Hone deserves just what he wont get
Maori Party MP Hone Harawira deserves every ounce of punishment that he will not get and I say that with all the sincerity of a sideline commentator. As all of us have watched this unfold over the last few days I am convinced that no one in any influential position will have the nads to do anything of substance with Harawira.
His Maori Party colleague Angelina Greensill is saying we should cut him some slack because in her mind "Hone speaks as Hone speaks". From that statement alone I understand why shes not in parliament. I've heard her speak a couple of times and I've been less than impressed with her. If thats an excuse to allow Hone Harawira so say blatantly racist comments and launch into an absolute diatribe of filthy talk then we have to cut slack to someone who says Maori are sucking off the health and welfare system.
A dictionary I looked up defines racist as 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
I give three ticks for SNAP!!!
The comment was made to me which makes sense is that his excuse of phraseology made his message less palatable is a cop out. He said exactly what he was thinking. Sure you can change words around to make things said in disparaging way sound more acceptable, but the message remains, he said what he was thinking and that to me is why he has apologised for the wording and not the content...he meant what he said.
The problem is he said what he thought. Most times, there is no problem with that kind of shoot from the hip mentality but when it is said in the one track mind that is Hone Harawira's everyone knows that they are wrong, and he is right.
If this was for lack of a better term a 'white man' saying these kinds of comments, regardless if they were in the same exact words or 'meant' in a different way it was just down right unacceptable. Heads would role and the outcry from the native population would have been for a nothing short of a public lynching.
Harawira on the other hand made an apology that no one out there in the real world feels is sincere at all. You can't cut this guy any slack on these comments. Yes he is a radical, yes he speaks his mind and up until this event I respected that. Anyone who speaks their mind is for the most part, someone who should be listened too. But when they speak their mind and its pure and simply derogatory, inflammatory, and just down right racist speech...that's crossed a line.
I was amazed that it was only today that I saw the Race Relations Conciliator finally say something. But then I think thats one of the most pointless positions in our system. Are we so sad in our ability to get along with each other that we have to have a watch dog over us?
I have no issues with Hone taking his partner on the trip with him. In fact, as long as an MP is the head of a political delegation on official business does their job, I have no problems with them planning an extra few days of their trip to take some personal time with their partners...as long as the purpose they are going there is fulfilled. Hone failed in that respect...he let the government down and let the country down. He may not give a damn, but as long as our tax dollars are literally paying his wage and his trips, he plays the game the way its meant to be played.
I have zero respect any more for Hone Hawawira. A man of principle has shown himself to be nothing more than an opportunist who cannot live in the now. He is so hell bent on getting some form of restitution for past injustices to Maori, (which there are many and yes, there needs to be some restorative to that, but thats another issue). But he is not going to be the single saviour of Maoridom and he is no role model for Maori youth to be following.
Passionate is one thing. Being an extremist is one thing. Being just down right racist, belligerent, and absolutely plastic in his apology, that's Hone and that is not acceptable.
There is no doubt that some Maori are disadvantaged in society but I wonder if there is any interest in finding out how many Maori are there because they have put themselves there or keep themselves there...are poorly educated because they haven't bothered to show up to school...are poor in society because they haven't gone out to work. How many are stuck in a cycle of drugs and alcohol that the gangs, again which have a big Maori membership are propagating? And that's all the white mans fault?
Don't get me started!!!
His Maori Party colleague Angelina Greensill is saying we should cut him some slack because in her mind "Hone speaks as Hone speaks". From that statement alone I understand why shes not in parliament. I've heard her speak a couple of times and I've been less than impressed with her. If thats an excuse to allow Hone Harawira so say blatantly racist comments and launch into an absolute diatribe of filthy talk then we have to cut slack to someone who says Maori are sucking off the health and welfare system.
A dictionary I looked up defines racist as 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
I give three ticks for SNAP!!!
The comment was made to me which makes sense is that his excuse of phraseology made his message less palatable is a cop out. He said exactly what he was thinking. Sure you can change words around to make things said in disparaging way sound more acceptable, but the message remains, he said what he was thinking and that to me is why he has apologised for the wording and not the content...he meant what he said.
The problem is he said what he thought. Most times, there is no problem with that kind of shoot from the hip mentality but when it is said in the one track mind that is Hone Harawira's everyone knows that they are wrong, and he is right.
If this was for lack of a better term a 'white man' saying these kinds of comments, regardless if they were in the same exact words or 'meant' in a different way it was just down right unacceptable. Heads would role and the outcry from the native population would have been for a nothing short of a public lynching.
Harawira on the other hand made an apology that no one out there in the real world feels is sincere at all. You can't cut this guy any slack on these comments. Yes he is a radical, yes he speaks his mind and up until this event I respected that. Anyone who speaks their mind is for the most part, someone who should be listened too. But when they speak their mind and its pure and simply derogatory, inflammatory, and just down right racist speech...that's crossed a line.
I was amazed that it was only today that I saw the Race Relations Conciliator finally say something. But then I think thats one of the most pointless positions in our system. Are we so sad in our ability to get along with each other that we have to have a watch dog over us?
I have no issues with Hone taking his partner on the trip with him. In fact, as long as an MP is the head of a political delegation on official business does their job, I have no problems with them planning an extra few days of their trip to take some personal time with their partners...as long as the purpose they are going there is fulfilled. Hone failed in that respect...he let the government down and let the country down. He may not give a damn, but as long as our tax dollars are literally paying his wage and his trips, he plays the game the way its meant to be played.
I have zero respect any more for Hone Hawawira. A man of principle has shown himself to be nothing more than an opportunist who cannot live in the now. He is so hell bent on getting some form of restitution for past injustices to Maori, (which there are many and yes, there needs to be some restorative to that, but thats another issue). But he is not going to be the single saviour of Maoridom and he is no role model for Maori youth to be following.
Passionate is one thing. Being an extremist is one thing. Being just down right racist, belligerent, and absolutely plastic in his apology, that's Hone and that is not acceptable.
There is no doubt that some Maori are disadvantaged in society but I wonder if there is any interest in finding out how many Maori are there because they have put themselves there or keep themselves there...are poorly educated because they haven't bothered to show up to school...are poor in society because they haven't gone out to work. How many are stuck in a cycle of drugs and alcohol that the gangs, again which have a big Maori membership are propagating? And that's all the white mans fault?
Don't get me started!!!
Labels: Hone Hawawira, racism
posted by Wiremu Bayliss at
9:35 am
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