I don’t know if The Pakeha Party is racist as much as it is just blindly ignorant. I think it’s a manifestation of what happens when public education is down graded and the level of public discourse is diminished to that of Seven Sharp.
It’s a mumbo jumbo swamp of unenlightened inexperience mixed with garden variety bigotry and a sprinkling of ZB reactionary knee jerks. In the credit bubble so many Gen Y grew up in, political awareness was parked for a yearly playstation upgrade paid for on Mum and Dad’s bloated housing valuations. The lack of struggle creates a lack of critical awareness and if you want a voyage into the damned, just read the comments section on The Pakeha Party’s facebook page.
It’s a like a frontal lobotomy minus the charm. I think the technical term is a Troll feast, this site manages to make Whaleoil look like a reasonable, compassionate and informed humanitarian.
There’s already a ‘Pakeha Party’ – It’s called ACT and National
I am a proud Pakeha, and it shames me that they are using the word in their infinitely moronic title. I think the Pakeha Party will be our version of the Tea Party – simplistic, bone jarringly stupid and so oblivious to the very issues they are raising they will become post-ironic.
Its popularity is an indictment on egalitarian NZ. We should all be a little bit more embarrassed by its existence today.
Tea Party? Storm in a tea cup more like it. This lot will blow over after their 15 minutes. So long as we don’t give them attention.
Day 2… 35,876 likes… This not only illustrates the blind ignorance of many kiwi’s, but highlights intimate thoughts and feelings of many Kiwis about ethnicity and race in Aotearoa. It provides a sociological insight into the current health and mental condition of Kiwi Society. Sadly we are not looking very well š
I think Hekia Parata needs to ban British history a country on the other side of the world UK in our education system and make New Zealand history compulsory starting with the Treaty of Waitangi and watch James Belich documentary the New Zealand Land wars. The United States embraces its history and its founding national document here we hide it and wonder why we depise each other.
There is just a small problem is Maori are part Pakeha as well so any benefits you accumulate Maori also get āyou need a more deceptive name like the Mainstream party or the anti-Waitangi tribunal party for your hate group.
Americas educational history pretty much underplays its poor dealings with native Americans, first nations and inuit. I feel that British History conversely has been open (about its failings) yet provided a broad dialogue in classrooms on topics as broad as womens sufferage, banning slavery, fuedal taxation, caste and class, global commerce, trade and industrialisation, exploration and exploitation, patriotism and jingoism, freedom of speech, defending weaker nations and has proved itself capable of accepting various forms of self determination of individuals, groups and nations. Britains and even English are celebrate the diversity they grew from, Celts, Picts, Icini, Angles, Jutes, Romans, Vikings, Normans, great things come from celebrating diversity.
Martyn,
The “Pakeha Party” that you cite may well be moronic and ignorant.
However, political parties based on an exclusive race and ethnicity already exist in New Zealand. Maori Party is one.
And time and again, some ambitious Pacific Islander politician proposes the Pasifika party. Last time, before such Pasifika party could be launched and consolidated the leader had to go to jail on corruption charges (Taito Field). I hear the rumors that ambitious NZ First MP Asenati Taylor plans a Pasifika party.
Even though some may find the idea of race based political party vomit-inducing, but the truth is that in New Zealand we already have these parties. It is people’s democratic right to be able to form a racial political group (as long as it does not preach hatred towards another race or ethnicity)
So, why should we judge, mock or resent a bunch of White New Zealanders who want to huddle together and launch a political party that will predominantly look after the interests of marginalized White people, for example?
I’m sure Poor White in New Zealand far outnumber all the poor “colored” people put together. I would very much welcome a White NZ party that exclusively speaks for the rights of poor and marginalized White New Zealanders.
By the way, National Party cannot be categorized as a “Pakeha Party”. It is racially and ethnically diverse unlike race-based Maori and (would be) Pasifika Party.
And please remember, National was the first political party to give New Zealanders an Asian MP, years ahead of so called diverse Labour Party.
“a political party that will predominantly look after the interests of marginalized White people”. Seriously? If they are marginalised in any way it is economically. I doubt very much that the “Pakeha party” will address this in any way. And the economic conditions that affect poor Pakeha are the same as those that affect the poor of any ethnicity.
“…would very much welcome a White NZ party that exclusively speaks for the rights of poor and marginalized White New Zealanders. ”
In what way are they “marginalized”?
There are poor white people who suffer from low wages; casualised employment; high unemployment; poorly funded schools; criminalisation because of their choices of recreational drugs, and more. Sounds fairly marginalised to me.
That said, in no way do I support the pakeha party. Policies to address these sorts of issues can be found (usually to the left of centre) which aim to help all those who are marginalised regardless of ethnicity.
Your opening paragraph is incorrect. Any ethnicity can stand for the Maori Party and so too can any ethnicity stand in a Maori electorate. Just thought you might like to know. Cheers
So, let me get this right.
Technically, a person from any ethnicity can contest in their electorates. As long as that person serves the exclusive interests of Maori ethnicity.
That sounds even worse.
Heard the leader of the Facebook page on Radio Live. He was against political parties that are set up just to benefit one race of people so his first thought was “Let’s set up one that does exactly that.” I’m not sure his mollycoddled, sociopath supporters would like Pakeha getting the same amount of Rheumatic fever as their Maori counterparts.
They have a cartoon on their Facebook page that they’ve obviously completely failed to understand. Take a look through their photos if you want a laugh, its basically a white man discovering why affirmative action is something he shouldn’t be jealous of.
Yes, I tried to make this point of marginalized whites based on my personal experiences on this post.
http://nzpolemicist.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/make-way-for-white-nz-political-party/
If New Zealand is a free democratic country…then…Why should we be ashamed of expressing our opinions? Why should we be censored?
Pakeha Party considers registering as popularity soars (10:57AM 09/07/13)
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/pakeha-party-considers-registering-popularity-soars-5502997
The Pakeha Party is considering registering as a political party after drawing over 30,000 likes on Facebook in just one day.
The Facebook group was founded by Auckland businessman David Ruck on June 20 to establish “equal rights and benefits for the Pakeha of New Zealand”.
Their message: “If the Maori get it, we want it too.”
[ā¦]
Mr Ruck told Seven Sharp last night that his followers want to take a stand against Maori privileges.
āThey’re sick of all the separatism. They’re sick of the Maori asking for certain privileges that Europeans wouldn’t be entitled to.”
Mr Ruck said he does not think there should be any race related parties, but as long as there is a Maori Party and a Mana Party, there will be a Pakeha Party.
He said he created the page after Mana leader Hone Harawira proposed a scheme to build 10,000 houses a year for Maori, by Maori, and which can only be sold on to Maori.
Mr Ruck said the proposal, which Mr Harawira says will help Maori get a foothold on the property ladder, angered him and he created the Facebook group in response.
Mana Party wants Maori housing scheme (20/06/13)
http://www.3news.co.nz/Mana-Party-wants-Maori-housing-scheme/tabid/1607/articleID/302153/Default.aspx
ā¦The keystone of Mana’s policy is bringing back the state-run Maori Affairs housing loan scheme, which ran from the 1940s to 1980s and provided finance to build or purchase houses on Maori land.
Mana wants such a scheme extended to any land around the country, which it says should be made available through the Government’s new housing accords with local councils.
The scheme would be run through Te Puni Kokiri to cut out the need for banks “and their mean-spirited attitude to Maori homeowners”, Mr Nikora says.
Only Maori first home-buyers would be able to apply, and they would not need any deposit.
[ā¦]
Other parts of Mana’s housing policy announcement include:
building 10,000 state houses a year, including 500 immediately in Ikaroa-Rawhiti
a halt to the sale of state houses, which would be renovated and tenanted immediately
requiring rentals that don’t meet a housing warrant of fitness to be brought up to scratch by the owner
making all housing-related apprenticeships eligible for the Maori trade training scheme.
When Manaās housing policy was announced it was interesting how over the airwaves, particularly One News, the focus was on the targeted Maori housing policy with what seemed some peculiar racist scaremongering. Never mind a similar scheme existed in the past. The other parts of the housing policy open to all were rarely, if ever, reported on.
The media regularly points out Maori feature prominently in many of the worst statistics, but when someone suggests a targeted scheme to lift them up, the media is quick to attack it. Itās almost as if the reporting of such statistics is boasting of some type of bizarre achievement.
This ādisadvantagedā businessman whoās responsible for starting this Pakeha Party movement appears a right-wing loon by considering the Mana Party is a race based party, as stated on the Mana website: The mission of the MANA Movement is to bring rangatiratanga to the poor, the powerless and the dispossessed – not exclusively Maori. Because many Maori fall under the categories of poor, powerless and dispossessed says a lot about the privileges they enjoy.
TVNZ appears an establishment of right-wing loons considering their increasingly biased reporting and providing Seven Sharp as a platform so early in the game for this movement, which can perhaps assist its growth and influence.
It has been reported on Facebook that the guy behind it is a failed businessman called David Rusk. I am not surprised at all. White+fail=someone else has stolen all the privileges. Ha.
http://www.facebook.com/PakehaAgainstThePakehaPartyParty?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite
They obviously haven’t been censored or we wouldn’t know about their page on Facebook and their television appearance. In fact, you could say they’re being promoted.
That should have been David A Ruck. Sorry about that, but he’s one white guy I wouldn’t want my daughters bringing home.
Personally I am surprised it hasn’t happened sooner, while (as I said on my page) “The Guy has about as much Charisma and Personality as a Wet Carrot”
Unfortunately the Maori Party and Mana Party, Have poked the sleeping bears of NZ with a big stick, With the perception of separatism that the media, and also the party’s themselves sometimes project.
