Post by Kiwi Frontline on Mar 21, 2019 5:03:41 GMT 12
Dominion Post 21/3/19
WE CAN’T LET OURSELVES BE DIVIDED
In all the horror of the terrorist attacks, one hopeful image is the mass of people who came out to support the victims. They were, for the most part, not Muslims. Some were Christians, but most had no particular religion. Men and women, young and old, ordinary New Zealanders of all races and colours came together. If any good is to come out of this terrible situation it will be through that kind of unity. We can’t let ourselves be divided.
Unfortunately, that is what seems to be happening.
There has been much talk about white supremists. Yes, these people exist, they are all over New Zealand, but they are a tiny, tiny minority. Let’s keep some perspective.
Just because someone is to the right of Nicky Hager doesn’t make them a fascist. Just because they want to keep the ‘‘Victoria’’ in Victoria University doesn’t make them a redneck. Just because they support the Canterbury Crusaders doesn’t make them an Islamophobe.
Whenever a Muslim commits an act of terrorism, we must avoid tarring all Muslims with the same brush. Let’s extend the same courtesy to white men. Otherwise this hysteria about ‘‘white supremists’’ could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
JONATHAN DEPREE, Palmerston North
The Press 21/3/19
FIRST MUSLIMS
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the first European landing on Aotearoan shores. Unbeknown to most, it also marks the advent of the very first Muslim presence in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Contrary to popular belief, Muslims (and other tauiwi) did not first arrive in New Zealand in the early 1820s, or with the advent of the Otago goldrush.
The first Muslim presence in New Zealand occurred in December 1769 when 53 Indian lascars (sailors) set sail from Pondicherry, India along with 179 Frenchmen aboard the Saint Jean-Baptiste under the command of Jean-Franc¸ oisMarie de Surville.
While the majority of the crew died of scurvy along the way, 5-6 Indian lascars survived to make landing in Doubtless Bay between 18-31 December.
Two of the surviving crew to come ashore are named in Surville’s log as ‘‘Mahmud Qasim’’ of Pondicherry, and ‘‘Nasreen,’’ a young Bengali.
Non-Maori non-Pakeha ‘others’ were here at the dawn of Maori-European encounter and involved in nation-building from the point of first contact.
Yet they remain invisible in the teaching of New Zealand history. Today’s minority communities are a part of our shared national identity and have just as much a right to live, work, and stay safe in Aotearoa as do Maori and Europeans.
TODD NACHOWITZ, PhD, Waikato Interfaith Council
Northland Age 21/3/19
FAILURE AFTER FAILURE
The Labour Coalition Government is living in denial with Housing Minister Twyford’s Kiwibuild fiasco, only around 33/47 homes built, 77 in the pipeline yet promised 1000 by July 2019. It is secondrate, poorly-sited, overpriced stuff, unwanted by Kiwis despite incentives offered. So the question arises, what housing crisis? No matter how desperate they are (?) no wonder no one wants them, the ceo has gone and the scheme looks like a haven for universal discontent. Few qualified workers available and in direct competition with private enterprise — outcome an unmitigated disaster. housing affordability basically caused by developers and government policies, not necessarily home shortages.
Infrastructure and redevelopment minister Jones’ Provincial Growth Fund, with dubious investments often against Treasury advice in forestry; dairy factories; churches, etc. and now $100 million to owners of Maori land mainly in Northland; that is race-based privilege (made on the eve of Waitangi too), being akin to pork barrel politics— Mr Jones strangely can't provide details of whether a loan, gift, grant or what? Let me help you out Mr Jones — it is koha and will never be repaid! As one experienced commentator said, Mr Jones would be unable to spend $1 billion per annum unless he squandered it — well he is trying hard to achieve that goal by throwing dosh around like a drunken sailor. Interestingly it looks like he has also become the manager of cultural conflicts.
Two coalition ministers have already gone down the road for behavioural lapses and probably couldn't perform tasks allotted anyway. At least four more need to go post-haste but then looks like you are only left with an oddball pack of nitwits and no good raw material to work with.
As for being the most open, transparent, honest and accountable Government that's codswallop to put it politely — as they say, a fish rots from the head down and so it is with politics.
No one could seriously point to any of the myriad of policies that's remotely viable. As for the review committees set up, what a farce these are. It is time for this bunch of stuffwits to go having regard to Kiwibuild absurd calculations on costs viability and unrealistic expectations of 1000 homes per annum that's three per day or 21 each week, plus Mr Iones' ludicrous profligate PGF splurging.
ROB PATERSON Mount Maunganui
NZ Herald 20/3/19
DIVISIVE COLUMN
I find the vitriol and bigotry shown by Dame Anne Salmond in her inflammatory commentary, “Racist underbelly seethes just below the surface”, grossly offensive. Stoking division by blaming one ethnicity for all the ills of society is an example of the hate speech we so properly condemn. Bringing people together is what we should be doing at this time, not engaging in divisive identity politics.
SUSAN SHORT, Meadowbank.
CULTURAL PRIDE
If your correspondent Dame Anne Salmond asked anybody in China if they had the best country, culture or ideals in the world, they would say yes. Such would be the response in any country pretty much anywhere in the world. It is not racist to think your culture, values or country are the best in the world. It is what you know and virtually every person in the world thinks the same way. It is the reason immigrants around the world bring their food, religion and their customs to the country they settle in.
Unfortunately the tragedy of Christchurch seems to have given a green light for open criticism and vitriol towards those of European descent. The crimes and attitudes of one person have been placed on an entire ethnic group. It is racist and it is utterly deplorable.
Although this is the tone we have set after this terrorist attack, I doubt the same will apply towards the representative group of the next terrorist attack.
