hair every time she showed up at the restaurant.

Why can't these clods just apologize cleanly and sincerely and leave it at that? No, they just have to keep making that hole deeper in an attempt to justify themselves, no matter how wrong they were. Their p.r. staffs sure don't earn their salaries, do they?

[MrModerate]

4. Regardless of Key's behavior . . .

I didn't think there was anything wrong with his apology, which at least confirmed that he was not deliberately sending a hostile message, which would have been even creepier.

[merrily]

5. He attempted to justify his behavior as simply "light hearted."

Rather, someone speaking on his behalf did.

That's what was wrong with his apology. And that attempt to justify also proves he still doesn't get it.

[MrModerate]

6. I disagree.

He described the behavior, so that it could be better understood. I didn't read that as an attempt to justify it.

[merrily]

7. Yes, your prior post was clear that you disagree with me. And I disagree with you.

Calling that behavior light hearted doesn't make it better understood, either. It's adding insult to injury.

Bullying is not "light hearted," no matter what your story is after you are called to account for it. It's a dominance move, pulled on someone with no options and it's disrespectful. So much so, that''s it's against the law.

If it was so lighthearted, maybe the real problem here that the waitress had no sense of humor about having her hair pulled whenever he felt like it? Is that the problem?

She doesn't seem to have been laughing all along. Yet, he didn't take a hint until a waitress had to get up her courage to confront the most powerful person in her country.

Please also see my comment about the busboy and Mrs. Key in Reply 2 and tell me how light hearted you think Key would have been about that.

[MrModerate]

14. We don't disagree on Key's behavior . . .

Just on the adequacy and appropriateness of his apology. Would you have preferred that he opened his veins in public in expiation for his sins?

[fingrin]

8. PM Don Key

Strikes again. Another embarrassment for the people of New Zealand (Me)
How this liar of a PM got voted in again, who knows. Already the election promises are being walked back. Free health care for kids, not for the Peons of NZ. After all i'm an former investment banker and i've got mine, so fuck you all.
Sound Familiar?
To give you an indication what a insidious little person he is, the greatest issue for him is not ordinary New Zealanders but changing the National flag. All this despite overwhelming opposition from the Public, Yet he still insists on a referendum at the cost of millions because HE wants it to change.
Democracy is dead in New Zealand.
All hail Don Key!

[MADem]

17. Why in hell did the people of NZ elect him? Did they fail to show up to the polls, or what? nt

[fingrin]

32. A coalition

Held together by the slimmest of majorities. After the election one National MP resigned due to a police investigation. Shortly after Nation lost the seat they held. The public is waking up.

[Sunlei]

20. you have a great country with excellent democracy, re- your vote system.

vote him out?

[Orrex]

9. We must invade New Zealand immediately

Wipe those damn Hobbits from the face of the Earth or something.

[cosmicone]

12. No way. NZ has no oil. n/t

[fingrin]

33. Actually

Our revered Leader wants to drill offshore and in National parks for oil.
As well as:
Sign TPPA
Change the flag
Throw people off Benefits
Took away our rights to a meal break under employment law
Passed into law a 90 day trial period, where you can be fired for no reason
Increased GST
Sold state assets (power companies)
Selling state housing for the lower income people
Spying on Citizens and fellow Pacific neighbours
Promoted one of his mates to the Spy agency.
Increased the State debt
Tried to bribe people in the BUY Election

As i said an Insidious POS

[snooper2]

36. The have a shitload of wool though

[Sunlei]

25. the USA isn't invading NZ, USA just takes more & more of their Dairy Corp trade revenue lately.

And price the red feather NZ delicious butter so high in the USA no one buys it here . no free amazon shipping on NZ canned butter

[47of74]

10. Another moron who went to the George W. Bush school of Interpersonal Relations.

[KansDem]

22. That reminds me. Did he ever explain this?

I don't recall our crack media ever asking him.

[47of74]

35. As far as I know, nope.

[Little Tich]

11. I think he received a much needed lesson about boundaries.

At least now he knows that women don't like their ponytails (or anything else) pulled. Perhaps this will be followed with an actual realization why that is, but I'm not sure.

[LisaL]

30. Amazing how someone can make it to his age, without figuring that out.

[romanic]

13. The hell he think he was in?

His bedroom?

[LisaL]

16. What is he, in fifth grade?

The mind boggles.

[Sunlei]

19. apologized in person and 2 bottles of wine. She should have spoke up sooner and he shouldn't touch.

[LisaL]

21. A grown man can't figure out he should not touch his waitress otherwise?

And she doesn't drink red wine.

[Sunlei]

24. hello again :P. No she should have said, "please do not touch me" the first time he did it!!

[LisaL]

27. Why don't you read her actual statement.

From what she says, even after she told him NO, and her manager told him she doesn't like it, he pulled her hair yet again.

http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/04/22/exclusive-the-prime-minister-and-the-waitress/

[Sunlei]

28. no, I'm sure you will read it to me.

[LisaL]

29. What, you haven't learned how?

[Sunlei]

31. No.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

34. WTF is this, Prime Minister Biff? nt

[fingrin]

37. Comments on a New Zealand Web site are quite enlightening.

The typical right supporters are defending his actions are "Harmless" Its no big news it made World Headlines.
It gratifies me that they are getting slammed for their ignorance.
My Favorite so far.

"I keep trying to envision any situation where a powerful man, with extremely high status, can legitimately touch a female hospitality workers hair repeatedly over several months without reason or permission, and it not be harassment at the very best. Especially when she has made it clear she wants it to stop.
The comment on here of 'don't sweat the small stuff' shows a breath taking ignorance of the massive power imbalance involved, and of a persons right to have their physical boundaries respected.
The truth of the matter is that this is classic sexual harassment. The quite incredible "Thats a very tantalizing ponytail" comment makes it clear what was motivating Key. She is young, he wanted her attention, and he got it. It beggars belief that a man of this age and standing can be so lacking in self knowledge and social awareness as to feel this is 'harmless banter'.