According to Radio New Zealand, Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has called 2006 "the year of murders" and says all New Zealanders have to turn things around next year.
He says there is too much tolerance of violence in New Zealand society and a tendency to blame other groups for the problem.
Just what is he saying here? As a New Zealander, with a piece of paper to prove it, I must give some thought to who I am not going to murder next year? And I should also stop relaying facts about where most of the violent crime comes from as that could be construed as a "tendency to blame other groups" instead of the obvious culprit - myself?
Did you have a reaction to this admonition?
8 comments:
The usual culprits for the increasing number of murders as we all know, are Maoris and Islanders fuelled with too much booze which the taxpayers involuntarily supply. Those are his own people surely. What is the Maori Party doing? Why the hell should my [pakeha] family and I feel responsible?
No but I have one to your post. It is what I would have expected from a brainless honky who can't see past the end of her very silly nose. Sharples' outspoken blunt honesty is the most refreshing thing to hit Maoridom for a long time and all you can do is act like some stuck up blue rinse matron at her bridge club?
He's right, of course. All NZers have a role to play so maybe you might be well advised to e-mail him and ask him what he thinks your particular role might be. Who knows, you might even learn something.
Perhaps it might just be as simple as saying hello to your neighbours a bit more often and keeping an eye out for signs of violence having been dispensed and not being afraid to speak up about it or to dob them in to the authorities.
Adolf, if only you knew me a bit better. Unfortunately I am constrained by privacy and respect so don't blog about what I do to try and help.
But volunteers can sometimes go where CYFS can't, simply because they are trusted.
Morning Lindsay.
Couldn't agree more on CYFs or SIPS or what the hell ever their name might be next week. The point is, however, that Dr Sharples is right on the mark and is showing the sort of leadership which is required for the predominantly Maori and PI mindset of 'fists before brains' to be broken. One could look no further than the predominantly honky mindset of thirty years ago in which it was acceptable to get as pissed as a parrot and drive home.
I know that Pita Sharples means well. I like the man.
But I get enormously frustrated by the number of Maori leaders that have tried, over so many years (go back to Apirana Ngata, Peter Buck and Eru Pomare) to make a difference and have been thwarted by their own people - (Add Alan Duff, John Tamihere, Donna Awatere)
And I believe at the heart of this failure is an inherent indifference to individual rights and responsibilities.
Beyond just words, for example, the most responsible and caring Maori mum gets lumbered with other's kids while their parents get on the piss, sometimes get violent and sometimes disappear -for days. And it's accepted. Because they are whanau. She is between a rock and a hardplace.
It's one thing to live 'communally' if the end is a productive one but when it encourages exploitation and meanness of spirit and action, it's time to rethink matters.
Yet Pita Sharples is perpetuating the whole collective thought process - 'we are all responsible'. Until somebody says HE is responsible or SHE is responsible nothing changes.
Having said that, there are plenty of Pakeha who are just the same. People who mentally refuse to grow up. It enrages me and breaks my heart at the same time.
Sharples is a Maori activist. Quite a good one.
Thing is though, how on earth are non-Maori (white, Asian, Indian...etc) New Zealanders meant to be responsible for Maori murdering and child abusing other Maori? This is where the most horrific murder and abuse has originate from in 2006.
We are told by Maori it is none of our business and to stay out and now all of a sudden it's our fault and we should be doing something about it. Tino rangitiratanga obviously only means independence when it suits. I have two words to say to that:
Fuck off.
Maori have to solve their own problems. Murder and child abuse is not a fiscal problem, it is attitudinal and basic common sense.
"...all New Zealanders have to turn things around next year..."
So I have to stop providing, go on the dole and start wacking the kids about?
Can the ALL crap, a hell of a lot of us are already doing the right thing!
That blanket 'ALL' is as offensive as saying ALL Maori are drunken, violent criminals!
Adolf - well said, I don't think we've agreed previously but I entirely agree with your response to Lindsay's question and your assessment of Sharples. He is a genuine leader.
I'm baffled by the other commentators who seem intent on doing precisely what Sharples asks us not to do.
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