Lindsay Mitchell has a couple of fair questions about local race relations. Given the graph below, "Why do some people persist with separatism as a principle for policy formation?" and "why do we have a party based on race?" Answers on a tokenist postcard, please.
And another thing: why (as I'm reliably informed is the case) are teachers required by the Ministry of Education to determine the race of children in their care, and if in doubt to unilaterally declare them Maori? Aren't the liberal ruling classes supposed to be against racism? Or is that just empty words for the proletariat.
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And another thing: why (as I'm reliably informed is the case) are teachers required by the Ministry of Education to determine the race of children in their care
Maybe because Maori and PI kids have demonstrably lower levels of educational outcome and achievement than Pakeha kids.
It's silly to unilaterally declare kids as Maori to be sure, but I disagree it is racist.
Ideally education should be based on individualism, but that is simply not going to happen anytime soon, so I don't think there is anything wrong with targeting and tracking 'at risk' groups.
What that inevitably leads to is teachers having lower expectations for Maori/PI. The expectations become self-fulfilling.
They are lower achievers overall. That is an objective fact. Nothing racist about it.
Those who are likely to need support in schools should be targeted from the get-go,and teachers taking such data is a start...lest the Right start moaning about Maaaris on the dole and solo Mums further on down the track...as they are wont to do, eh.
Missing the point here, Lindsay and PC.
It's the unassimilated 75% of the Pakeha that's the problem for too many people.
Even the Waitangi Tribunal talks in such terms where it envisages that NZers of the future will be all one colour due to interracial marriage.
At the finish of his epic "Hawaii", James Michener talks of the "Golden Men". The men and women of Hawaii who populated his narrative who had intermarried to produce the Hawaiian, Chinese, European and Japanese mix of the (late 50's) and which he held such hopes for.
But at the end, he also ascribes to his narrator, Hoxworth Hale, a so called pure European, the so called Golden Man title, because it isn't necessary for the bloods to mix.. just that the mind is flexible enough to live with, mix with, do business with, play with and clash with ideas of all races.. and not always that peaceably.
NZ has it's Golden Men, and one of them is Hone Harawira. I think he's a snake, but in one golden moment late last year he rose above race and flailed Labour over the EFA in one of the best Parliamentary speeches of a decade. He may be a snake, but that day he was the best NZer in the land.
The point? Forget race, culture and religion. Attack their representatives on all fronts, but above all, demand of us all certain basic tenants that have the potential to make the country one of the best to live in the world.. and that includes being rich enough to be the best, not some half arsed Hippy commune.
JC
"..but above all, demand of us all certain basic tenants that have the potential to make the country one of the best to live in the world.."
Amen to that!
(provied I'm allowed to substitute tenets for tenants, that is.) ;-)
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