Post by Kiwi Frontline on Feb 15, 2016 5:56:16 GMT 12
The Northern Advocate 15/2/16
MISINTERPRETED
Your writer, Tim Howard, neatly misinterpreted my recent opinion piece to accuse me of saying Maori owe us. Respect is a mutual duty, and recognition of goodwill, travelling between the races at present, can only produce further goodwill in the future.
Tim then would say the compensation paid in settlements is miserly and compares it to the cost of a frigate or the bail-out of the investors in South Canterbury Finance. In 50 years or sooner the frigate will be a heap of rust and the investors will have enjoyed their returns and be dead. But the land returned in settlements will remain forever priceless.
By encouraging now and into the future, a culture of obligation based on guilt for past wrongs is the way of perpetuating winners and losers, divisions, disunity, anger and loss for everyone. The Treaty is a document of such obligation.
To be never-ending. Is that what you want to encourage Tim?
Why were hui arranged right through NZ for consultation with Maori about the seabed and foreshore, why is the same happening now about NZ’s freshwater? Why are the rest of us ignored by the Government in matters we all have a vital and equal interest in?
Isis is a great example of a rising up of embittered people who through poetry and song, over centuries, have kept alive their belief that they are owed. What a future.
R L
Whangarei
Wairarapa Times-Age 15/2/16
WAITANGI A DAY OF DISGRACE
Our national day! What a ridiculous title that is. There is no celebrating. What happens in Waitangi is a disgrace to us all. It seems to dampen our spirits rather than raise them.
The outrageous behaviour is shown on our news and news around the world. Yes, we are a democratic country and we can and should protest, but what happens at Waitangi is not something that many people are proud of. We seem to have lost our way at Waitangi and what comes through is anger, posturing and an absence of unity.
There are so many wonderful Maori doing great things in New Zealand — they must be embarrassed by the goings-on in Waitangi. They rarely get recognition, though, only bad behaviour is newsworthy.
Perhaps now that reporters get charged to go on the marae, they should decline to report on Waitangi and we could all be spared the embarrassing spectacle.
It is such a bad example for Maori youth. They see that it is all right to abuse verbally and physically our elected politicians. Where is the respect? Our young learn how to behave by example. The example for our young at Waitangi is appalling. There is no mana here. Nothing to be proud of.
Why can’t we celebrate a more encompassing New Zealand Day? We are now a nation of many cultures. Why can’t we celebrate a day where we all join in, rather than the hateful day that Waitangi has morphed into. And you know something is wrong when you dread watching the news that night.
We are so much better than this.
Our politicians are not blameless in this matter either. They are elected and paid by us to provide leadership and good governance. In the matter of Waitangi they have failed on both counts. To allow a few to make them jump through hoops and dictate to our elected officials what is permissible and what is not, is weak and insipid.
G R
Carterton
MISINTERPRETED
Your writer, Tim Howard, neatly misinterpreted my recent opinion piece to accuse me of saying Maori owe us. Respect is a mutual duty, and recognition of goodwill, travelling between the races at present, can only produce further goodwill in the future.
Tim then would say the compensation paid in settlements is miserly and compares it to the cost of a frigate or the bail-out of the investors in South Canterbury Finance. In 50 years or sooner the frigate will be a heap of rust and the investors will have enjoyed their returns and be dead. But the land returned in settlements will remain forever priceless.
By encouraging now and into the future, a culture of obligation based on guilt for past wrongs is the way of perpetuating winners and losers, divisions, disunity, anger and loss for everyone. The Treaty is a document of such obligation.
To be never-ending. Is that what you want to encourage Tim?
Why were hui arranged right through NZ for consultation with Maori about the seabed and foreshore, why is the same happening now about NZ’s freshwater? Why are the rest of us ignored by the Government in matters we all have a vital and equal interest in?
Isis is a great example of a rising up of embittered people who through poetry and song, over centuries, have kept alive their belief that they are owed. What a future.
R L
Whangarei
Wairarapa Times-Age 15/2/16
WAITANGI A DAY OF DISGRACE
Our national day! What a ridiculous title that is. There is no celebrating. What happens in Waitangi is a disgrace to us all. It seems to dampen our spirits rather than raise them.
The outrageous behaviour is shown on our news and news around the world. Yes, we are a democratic country and we can and should protest, but what happens at Waitangi is not something that many people are proud of. We seem to have lost our way at Waitangi and what comes through is anger, posturing and an absence of unity.
There are so many wonderful Maori doing great things in New Zealand — they must be embarrassed by the goings-on in Waitangi. They rarely get recognition, though, only bad behaviour is newsworthy.
Perhaps now that reporters get charged to go on the marae, they should decline to report on Waitangi and we could all be spared the embarrassing spectacle.
It is such a bad example for Maori youth. They see that it is all right to abuse verbally and physically our elected politicians. Where is the respect? Our young learn how to behave by example. The example for our young at Waitangi is appalling. There is no mana here. Nothing to be proud of.
Why can’t we celebrate a more encompassing New Zealand Day? We are now a nation of many cultures. Why can’t we celebrate a day where we all join in, rather than the hateful day that Waitangi has morphed into. And you know something is wrong when you dread watching the news that night.
We are so much better than this.
Our politicians are not blameless in this matter either. They are elected and paid by us to provide leadership and good governance. In the matter of Waitangi they have failed on both counts. To allow a few to make them jump through hoops and dictate to our elected officials what is permissible and what is not, is weak and insipid.
G R
Carterton