Post by Kiwi Frontline on Feb 11, 2019 4:39:25 GMT 12
Otago Daily Times 11/2/19
HERE’S TO A WAITANGI DAY WE CAN ALL TRULY CELEBRATE
YOUR Waitangi Day editorial (ODT, 6.2.19) was excellent. In a nutshell you put it so well — the day should be about the best of us, not about the worst.
I do believe it will happen eventually but we have a lot of growing up to do as a nation before we catch up on the 4th of July or St Patrick’s Day, but we will get there. Interestingly, St Patrick’s Day was celebrated more by Irish migrants than in Ireland itself for many years. Young Kiwis abroad mirror this with Waitangi Day.
Sadly, elsewhere in the paper I read that a call for compulsory teaching of New Zealand’s Maori and colonial history in schools is being met with rejection.
The key to the future is knowing and understanding the past. New Zealanders’ knowledge of their own history is abysmal, and the belief in untruths perpetuated to suit colonial interests is widespread.
History is indeed written by the victors but New Zealand history is very clear to anyone who bothers to look at it with an open mind.
It is a fascinating subject and when we do understand it warts and all we will as a nation be ready to celebrate our national day.
RICHARD O’MAHONY, Northeast Valley
The Press 11/2/19
BRASH’S VISIT
DON Brash displayed courage, and conducted himself as a gentleman, at Waitangi, which is more than could be said for the protesters there.
To harangue an invited guest to the point he could no longer deliver the speech he was requested is the height of rudeness in any culture, and a new low even by previous Waitangi Day standards.
Fairminded New Zealanders are also at a loss to understand how wanting equality and one law for all can be interpreted as racism.
Conversely, allocating taxpayerfunded resources based on race rather than need is definitely the epitome of racism.
In spite of the Government spending another $100 million on supporting Maori landowners, protesters said it was still not enough.
Throwing more Government money at the problem is not going to fix it. [Abridged]
MARK MUNRO Port Chalmers
EVIDENCE OF HISTORY
Michael King wrote: ‘‘Take care. The evidence of history is unanimous on only one point. It shows us that no race or culture is inherently superior or inferior to another; and we all have skeletons in our ancestral closets that represent instances of behaviour of which we cannot be wholly proud by today’s standards of ethics and morality.’’ Is this the lesson our history teachers want our children to learn? If not, what?
JOHN HURLEY, Upper Riccarton
NZ Herald 11/2/19
MAORI BURIALS
Peter Moeahu (Letters, February 10) says the 1964 Cemeteries and Cremations Act “specifically denies Maori the same rights and privileges as fellow citizens”.
In fact the act accords Maori greater rights and privileges, by exempting them from the “control” provisions contained therein. To put it another way, Maori are free to organise and run their traditional burial grounds as they see fit.
It would appear we “fellow citizens” are denied the same rights and privileges as Maori.
MURRAY FITCHETT, Remuera.
BRASH AT WAITANGI
Why did Don Brash, former leader of the National Party, bother attending Waitangi celebrations when he was invited to speak by the event convenor, his speech predictably cut short by interjectors.
Brash has always proved tenacious in presenting his views but yet again has been subject to humiliation by many in attendance. Always unwavering in presenting his case yet hardly requisite for a speech that could be confined to his few simple words, “there should be one law for all”.
The statement is beyond dispute, yet lost to many in attendance who responded with taunts, “there is no room for racism”, a disparaging response which bears no correlation to the message Brash continuously expresses.
P.J. EDMONDSON, Tauranga.
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
HERE’S TO A WAITANGI DAY WE CAN ALL TRULY CELEBRATE
YOUR Waitangi Day editorial (ODT, 6.2.19) was excellent. In a nutshell you put it so well — the day should be about the best of us, not about the worst.
I do believe it will happen eventually but we have a lot of growing up to do as a nation before we catch up on the 4th of July or St Patrick’s Day, but we will get there. Interestingly, St Patrick’s Day was celebrated more by Irish migrants than in Ireland itself for many years. Young Kiwis abroad mirror this with Waitangi Day.
Sadly, elsewhere in the paper I read that a call for compulsory teaching of New Zealand’s Maori and colonial history in schools is being met with rejection.
The key to the future is knowing and understanding the past. New Zealanders’ knowledge of their own history is abysmal, and the belief in untruths perpetuated to suit colonial interests is widespread.
History is indeed written by the victors but New Zealand history is very clear to anyone who bothers to look at it with an open mind.
It is a fascinating subject and when we do understand it warts and all we will as a nation be ready to celebrate our national day.
RICHARD O’MAHONY, Northeast Valley
The Press 11/2/19
BRASH’S VISIT
DON Brash displayed courage, and conducted himself as a gentleman, at Waitangi, which is more than could be said for the protesters there.
To harangue an invited guest to the point he could no longer deliver the speech he was requested is the height of rudeness in any culture, and a new low even by previous Waitangi Day standards.
Fairminded New Zealanders are also at a loss to understand how wanting equality and one law for all can be interpreted as racism.
Conversely, allocating taxpayerfunded resources based on race rather than need is definitely the epitome of racism.
In spite of the Government spending another $100 million on supporting Maori landowners, protesters said it was still not enough.
Throwing more Government money at the problem is not going to fix it. [Abridged]
MARK MUNRO Port Chalmers
EVIDENCE OF HISTORY
Michael King wrote: ‘‘Take care. The evidence of history is unanimous on only one point. It shows us that no race or culture is inherently superior or inferior to another; and we all have skeletons in our ancestral closets that represent instances of behaviour of which we cannot be wholly proud by today’s standards of ethics and morality.’’ Is this the lesson our history teachers want our children to learn? If not, what?
JOHN HURLEY, Upper Riccarton
NZ Herald 11/2/19
MAORI BURIALS
Peter Moeahu (Letters, February 10) says the 1964 Cemeteries and Cremations Act “specifically denies Maori the same rights and privileges as fellow citizens”.
In fact the act accords Maori greater rights and privileges, by exempting them from the “control” provisions contained therein. To put it another way, Maori are free to organise and run their traditional burial grounds as they see fit.
It would appear we “fellow citizens” are denied the same rights and privileges as Maori.
MURRAY FITCHETT, Remuera.
BRASH AT WAITANGI
Why did Don Brash, former leader of the National Party, bother attending Waitangi celebrations when he was invited to speak by the event convenor, his speech predictably cut short by interjectors.
Brash has always proved tenacious in presenting his views but yet again has been subject to humiliation by many in attendance. Always unwavering in presenting his case yet hardly requisite for a speech that could be confined to his few simple words, “there should be one law for all”.
The statement is beyond dispute, yet lost to many in attendance who responded with taunts, “there is no room for racism”, a disparaging response which bears no correlation to the message Brash continuously expresses.
P.J. EDMONDSON, Tauranga.
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers