Following on from an article I wrote on Saturday entitled: “Calling Ignorance Racism Is Cheap Sensationalism But it Does Get More Attention”, I thought I might expand a little on the subject starting with my own cheap, sensational headline.
So, are we New Zealanders, all of whom originated from somewhere else, rampant racists?
I can certainly tell the difference between white skin and darker skin and I’m happy to admit it; but I don’t believe I’m a racist, surreptitiously, blatantly, or in any other way and I don’t believe most New Zealanders are racist either.
What I do believe is that we are a nation of spoiled people. Spoiled by too much of a good thing and I suspect we won’t realise just how lucky we have been until it’s taken away. We’re well down the pathway of having that happen, which is another subject for another day.
“Godzone” is an affectionate nickname that came from we the people, believing this is God’s own country. A country blessed with a small population, wide-open spaces and decent people from all walks of life and backgrounds, working hard and being decent to each other. Together we are intensely proud of our origins and even more proud of this country we call home, regardless of where we came from.
Having it so good makes us protective of what we have and possessive of how much of it we’re willing to share. There’s nothing wrong, new or unusual about this; call it “a human condition”: to want to keep what’s good for ourselves and only share limited amounts of it.
How many wars through human history have been fought over this very thing?
My family migrated to New Zealand from Europe. It wasn’t easy. Months on a waiting list, several weeks at sea. Arriving with nothing but a small trunk of personal belongings to face a new language, new culture and of course, history. We’d not long ago fought a world war on opposite sides. We (locals and immigrants), struggled with our differences and celebrated our similarities. Apart from the occasional and predictable schoolyard bullying “why don’t you go back where you came from”, we managed to get along and we worked hard to integrate and continue to build and contribute to this wonderful nation.
We too are possessive of this special place we have been privileged to be allowed to share in and, believe me, we’re not keen to randomly share it with all and sundry and create an anarchistic free-for-all. Diversity and inclusion are great slogans but they can create a festering sore looking for somewhere to burst.
If I could choose my neighbours, like most people, I would choose those that share similar values, cultural beliefs and attitudes. People who respect my space, my peace and quiet and my way of life as I would respect theirs.
I wouldn’t choose to have a gang living next door, nor would I choose to have Eden Park, a speedway or a rocket launching site. That might also mean that I wouldn’t choose a Samoan (or Tongan or Fijian, or Maori or Italian or Greek or Swahili) community centre, a funeral home, a golf club, a tennis club, a medical centre, a prison, a kindergarten, a school or a car wrecking yard.
Oh, did I mention that I probably wouldn’t choose a mosque, a temple, a church or a marae?
Does that make me a racist? If you agree with me, does that make you a racist?
If you are any of the above and I happen to move in next door to you, do I have any right to ask you to comply with my needs or beliefs?
Does it make you a racist if you say no?