Post by Kiwi Frontline on Jul 17, 2019 6:43:18 GMT 12
Dominion Post 17/7/19
COOK DESERVES ACCOLADES
I and many maritime history enthusiasts are sick of some people decrying James Cook’s role in the making of New Zealand and continued attempts to write him out of our history. He is internationally regarded as one of the world’s greatest explorers, navigators and seamen in history. He encouraged scientific research and was an enlightened captain, for his time.
If Cook had not ‘‘discovered’’ New Zealand, most of we non-Maori Kiwi citizens would not be here, or would be of French, Dutch or other European origin. Whatever his human faults he brought European civilisation and technology to Aotearoa and we do not have to apologise for that.
TIM SKINNER, president, Maritime Friends of Wellington
MOVING BEYOND RACE
Glenn McConnell argues (Get real, this country is racist to the core, July 16) that ‘‘New Zealand was and is racist. Fact’’.
His argument is that New Zealand is racist because of the fact that there are lots of individuals in New Zealand who think less of, and discriminate against, other people based on their race, and who dispute historic racial injustices.
There’s no denying that fact – it’s the same the world over – and I’m left wondering whether we would be better off de-emphasising rather than fixating on race. Many believe, for instance, that each individual with Maori ancestry should connect as deeply as possible with his or her Maori roots and culture. But isn’t that notion pretty close to racial stereotyping? Is a Maori woman necessarily less happy, authentic and ‘‘whole’’ because she prefers astrophysics and singing opera to te reo and kapa haka?
I know a number of Maori and people of other races who don’t self-identify racially, yet seem satisfactorily fulfilled.
I suspect New Zealanders would be better off overall if we viewed each other less through a racial lens and more as individuals, each with our own unique, shifting mix of interests and perspectives.
JOHN GEORGE RONALDSON MCLEAN, Khandallah
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
COOK DESERVES ACCOLADES
I and many maritime history enthusiasts are sick of some people decrying James Cook’s role in the making of New Zealand and continued attempts to write him out of our history. He is internationally regarded as one of the world’s greatest explorers, navigators and seamen in history. He encouraged scientific research and was an enlightened captain, for his time.
If Cook had not ‘‘discovered’’ New Zealand, most of we non-Maori Kiwi citizens would not be here, or would be of French, Dutch or other European origin. Whatever his human faults he brought European civilisation and technology to Aotearoa and we do not have to apologise for that.
TIM SKINNER, president, Maritime Friends of Wellington
MOVING BEYOND RACE
Glenn McConnell argues (Get real, this country is racist to the core, July 16) that ‘‘New Zealand was and is racist. Fact’’.
His argument is that New Zealand is racist because of the fact that there are lots of individuals in New Zealand who think less of, and discriminate against, other people based on their race, and who dispute historic racial injustices.
There’s no denying that fact – it’s the same the world over – and I’m left wondering whether we would be better off de-emphasising rather than fixating on race. Many believe, for instance, that each individual with Maori ancestry should connect as deeply as possible with his or her Maori roots and culture. But isn’t that notion pretty close to racial stereotyping? Is a Maori woman necessarily less happy, authentic and ‘‘whole’’ because she prefers astrophysics and singing opera to te reo and kapa haka?
I know a number of Maori and people of other races who don’t self-identify racially, yet seem satisfactorily fulfilled.
I suspect New Zealanders would be better off overall if we viewed each other less through a racial lens and more as individuals, each with our own unique, shifting mix of interests and perspectives.
JOHN GEORGE RONALDSON MCLEAN, Khandallah
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers