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The ‘Make Cancer Great Again’ music and comedy show is organised by Neill Gordon, Ani Tylee and Ken Keys.
They could have drafted a petition, or appealed to their local MPs, or led a march through city streets to make their point against the government’s repeal of anti-smoking laws.
But this group of astonished Hawke’s Bay residents came up with another, more artistic, and original, means of protest.
They’re holding a ‘Make Cancer Great Again’ music and comedy show on Thursday.
“We felt that it was no good going to see our local MPs and saying, ‘Did you know, smoking kills people?’. It’s hard to grasp, but they know that already, and yet they’ve calculated there are more votes and tax dollars in facilitating the demise of between 5000 and 8000 New Zealanders,” said Neill Gordon, one of the event’s three organisers, along with Ken Keys and Ani Tylee.
It will be a night of “music, laughs and smoking-hot outrage” Gordon said.
“Even people who don’t usually care that much about politics seem astonished by this policy, not because it’s stupid, but because it is so knowingly, calculatingly venal in putting dollars ahead of the lives of New Zealanders. Giving teenagers the opportunity to get addicted to ciggies to defend retailers’ right to sell a product that kills them? Like smoking, it takes my breath away,” he said.
“Like everyone, I know people who have died of this awful disease. A mate was with the oncologist this morning and another mate is on a fast track out with emphysema. If you’ve ever spent any time with someone dying of cancer, it’s not good. You’d think you’d do whatever it takes to prevent such God-awful suffering but somehow, economics trumps it. Addiction is not a choice but it is a business model,” Gordon said.
The show is being held at The Common Room, 227 Heretaunga St East, at 7pm. Tickets, available on eventfinda, are $10.
“Every cent is going to cancer charities,” Neill said.
People were encouraged to bring their own smokefree signs to the show, with prizes offered for the funniest, the rudest, the best te reo sign and more.
