Apparently, Hone Harawira thinks I am a “boorish redneck”. I have no particular objection to Mr. Harawira’s opinion, partly because I am supremely indifferent to it and partly because I make it no secret that I consider him an ill-mannered racist trougher. So we are possibly even. Maybe. Harawira reminds me of an old Afrikaaner [...]

Dear Mr. Sharples I judge from your recent remarks that you are not aware of the definition of the word racist. In the interests of helping you understand your colleague Hone Harawira, I thought I might help you out: racism Pronunciation:/ˈreɪsɪz(ə)m/ noun [mass noun] the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or [...]

The Political Correctness Nazis are attempting to ban Tintin again. In faint mitigation, the perpetrator of the latest banning attempt is at least congolese and is objecting to the admittedly absurd racial stereotypes in Tintin in the Congo, probably the worst of the Tintin books (in my opinion). This is not the first time this [...]

The editorial in the Weekend Herald this morning makes the common and fundamental error that there are degrees of racism. Racial discrimination does real harm when it is practised by members of a race with power, usually a democratic majority. When discrimination favours a minority, to preserve its identity perhaps, or boost its educational enrolments, [...]

I know I am showing my age a bit here, but I can remember the days when newspapers used to report actual news. This is in direct contrast to this morning’s Herald (it certainly is “the weak-end” Herald). We have the mercurial Hone Harawira admitting to skipping official meetings (the ones we paid for him [...]

Tuku Morgan voices his opinion that: The Government’s denial of Maori representation on the Auckland Super City Council is a stark sign of the lowly status accorded to Maori in New Zealand. It strike me that one could view this the other way round as well – that National and Act think well enough of [...]

I see I’m not the only one who thinks that the sentencing of the “exorcist” killers of Janet Moses was far too lenient. Prominent defence lawyer Barry Hart, who was not involved in the case, said the sentences seemed too lenient and liberal. “It’s doesn’t matter how you look at it, the sentences are really [...]

As controversial as ever, Dr. Pita Sharples’ remarks always generate interesting debate and his remarks on open university access for Maori are no different. Dr. Sharples is now modifying his remarks a little by adding that Maori would still need to meet education standards. His suggestion of some sort of bridging course meets with no [...]

If there was ever a good reason for canning the Race Relations Commissioner, the latest antics of Joris De Bres would be it. Going to a conference that most of the Western world is boycotting, where the leader of one of the most intolerant societies in the world is down to deliver a one-sided diatribe [...]

This quote from Trevor Mallard on the motel owner who banned an entire town from staying at his motel. “It’s stupid and very, very unfair. It shows the sort of blind prejudice I thought we didn’t have in New Zealand anymore. I’m not surprised the [owner's] Australian.” Question: Do you think all politicians have this [...]