Life is supposed to improve, over time.
I’m not talking about evolution. That seems quite static, viewed through the lens of a lifetime. I can’t recall noticing any major advances happening.
You could argue that the ability to go about everyday activities, while using social media or texting, is something we’ve developed. Although I’m not sure I’d call it an advance exactly.
For example when you see a clip from a live concert by great musicians, and there isn’t a single person looking at the stage and enjoying the moment. The crowd are all staring into the small screen on their phone which they’re using to record the event, so they can post it later as proof of how much they enjoyed the moment.
That doesn’t sound like progress to me, perhaps evolution is on a break.
Maybe it’s conserving energy before the next great evolutionary stage. The one where we develop gills and webbed feet in order to return to the ocean. Due to our having ignored the really obvious signals of climate change for decades.
No, when I talk about things improving I don’t mean genetically. We’ll have to work with what we’ve got on that front. I’m talking about things like our quality of life, like reducing prejudice, or even our very life expectancy.
We’re seeing some quite mixed results on those things.
People are working longer hours but life is less affordable. As I wrote about last week that Kiwi quarter acre dream took quite a beating under Douglas and Richardson and Austerity 2.0 is about to commence, making life harder for many.
As is often said current generations, certainly those post Gen X, will be the first in history who will have things harder than their parents did.
There is better news on life expectancy. Despite the impact of Covid in recent years life expectancy here in Aotearoa actually went up. Whereas in countries where the government failed to take measures like ours, it went down.
If you find yourself in the unpleasant situation of discussing vaccines, or our health response, with someone who is misinformed that’s quite a good statistic to throw at them. It’s quite an easy one to understand. A science based Covid response = people living longer, not taking those health measures = people dying earlier. If many of the misinformed weren’t so immune to facts that would be a hard one for them to avoid.
So how about reducing prejudice? We’ve generally been going pretty well, whether it’s the rights of women, racial minorities, or rainbow folks things have by and large been getting better. Things that were once unheard of, or even illegal, are now commonplace. Progress can be frustratingly slow, but generally we’re heading in the right direction.
But this coalition are determined to put a stop to that. Too far too fast they cry, we liked things the way they used to be. Actually we’ve come a bit further than some of our supporters are comfortable with, so we think we should turn the bus around and head back the way we came from.
So about now you might be saying, look is there any point to any of this? Shouldn’t you be writing about Chlöe or Waitangi or something?
Well I started on the former but I’d just written quite a bit about the Greens when James Shaw resigned and it was looking like the newsletter was going to be just a rave about how awesome Chlöe is. Which doesn’t sound like a particularly interesting read, or like something that’s going to be news to you good folks.
OK, so what about Waitangi? Well, you probably haven’t realised it yet but that is what I’m writing about. It might be a bit confusing talking about prejudice, but that is sadly what Waitangi is all about this year.
Where in recent years it has mostly been a lovely family event with people coming together. Acknowledging that there are problems, but that we continue to move forward together. In 2024 it’s all about racism.
It’s about who is racist, who wants to stay racist, and who has had quite enough of all this racism, thank you very much.
Before we get into that, the sad reality of why so many will be at Waitangi this year, I’d like to say something positive. I look at all the updates I see of people travelling to Waitangi. Their determination, old and young, māori and pakeha, and I feel utterly inspired by these good people. So yes, I’m sorry that this is all necessary this year, and it bloody well shouldn’t be, but it is and the response of people is awesome to see.
Anyway, back to the racism. I’m going to make a statement that some of you possibly won’t agree with, it might make you cringe, but you might agree with it by the time I’ve explained what I mean.
Or not.
I know that if I posted such a thought on social media it would be shot down in flames and I’d be attacked by people telling me I don’t know what I’m talking about. People using surprisingly questionable grammar and rather creative spelling. But let’s see how we go.
You are either a racist or you understand, and agree, that New Zealand has a racist past and present.
That’s it, no third option, it’s either A or B.
It’s not the first time I’ve simplified things in this way, apologies if you’re experiencing déjà vu, and I’m sure it’s far from an original idea. But it makes sense to me, so here we go.
When we look at the disparities between different racial groups, the differing levels of achievement, of statistics relating to crime, education, or even life expectancy, there are fundamentally two explanations for them, and they are both about race.
The first option is that people achieve the outcomes they do because of their race. So for example if Māori underperform in an area, let’s say incarceration rates, that is their fault. It’s down to them, they must be inherently more inclined towards criminal activity, they must be inferior.
OK, so Option One is just straight out racism. So if you’re not racist that only leaves Option Two.
Option Two says that the inequalities we see in society, for example in income levels and representation on company boards, exist due to racism.
Either historic racism, which means we’re not starting from the same place, some of us are more privileged than others. Or current racism, meaning, for example, that when someone applies for a job or a flat that prejudice can be involved. Those things are not purely determined on merit.
So Option Two means acknowledging that racism is alive and well, and still impacting our society, and people’s lives, today.
Does that make sense? That either we recognise racism exists, or we are racist, and there’s no other way of explaining inequality?
So what has any of this got to do with Waitangi this year?
Well over time we ended up with a group of people who got a bit fed up with the people that agreed Option Two was true. Closet Option One’ers, but they didn’t like to admit it. So they decided to invent Option Three, which can be summarised as everything’s fine, we’re all equal, and can we just shut up about race already?
Yes Option Three, as advertised by the parties of our coalition and others, says that we’re all good. Sure there were some bad things done in the past, but we can’t keep worrying about that, we need to move on.
It is the belief that All Men Are Created Equal, is a statement of fact rather than a principle or a longed for, but unrealised, ambition.
They say we all have the same opportunities and there’s no need for affirmative action programmes to address things that should just happen. Philosophically we should all be equal, so therefore we are, conversation over.
Which is a really easy position to take if you’re in the group that is privileged. If doors open for you that others have to work hard to unlock.
It’s the view of people like Julian Batchelor or David Seymour. White men with every advantage who want us to understand that Māori have the same rights as everyone else and that any measures to intervene based on that not being the case are, racism.
Not the racism that you and I might see and worry about. You know, simple things like some people having to go in and prepay for fuel, where the pump is unlocked for others. Not based on how well they’re dressed, or what sort of car they’re driving - you know what it’s based on, and it ain’t subtle.
But that isn’t the sort of racism they’re worried about. If you listen to those people they’d tell you that doesn’t even exist. The racism they claim is to do with initiatives intended to address prejudice and disadvantage.
So we saw the opposition to co-governance and Three Waters. The meetings with halls of bitter, mostly older, white people bemoaning any potential threat to their position of privilege.
Having seen off those things at the election David Seymour decided that wasn’t enough. Firing up the population to the point where some were talking about co-governance as if it was apartheid, was just the beginning. There was a bigger target to take on…
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
You know all about that, ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill, which seeks to rewrite te Tiriti so the Option Three people don’t feel like their pakeha privilege is under threat.
It’s the reason that so many good people are descending on Waitangi this year. To stand against something that many of us feel absolutely sickened by.
It doesn’t help of course that so much of this was clearly spelled out at the election. National, ACT, and NZ First shouting down the loud hailer their intentions to wind progress back and put a stop to initiatives seeking to reduce inequality. We saw this coming, but what of those who didn’t?
The people who might generally agree that Option Two is reality, but who had had enough of the last government. What do they think now?
I hope a lot of them will be standing up and saying they got it wrong. They didn’t sign up to this re-writing the Treaty nonsense, and the coation shouldn’t say they’re doing this in their name. But I’m not holding my breath.
So it’s left to those of us who know that Option Two is both the history and the present story of our nation to tell people like David Seymour and Christopher Luxon that Option Three isn’t a thing. A nice dream for sure, but it’s not somewhere we live.
Thousands and thousands of people are heading to Waitangi, or are already there, to carry just that message.
There is a reality here, a document signed, honest hard conversations that have been had. Some have worked their whole lives to get us to better understand the truth of Option Two, and the need to do something about it. They’re not going to give up without a fight.
And neither should you.
So the next time you’re talking to someone who thinks like Option One, or believes in Option Three, you be sure to tell them that addressing Option Two is the only way forward. Option One needs to be retired to the history books and Option Three is a nice vision, but it’s simply not real.
So go well all you good people heading to Waitangi, attending other events around the motu, or there in spirit, and don’t forget…
You either understand and agree that New Zealand has a racist past and present, or you’re a racist. That’s it, there’s no third option.
I couldn’t agree more too, Nick! I am old and white, but spent my early childhood in a 99% Māori community, and I feel sickened by the racial division being promoted by some unthinking or uninformed people at this critical time. I am worried by this Negative government, and sincerely hope that this Waitangi Day will help to turn away this shameful racist tide! You are helping, Nick, in a very seriously principled way, and I value your contribution !👍🍀
There are a lot of us who would be at Waitangi if we could be. I think that sooner or later even the "silent majority" is going to have to stand against the b.s. of Act and NZFirst, as we did against apartheid in sport, and we did for women's rights. I still believe that the majority of kiwis are fair minded and against prejudice, no matter how loud the nasties are amplified by social media.