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Iwi Chairs Forum reps pull out of anti-racism plan due to 'continued racist rhetoric' (www.rnz.co.nz)
submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by Ilovethebomb to c/politics
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"Our government has signalled changes to the plan, including a reduced focus on institutional racism and colonial racism against Māori, which would render the plan pointless as all instances of personal racism result from the institutional racism of our society," Ngata said.

Uhh, what? What absolute nonsense is this?

Honestly, this whole thing feels like the forum getting the pip because we weren't making this all about them, and taking their ball and going home.

And then there's Bullshit like this.

Maori aren't the only group in NZ on the receiving end of racist behaviour.

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[–] liv 4 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

"This plan is one of many things that we are working on together with Iwi Chairs and while they've decided to step back from this opportunity, there are many other areas we are working together on and I hope we continue to have a good relationship."

Erm, given that it pulled out after stating the current government is too racist to do anti-racist stuff with them, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Iwi Chairs basically just said they're going to do their own anti-racism thing and roll it into regions without Central govt input. That looks like a seismic shift to me.

[–] AWOL_muppet 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Are you meaning something like a vote of no confidence?

Looks like that to me.

[–] Ilovethebomb 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

A vote of no confidence is still participating in the system, this is withdrawing completely.

[–] AWOL_muppet 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Fair point, but it's probably not the system they have an issue with, it's the current embodiment/makeup. I don't know if that's a meaningful distinction - we're basically splitting hairs aren't we?

[–] Ilovethebomb 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I honestly have trouble knowing how seriously to take this, I've seen so many people cry racism when they don't get their own way lately, it's lost it's meaning somewhat.

[–] BalpeenHammer 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

If you don't believe racism exists then of course you wouldn't take it seriously. There is a very large percent of this country that doesn't believe racism exists in NZ and another huge percent that are deeply racist so deep that it's baked into their everyday language. The two circles overlap by a large amount too.

[–] Ilovethebomb 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Oh, I am well aware that racism exists, but thanks for the patronising lecture.

My point was, a lot of people, particularly Maori, seem to define racism as being treated like any other ethnic group by the government.

[–] BalpeenHammer 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Oh, I am well aware that racism exists, but thanks for the patronising lecture.

I am not sure that you do. You gave no indications at all that you were aware that racism exists. Now that I know you are aware I am curious to know how much you think there is in the country and what if anything can or should be done about it.

My point was, a lot of people, particularly Maori, seem to define racism as being treated like any other ethnic group by the government.

That seems like a really racist thing to say. In fact that is a really racist thing to say. This is something somebody who is so racist and for whom racism is so baked into their brain they don't even recognise it as racist. This has in your mind become some fact for some reason.

[–] Ilovethebomb 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You're a strange fellow.

[–] BalpeenHammer 2 points 7 months ago

What an odd reply to my post.

Yes I probably do seem strange to racists. I am OK with that.

[–] Xcf456 1 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Why can't it be about anti-racism for other groups, and be about systemic and colonial racism? It doesn't have to be one or the other but gee this government sure loves playing the two off against each other.

It reads a lot like the kind of colonial and institutional racism theyre wanting to address in the first place.

[–] Rangelus 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

This is exactly the issue here. The original plan talks about racism against everyone, AND specifically mentioned colonial racism for Maori. To make it "fair" this government wants to remove the later part. I can understand why Maori feel like this is an attack specifically against them.

[–] Ilovethebomb 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Not remove, just make it less of a focus.

[–] Rangelus 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

They are removing the wording, as far as I know, to make it "focus on all New Zealanders", which it was already doing.

Again, I can understand why Iwi feel this is attacking them specifically.

[–] Ilovethebomb 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

When you're used to privilege, equality feels like oppression.

[–] Rangelus 2 points 7 months ago

Yes, exactly. But not in the direction you are suggesting.

Pakeha have enjoyed privilege for almost the entire history of New Zealand. For some, any effort to correct this may look like an unequal situation, but when looking at the bigger picture it really isn't.

[–] Ilovethebomb 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

That... Was the original plan. There was some debate, however, about just how much focus there would be on institutional racism.

[–] Xcf456 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

It was the original plan until this government decided how much focus there was going to be was "none", which is why Iwi Chairs have pulled out

[–] Ilovethebomb 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Bear in mind, this got started in the aftermath of the Christchurch terror attacks, which was the actions of a single person against a minority group.

It wasn't originally about institutional racism at all.

[–] Xcf456 1 points 7 months ago

Yes it was. See the numerous references here: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2017/08/committee-elimination-racial-discrimination-examines-report-new-zealand

This is from the UN committee that recommended the action plan in 2017, which the RNZ article also mentions