Post by Kiwi Frontline on Feb 23, 2020 15:28:30 GMT 12
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN THE SIR BOB JONES V RENAE MAIHI DEFAMATION CASE?
Jones was also at times an irascible witness, sparring constantly with Salmon in lengthy exchanges and unwavering in his assertions that colonialism and, in particular, breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi, were not a cause of socio-economic disadvantage among contemporary Māori. It was more likely welfarism was to blame, and characteristics particular to disadvantaged Māori. Everyone had choices about how they lived their lives, he said. It was a fact that there were no full-blooded Māori left.
He was asked about suggesting in his NBR column that he didn’t want his children, “wasting their education on a dying language now confined to hobbyists”.
“Are you aware of any extent to which a number of Māori might find that a hurtful or offensive comment?” Salmon said.
“Oh, God. I walk down the street – some people find it offensive,” Jones responded. “That’s an absurd proposition to put to me. Taking offence at everything is a modern-day phenomena.”
Jones insisted te reo Māori was dying. “It’s not a [disputed] matter of fact. The Government made an announcement last week that they’re making no progress. I’m pleased to hear it.”
Salmon said a number of Māori did not consider the language to be dying, nor that it should be allowed to die. “You’d agree with that?”
RJ: Yes.
DS: So you would agree that they might find that offensive to hear the suggestion …
RJ: Oh, God. I stated a fact. It is a dying language, admitted by Government proponents last week who are making no headway. Which shows there’s common sense out there. But I consistently said … that if people want to do it, that’s their choice. Don’t make it compulsory. And I’ve held that view since I first started secondary school at 13 when all New Zealand public state-school kids had to learn French. I refused to. I don’t want to learn French......
Read on here at the NZ Listener > www.noted.co.nz/currently/currently-social-issues/sir-bob-jones-what-really-happened-in-renae-maihi-case
Jones was also at times an irascible witness, sparring constantly with Salmon in lengthy exchanges and unwavering in his assertions that colonialism and, in particular, breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi, were not a cause of socio-economic disadvantage among contemporary Māori. It was more likely welfarism was to blame, and characteristics particular to disadvantaged Māori. Everyone had choices about how they lived their lives, he said. It was a fact that there were no full-blooded Māori left.
He was asked about suggesting in his NBR column that he didn’t want his children, “wasting their education on a dying language now confined to hobbyists”.
“Are you aware of any extent to which a number of Māori might find that a hurtful or offensive comment?” Salmon said.
“Oh, God. I walk down the street – some people find it offensive,” Jones responded. “That’s an absurd proposition to put to me. Taking offence at everything is a modern-day phenomena.”
Jones insisted te reo Māori was dying. “It’s not a [disputed] matter of fact. The Government made an announcement last week that they’re making no progress. I’m pleased to hear it.”
Salmon said a number of Māori did not consider the language to be dying, nor that it should be allowed to die. “You’d agree with that?”
RJ: Yes.
DS: So you would agree that they might find that offensive to hear the suggestion …
RJ: Oh, God. I stated a fact. It is a dying language, admitted by Government proponents last week who are making no headway. Which shows there’s common sense out there. But I consistently said … that if people want to do it, that’s their choice. Don’t make it compulsory. And I’ve held that view since I first started secondary school at 13 when all New Zealand public state-school kids had to learn French. I refused to. I don’t want to learn French......
Read on here at the NZ Listener > www.noted.co.nz/currently/currently-social-issues/sir-bob-jones-what-really-happened-in-renae-maihi-case