According to Radio Live, John Key is at Ratana telling Maori they have "special status" in this country. When government accords one group special status they are by necessity taking from another. There can be no privilege without some corresponding disadvantage. If one individual or group is "special" then others are not. Unless of course we are all special (the sort of gobbledy gook you hear these days) in which case there is no point in pointing it out.
This is not the way forward. Integration and intermarriage are good. Assimilation or separatism are not. Certainly people should be able to preserve their culture and beliefs but that is not for the government to control.
Brash was hugely misunderstood by many Maori and many non-Maori. He simply espoused equal and individual rights. No more and no less. Until we understand and embrace this concept we will continue to have strife and division.
3 comments:
The man is a disaster so far. But probably all you need to be to become electable in NZ.
I've spent far too much of my attention waiting for this. I'll be sticking a Don Brash alternative viewpoint on my blog shortly.
I think he referred to Maori as Tangata Whenua. Does that mean he believes Maori are literally of the earth (ie born of Rangi and Papa)?. When Maori are T/W we are something lesser.
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