KENT MILLAR, Blockhouse Bay.
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
WE CAN’T LET OURSELVES BE DIVIDED
In all the horror of the terrorist attacks, one hopeful image is the mass of people who came out to support the victims. They were, for the most part, not Muslims. Some were Christians, but most had no particular religion. Men and women, young and old, ordinary New Zealanders of all races and colours came together. If any good is to come out of this terrible situation it will be through that kind of unity. We can’t let ourselves be divided.
Unfortunately, that is what seems to be happening.
There has been much talk about white supremists. Yes, these people exist, they are all over New Zealand, but they are a tiny, tiny minority. Let’s keep some perspective.
Just because someone is to the right of Nicky Hager doesn’t make them a fascist. Just because they want to keep the ‘‘Victoria’’ in Victoria University doesn’t make them a redneck. Just because they support the Canterbury Crusaders doesn’t make them an Islamophobe.
Whenever a Muslim commits an act of terrorism, we must avoid tarring all Muslims with the same brush. Let’s extend the same courtesy to white men. Otherwise this hysteria about ‘‘white supremists’’ could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
JONATHAN DEPREE, Palmerston North
The Press 21/3/19
FIRST MUSLIMS
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the first European landing on Aotearoan shores. Unbeknown to most, it also marks the advent of the very first Muslim presence in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Contrary to popular belief, Muslims (and other tauiwi) did not first arrive in New Zealand in the early 1820s, or with the advent of the Otago goldrush.
The first Muslim presence in New Zealand occurred in December 1769 when 53 Indian lascars (sailors) set sail from Pondicherry, India along with 179 Frenchmen aboard the Saint Jean-Baptiste under the command of Jean-Franc¸ oisMarie de Surville.
While the majority of the crew died of scurvy along the way, 5-6 Indian lascars survived to make landing in Doubtless Bay between 18-31 December.
Two of the surviving crew to come ashore are named in Surville’s log as ‘‘Mahmud Qasim’’ of Pondicherry, and ‘‘Nasreen,’’ a young Bengali.
Non-Maori non-Pakeha ‘others’ were here at the dawn of Maori-European encounter and involved in nation-building from the point of first contact.
Yet they remain invisible in the teaching of New Zealand history. Today’s minority communities are a part of our shared national identity and have just as much a right to live, work, and stay safe in Aotearoa as do Maori and Europeans.
TODD NACHOWITZ, PhD, Waikato Interfaith Council
Northland Age 21/3/19
FAILURE AFTER FAILURE
The Labour Coalition Government is living in denial with Housing Minister Twyford’s Kiwibuild fiasco, only around 33/47 homes built, 77 in the pipeline yet promised 1000 by July 2019. It is secondrate, poorly-sited, overpriced stuff, unwanted by Kiwis despite incentives offered. So the question arises, what housing crisis? No matter how desperate they are (?) no wonder no one wants them, the ceo has gone and the scheme looks like a haven for universal discontent. Few qualified workers available and in direct competition with private enterprise — outcome an unmitigated disaster. housing affordability basically caused by developers and government policies, not necessarily home shortages.
Infrastructure and redevelopment minister Jones’ Provincial Growth Fund, with dubious investments often against Treasury advice in forestry; dairy factories; churches, etc. and now $100 million to owners of Maori land mainly in Northland; that is race-based privilege (made on the eve of Waitangi too), being akin to pork barrel politics— Mr Jones strangely can't provide details of whether a loan, gift, grant or what? Let me help you out Mr Jones — it is koha and will never be repaid! As one experienced commentator said, Mr Jones would be unable to spend $1 billion per annum unless he squandered it — well he is trying hard to achieve that goal by throwing dosh around like a drunken sailor. Interestingly it looks like he has also become the manager of cultural conflicts.
Two coalition ministers have already gone down the road for behavioural lapses and probably couldn't perform tasks allotted anyway. At least four more need to go post-haste but then looks like you are only left with an oddball pack of nitwits and no good raw material to work with.
As for being the most open, transparent, honest and accountable Government that's codswallop to put it politely — as they say, a fish rots from the head down and so it is with politics.
No one could seriously point to any of the myriad of policies that's remotely viable. As for the review committees set up, what a farce these are. It is time for this bunch of stuffwits to go having regard to Kiwibuild absurd calculations on costs viability and unrealistic expectations of 1000 homes per annum that's three per day or 21 each week, plus Mr Iones' ludicrous profligate PGF splurging.
ROB PATERSON Mount Maunganui
NZ Herald 20/3/19
DIVISIVE COLUMN
I find the vitriol and bigotry shown by Dame Anne Salmond in her inflammatory commentary, “Racist underbelly seethes just below the surface”, grossly offensive. Stoking division by blaming one ethnicity for all the ills of society is an example of the hate speech we so properly condemn. Bringing people together is what we should be doing at this time, not engaging in divisive identity politics.
SUSAN SHORT, Meadowbank.
CULTURAL PRIDE
If your correspondent Dame Anne Salmond asked anybody in China if they had the best country, culture or ideals in the world, they would say yes. Such would be the response in any country pretty much anywhere in the world. It is not racist to think your culture, values or country are the best in the world. It is what you know and virtually every person in the world thinks the same way. It is the reason immigrants around the world bring their food, religion and their customs to the country they settle in.
Unfortunately the tragedy of Christchurch seems to have given a green light for open criticism and vitriol towards those of European descent. The crimes and attitudes of one person have been placed on an entire ethnic group. It is racist and it is utterly deplorable.
Although this is the tone we have set after this terrorist attack, I doubt the same will apply towards the representative group of the next terrorist attack.
KENT MILLAR, Blockhouse Bay.
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers