Saturday, April 18, 2009

The Maori/Pakeha dilemma

I missed this yesterday. A wonderful piece of writing by Jim Hopkins throwing down the gauntlet to Pita Sharples.

In theory Hopkins is right. In theory. I am not sure about practice because we have yet to see what NZ would look like if Maori and Pakeha shared equal opportunities.

Like Hopkins I want to see the back of separatism but at the same time, we cannot impose our own worldviews on other people. In the specific matter of prison units, if Maori believe they have different solutions to Maori problems should we prevent them from trying? The money will be spent anyway.

What really exercises me is my desire to see us all go ahead together - whatever race or culture - versus my desire to accord Maori the trust and freedom to try to sort their own problems. Because it isn't just about law and order. It'll come in welfare, increasingly in education, and health. And the old adage, united we stand, divided we fall, has just wormed its way into my consciousness....

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Should Maori prisons be created, here is a prediction.

Sooner or later something bad will occur in a Maori prison. Media abroad will not report the historical reasons that the prisons exist, but will report that NZ separates it's prisoners racially and that Maori inmates have been maltreated while non-Maori have not.

Racial discrimination is NEVER a good idea.

Dave Christian

Oswald Bastable said...

They are halfway there already.

Rick said...

From the timing, Hopkins is talking about the council seats I think.

I agree with ACT about Sharples' idea. Prisons should be private and if private business wants to go retail and boutique with their own product differentiation who are we to question people's tastes?

I'll see him as a guest at tonight's Howard League and find out a bit more.

Anonymous said...

I think Hopkins is talking about more than the council seats, he is tactfully addressing the fact that Maori continue to seek amends for wrongs done. (A difficult subject and he has shown reverence for Maori, he has my utmost respect). My own view is that too often Maori do not appreciate the contributions Paheka have made in New Zealand and that it has often taken alot of hard work to make those contributions. Another thing which seems to be overlooked in arguments is that some Paheka people have a history dating back 100 years or three or four generations of family in New Zealand and that they value their hertiage as well as Maori. Have Maori thought of this in raising the name changing issue?

I hope Maori politicans start to see things from the Paheka perspective to restore some sort of balance to Maori's continue claims for gain.

Gloria