Post by Kiwi Frontline on May 11, 2019 6:32:34 GMT 12
Dominion Post 11/5/19
OFFENSIVE TO SOME
Contributors Rawiri Taonui and Glenn McConnell both totally miss the point (May 9). Some people find the term "pakeha" to be offensive and derogatory. Therefore your newspaper should stop using it to describe non-Maori New Zealanders. It's as simple as that.
There is a wide range of words which cause offence to groups of people that we have collectively had the sense to stop using. Add "Pakeha" to that list, instead of running defences of your earlier race-baiting "stale, pale and mostly male" opinion piece along-side a column trying to normalise the wont (a column which ends inappropriately with a jokey jab about eating somebody's ancestor).
Otherwise it is just another attempt to drive wedges along racial lines - something your self-appointed cultural commentators all too readily accuse others of doing.
G HARRISON, Mangamahu
Hawkes Bay Today 11/5/19
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL
Jean Te Huia (letters 10/5/19) divides our society into them and us, I thought we were all New Zealanders?
Democracy is based on the simple principle that all citizens must be treated the same under the law. Every individual has the same rights and indeed has the same responsibilities under the law.
Within society, people may share common views and interests with others, be those cultural, religious, ethnic, social or perhaps sporting. All such groupings are basically tribal in nature.
But forming such groupings, call them what you may, does not give the members collectively, any special rights under the law.
Democracy is based on giving equal rights to individuals. Giving special rights or privileges to groups, however configured, cannot be good. If you start treating one group of people either better or worse than others, it will end in tears.
GEOFF PARKER, Whangarei
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
OFFENSIVE TO SOME
Contributors Rawiri Taonui and Glenn McConnell both totally miss the point (May 9). Some people find the term "pakeha" to be offensive and derogatory. Therefore your newspaper should stop using it to describe non-Maori New Zealanders. It's as simple as that.
There is a wide range of words which cause offence to groups of people that we have collectively had the sense to stop using. Add "Pakeha" to that list, instead of running defences of your earlier race-baiting "stale, pale and mostly male" opinion piece along-side a column trying to normalise the wont (a column which ends inappropriately with a jokey jab about eating somebody's ancestor).
Otherwise it is just another attempt to drive wedges along racial lines - something your self-appointed cultural commentators all too readily accuse others of doing.
G HARRISON, Mangamahu
Hawkes Bay Today 11/5/19
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL
Jean Te Huia (letters 10/5/19) divides our society into them and us, I thought we were all New Zealanders?
Democracy is based on the simple principle that all citizens must be treated the same under the law. Every individual has the same rights and indeed has the same responsibilities under the law.
Within society, people may share common views and interests with others, be those cultural, religious, ethnic, social or perhaps sporting. All such groupings are basically tribal in nature.
But forming such groupings, call them what you may, does not give the members collectively, any special rights under the law.
Democracy is based on giving equal rights to individuals. Giving special rights or privileges to groups, however configured, cannot be good. If you start treating one group of people either better or worse than others, it will end in tears.
GEOFF PARKER, Whangarei
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers