Better Democracy NZ is a non-partisan, non-profit organisation.

Our mission is to foster the improvement of New Zealand's democratic system and encourage the use of direct democracy through the

Veto, Citizens' Initiated and Recall referendum.

________________________________________________



Thursday 7 May 2009

The racist liar responds


Hone Harawira has more to say on his Waikato University experience with me in a press release he has distributed to everyone he could think of and which follows below my comments.

Let me repeat again, never at any stage was my question racist or even aggressive as Harawira suggested on Maori TV, he is simply a liar. My question was in support of Maori and other minorities. Numerous students in the class, both Maori and non Maori were upset in the way he shouted me down, they thought it was unfair and rude. When the students clapped it wasn't because of him putting me down, it was simply because they supported his comment about being tangata whenua, nothing to do with me. There was a racist in the room and that was Mr Harawira who didn't like the name Maori used in the same sentence as Chinese and homosexuals.


Racism – 30 Years On
Wednesday, 6 May 2009, 9:53 am
Column: The Maori Party

Ae Marika!
By Hone Harawira
MP for Tai Tokerau

30 years ago last week, a group of Maori and Pacific Islanders put an end to 25 years of racism at Auckland University.

For years and years, Pakeha engineering students had been using graduation week to dress up in hula skirts, workers boots and helmets, paint obscene slogans and symbols on themselves, get drunk, and stagger around Auckland city performing a mock haka and abusing people – because they thought it was “a bit if fun”.

And they’d done it every year, despite pleas from Maori and Pacific students, the students own association, the Race Relations Office, the university itself, Maori leaders and many others.

In 1979 though it all came to a swift and abrupt end, when He Taua decided there had been enough talk, and took action.

And then last week, a student wrote a complaint to everybody he could think of, about the language that I was using during a lecture I gave at Waikato University, and I was immediately reminded of the He Taua incident that I had been part of all those years ago, and how some things hadn’t changed very much at all.

Over more than 35 years of public speaking, I have learnt to “sniff out” a redneck in the audience, and it seems that last week at Waikato, I’d picked out another one.

University students are notorious for their lack of respect for authority, their use of bad language, and most people who know me know that I’m cool with that. Students are also encouraged to challenge arguments and theories as well, and they’re also used to winning because in most cases they operate in big groups, 100 of them to one lecturer in most cases, but it seems that they ain’t that comfortable when somebody turns up and rams their arguments right back down their throats.

So when this smartarse started laying on his educated drivel about Maori being a minority in this country “like Asians and homosexuals”, I decided to teach him a few lessons – like (1) as a guest lecturer I don’t operate by the same rules as his other lecturers (2) just because I’m a politician don’t mean I have to play intellectual handball with him (3) as an intelligent individual I don’t have to put up with his racism (4) as a Maori activist I am more than happy to put him in his place.

Seems that just like 30 years ago, rednecks and racists still like to strut their stuff behind the walls of academia, safe from the prying eyes of wider society. Unfortunately for them, 30 years on there are still people like me happy to turn up and knock some of those walls down.

Oh yeah, and one other thing. When I nailed this guy guess what happened? All the Maori students in the audience clapped.

ENDS

3 comments:

Steve Baron said...

Dear Mr Harawira

I have watched your interview on Maori TV and have read your press release 'Racism - 30 Years On'.

You and I, and the rest of that class, know you are a liar Mr Harawira.

You didn't expect a skinny little white guy at a university to stand up and speak out about your racism and your behaviour did you? You just thought you would show everyone in that class that "Hone was the man". Well if anyone in that class looks up to you Mr Harawira, they need to set their sights a little higher. You are nothing more than a rude, racist, lying thug. Now you are trying to cover up those lies and your racism.

I have the greatest respect for Tariana and Pita. Both dignified and intelligent people that I have had many conversations with over the last few years. They increase the mana of Maoridom, all you do is take it away.

We both know that my question wasn't racist or even aggressive in any way whatsoever. My question was in support of Maori and other minorities. Numerous students in the class, both Maori and non Maori were upset in the way you shouted me down, they thought it was unfair and rude. Many also thought your use of the F word and other vulgar language was inappropriate for a member of parliament. When the students clapped it wasn't because of you putting me down, it was simply because they supported your comment about being tangata whenua, nothing to do with me.

You got upset because you didn't like the name Maori used in the same sentence as Chinese and homosexuals. This tells me you are racist toward Chinese and prejudice toward homosexuals.

So let me ask my question again Mr Harawira... the question you didn't even allow me to finish before you jumped to the conclusion I was a racist and shouted me down, "Given the injustices past governments have imposed on minorities like Maori, Chinese, homosexuals, would you and or the Maori party support the introduction of binding referendums as a check and balance on governments."

And just for the record, if I were indeed a racist, would my last two girlfriends have been Maori girls? I have to say there are a lot of gorgeous Maori girls out there!

I look forward to your apology, if you are man enough to do what you know is right.

Best wishes

Steve Baron

Hone Harawira said...

Kia ora Mr Baron

I have better things to do with my life than play word games with fools. Better you find something more productive to do with your life.

Hone Harawira

PS Apologising to you is not an option - not today, not tomorrow, not ever

Dominic Baron said...

Poor pathetic little Hone! Nothing rational will ever dent his redneckism. It pervades his whole grumpy psyche. I congratulate you, Steve, on standing up to a boorish lout who disgraces the name, not only of Maori, but of New Zealand as well.
And this idiot is in "parliament", is he?! Ha! Ha!