Post by Kiwi Frontline on Nov 8, 2019 5:06:07 GMT 12
Otago Daily Times 8/11/19
PLEASE, JUST LET ME BE CALLED A NEW ZEALANDER
RECENTLY, I was asked to do a phone survey. I obliged in answering questions about things like politics but I became very annoyed when an ethnic question was asked.
I replied: Tick ‘‘other’’ and put in ‘‘New Zealander’’.
The response from the questioner on the phone was that this was not acceptable, and suggested I was European.
I replied I was born in New Zealand, as were my parents, and I have never been to Europe, as my parents had never been to Europe.
I said I see my ethnicity to be a New Zealander.
I ask the question, of market research firms, why the question of ethnicity is even asked in surveys.
If you believe it’s important to ask about ethnicity, why do you not accept ‘‘New Zealander’’ as a response?
I believe, in not accepting this ethnicity, you are being insulting to many in our community who were born here, as were their parents.
I particularly see this as insulting to those New Zealanders who come from mixedethnic parentage, to be asked to choose one of their parents over their other parent.
I suspect that would create considerable hurt within the family relationship. [Abridged]
PAULINE MCINTOSH, Invercargill
Northern Advocate 8/11/19
NO TO FALSE HISTORY
Re ‘TUIA 250 flotilla haka in Northland chance to re-write history, Kaumatua says’ (Advocate 2/11/19).
This event, as the number ‘250’ suggests, was initially about Captain Cook’s first arrival in New Zealand but Maori nationalists, their sycophantic academics and media have hijacked the event with the vilification of Cook and an anti-colonisation theme.
History should not be ‘re-written’ as the heading suggests, and if it is, this false history should not be taught in our education system.
The article states: “chance to bring Māori and Europeans together” - the fact is Te Tiriti did that in 1840 (we are now one people), it was a great race uniting document for it’s time. It is later self serving translations/interpretations that have racially divided our nation.
It also says: “Europeans had never honoured the Treaty of Waitangi” - The author is apparently unaware that Hone Heke dishonoured the TOW, followed by the Taranaki tribal feuds and later the Kingitanga movement who refused to sign allegiance to the Queen at the start of the Waikato sovereignty rebellions.
New Zealand did not become a monoculture on the signing of the Treaty but an evolving inclusive democratic multicultural nation.
The article harps on about ‘Dual Heritage’ and two peoples – wouldn’t it be better to move forward as New Zealanders? The two-peoples notion is a thing of the past since we have been together for 170 years and most people who identify as Maori also have settler ancestry.
GEOFF PARKER, Kamo
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
PLEASE, JUST LET ME BE CALLED A NEW ZEALANDER
RECENTLY, I was asked to do a phone survey. I obliged in answering questions about things like politics but I became very annoyed when an ethnic question was asked.
I replied: Tick ‘‘other’’ and put in ‘‘New Zealander’’.
The response from the questioner on the phone was that this was not acceptable, and suggested I was European.
I replied I was born in New Zealand, as were my parents, and I have never been to Europe, as my parents had never been to Europe.
I said I see my ethnicity to be a New Zealander.
I ask the question, of market research firms, why the question of ethnicity is even asked in surveys.
If you believe it’s important to ask about ethnicity, why do you not accept ‘‘New Zealander’’ as a response?
I believe, in not accepting this ethnicity, you are being insulting to many in our community who were born here, as were their parents.
I particularly see this as insulting to those New Zealanders who come from mixedethnic parentage, to be asked to choose one of their parents over their other parent.
I suspect that would create considerable hurt within the family relationship. [Abridged]
PAULINE MCINTOSH, Invercargill
Northern Advocate 8/11/19
NO TO FALSE HISTORY
Re ‘TUIA 250 flotilla haka in Northland chance to re-write history, Kaumatua says’ (Advocate 2/11/19).
This event, as the number ‘250’ suggests, was initially about Captain Cook’s first arrival in New Zealand but Maori nationalists, their sycophantic academics and media have hijacked the event with the vilification of Cook and an anti-colonisation theme.
History should not be ‘re-written’ as the heading suggests, and if it is, this false history should not be taught in our education system.
The article states: “chance to bring Māori and Europeans together” - the fact is Te Tiriti did that in 1840 (we are now one people), it was a great race uniting document for it’s time. It is later self serving translations/interpretations that have racially divided our nation.
It also says: “Europeans had never honoured the Treaty of Waitangi” - The author is apparently unaware that Hone Heke dishonoured the TOW, followed by the Taranaki tribal feuds and later the Kingitanga movement who refused to sign allegiance to the Queen at the start of the Waikato sovereignty rebellions.
New Zealand did not become a monoculture on the signing of the Treaty but an evolving inclusive democratic multicultural nation.
The article harps on about ‘Dual Heritage’ and two peoples – wouldn’t it be better to move forward as New Zealanders? The two-peoples notion is a thing of the past since we have been together for 170 years and most people who identify as Maori also have settler ancestry.
GEOFF PARKER, Kamo
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers