In the heat of the Lockwood Smith controversy yesterday, some of our right-wing readers had a go at John A for posting a link to National’s racist 1975 election ad with the comment that “underneath they haven’t changed”.
In light of this, I thought the comments in the Herald today from National’s first Pacific Island MP, Arthur Anae, were rather interesting:
Arthur Anae, who is Samoan but was born in Fiji, said it was a ploy by Dr Smith to win votes from the “white community”.
“It’s bloody insulting that he said that. Some people have been here over 60 years. How dare he say that? Now people understand why I am no longer part of that party. It’s a clear indication of what the underbelly is over there towards Pacific people.
“You do have an element of redneck that’s in there and that surfaces when you read between the lines. I feel sorry for John Key and Bill English, who I believe firmly do believe in the Pacific community.
“This is what happens when people want power, they become immigration spokesman so they want to hit the lowest they can with what they say to win some votes from the white community, shall I put it that way. That sucks.”
Says it all, really.
Lew, no.
Billy: Then why not address the actual issue?
L
Oh, Lew. I have been away for a while, so had forgotten quite what a pompous arse you are.
I am addressing the issue. I was asking a genuine question. Why is it racist to attibute to a racial group a physical characteristic that they patently possess?
B
Lampie: I’m familiar with the work of Lombroso and his minions, from whom the Nazis got a few of their ideas about the Master Race. I agree that classifying people on the size of their various extremities rather than what they can do with said extremities is the reason Smith’s comments were racist.
Who???? A)never heard of them b) net throws up some guy who died before the existence of N****
And you really are missing the point, read Phil’s comments again
“eventually through prejudice and malice of human nature it distills into a poisonous brew of racism, usually starts as a throw away comment”
You dont have to agree with him, I don’t care. I’m not reference nothing unlike you who apparently has to be thought of as some Mr Walking Authority on everything.
Think you need to get out more
We don?t need to explain something that may not exist. Please tell us where you got this information (and colourful phrase) from?
I think I came across it in Malcolm Gladwell’s book ‘Tipping Point’. Also, the race relations person in the UK referred to it earlier this year. In terms of sport Joseph Romanos pointed out in ‘The Judas Game’ that increasingly whites were taking up soccer because they tended to be physically smaller at high school.
“Then why the hell have you wasted the last two hours of our lives arguing the point then?”
This thread isn’t just about Smith.
Ben R,
What on earth are you on about?
“Ben R,
What on earth are you on about?”
I made a comment much earlier that a lot of the people who get on their high horse about race issues tend to live, work and send their kids to predominantly white schools. I think that some people take quite liberal positions on issues because they can afford to.
For instance, Felix I think the other day made some comment that people should quit worrying about crime and enjoy life. That’s fine if you live in a low crime area, which most policy makers presumably do, but not so great if you’re a shopkeeper in some places.
Why is it racist to attibute to a racial group a physical characteristic that they patently possess?
1. Because there is no other news at present.
2. Because NZ and the world appear to have lost all sense of perspective as soon as race is mentioned.
Billy: It wasn’t the description that was racist. It was the context and consequences implied in the observation that was.
Incidentally, I agree it isn’t an open-and-shut case of blatant racism – I think it’s a judgement call and a matter of opinion. But I think there’s been a lot of conveniently disingenuous literalism displayed by Smith’s apologists on this matter, and equally (as I’ve tried to call out above) a lot of idiotic overreaction from his detractors.
L
Ben R
October 23, 2008 at 4:44 pm
“This thread isn’t just about Smith.”
Well, not any more, anyway.
Ben,
Just to be clear, the point I tried to make the other day was that it makes no sense to get worried about crime just because politicians are having their tri-annual rant about it.
The areas I live and work in are far from squeaky clean but letting people with power agendas whip us into a state of perpetual fear over it helps no-one.
Living in fear of anything is one sure way to make your life poorer in every sense.
Your comment actually strikes me as quite the reverse of my own experience in that I generally find that people who jump up and down about crime tend to live fairly safe lives in clean areas behind big fences.
ben it is totally self centred to worry about somehting you can do nothing about. do you do anything about crime in the area where you live?
Why is it racist to attibute to a racial group a physical characteristic that they patently possess?
Like silly white guys having small p*****s?
“I generally find that people who jump up and down about crime tend to live fairly safe lives in clean areas behind big fences.”
Yes, I think it’s partly because the media focuses so much on it, so it’s easy to get the impression things are more dangerous than they in fact are.
ziuzou, haven’t you heard of John Holmes? There is considerable variation in member size within a group.
ummm Ben, you are opening yourself up to abuse there