The scary thing about the whole situation… is the amount of “likes” and how quickly people have thrown there support to his cause, with photos from random Kiwi’s promoting ” the pakeha party” already going up on the page, soon the will start making “p” with there hands and posting photos of that…
If they do in fact become a Party, and lets say half of their “likes” represent 1 vote, they will be in parliament with a huge arrogant grin.
What is wrong with their Facebook movement?
We have Winston Peters’s openly racist party with 8 MPs in Parliament and no one says jack-shit about it.
Why these “Pakehas” bother you so much? It’s not like they’re Nazis or Neo-Nazis planning to exterminate people of colour.
I fully support their freedom of expression. Many whites in NZ have been failed by our political system and they have a right to say so.
You are now being less than honest, Rajiv. Plenty of people on the left have criticised Winston First.
The freedom of expression you support is the freedom of a few pakeha on Facebook to tell lies about why their problems are all because Maori get special treatment. It’s a freedom to tell lies and spread hatred. Just as one example, to say that Maori have guaranteed access to university and Medical School is false. Even where there are quotas, Maori still have to pass the entrance requirements. Some knuckledragger writing “I kudint be a brayne sirjun becos Moare’s taked all the plaices” quite possibly didn’t pass those requirements, but again, I’m only guessing.
They can express their thoughts as much as they like. You seem to be saying we don’t have the right to express our opposition. Why is that? Why do you oppose people who oppose those who lie to promote a racist agenda?
First off, please don’t take my comments about “Pakeha Party” as a criticism of “Left”. This is not an issue of Left or Right.
I am sure there are plenty of assholes in New Zealand Right, just as there are plenty in New Zealand Left. People on the Right and National Party have equally failed poor and marginalized Whites.
As my previous comment said, I am NOT a supporter of “Pakeha Party” but I definitely sympathize with some of their concerns. Not all of them should be lumped together as “racists”. Similarly, highlighting David Ruckus’s criminal record does not detract from their genuine concerns.
And I’m sure many people on the Left criticize Winston Peters. But many people on the Left were also happy enough to form (Helen Clark) government with his support and turn this malicious and hate-spewing politician into New Zealand’s foreign minister.
So, thank you New Zealand’s Left for honouring Winston Peters. At least you can claim you helped a “Maori” become NZ’s foreign minister. Social Justice indeed.
Yes I know I am replying to my own post… but just an update
No need to fear Non-Pakehas, they are about to shoot themselves in the foot, by changing their name. When they do this, they will have to make a new facebook page,
It won’t attract the same number it has now. The whole reason it caught the attention of the masses/media was the name “Pakeha Party”, and now they aim to change that, it will die off (maybe slowly but will still die) they just failed marketing for dummies.
I suspect they’re used to failure. It’d be sad if it weren’t so toxic.
The first I heard of them was on this blog……
@ Rajiv –
You’re kidding, right?!
Maybe you need to pay more attention to what people are saying?
In what way? Why just “whites”? I’m curious to know.
At first I thought this was going to be about Ansell and his mob, we shadowed them for a while over at the PUI, where we rididculed the infamous tea-party-that-wasn’t.
http://theplutocracysusefulidiots.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/bowling-for-colourblind/
Interestingly, subsequent postings over at Ansell’s blog suggest that he’s been quietly touring around resthomes and community centres in the provinces promoting his single-issue party, soaking up the grey vote that usually feeds Winston and the Nats.
That, plus these losers, ought to have Key and Peters more worried than the left. Normally, racist herp-a-derps voting for NZF of the Nats are indistiguishable from the votes of desperate mortgagees and go getters in the city who also vote for NZF or the Nats. Take those votes away, and put them behind the parliamentary caucus of an anti-Maori party, and you’ve got Jonkey having to decide whether he wants a third stint in government badly enough to go into coalition with race-baiters. In other words, it’s almost tempting to think that David Ruck is actually a situationist genius who has figured out how to bleed Simon Lusk’s prize pig.
Oh, I don’t know: I, for one, am totally over being labelled a ‘non-Maori’ or a ‘Pakeha’.
And with the relentless insistence on ‘Aotearoa’ as the current name of this country – well, I don’t know what nationality I am, now.
Can we come up with more friendly labels for those of us who fall into the All Other Varieties category?
PS There are plenty of AOVs who are privileged and successful and lack that caucasian heritage. It’s true!
Too, racism is clearly not exclusive to the Pink People. (Several of the comments above seem to reinforce this conclusion…)
Pink People! Hilarious…. lol…
That’s it then, Pink People’s Party or the PPP or The Triple P.
Let’s keep the “Pink People” tag so that it can spawn the funny parties. š
I think the popularity of the Pakeha Party has grown so fast on facebook is because the political parties in Parliament have ignored the race issue in New Zealand. You can’t ram racist laws on the people… the Pakeha Party will be as a result of our inept politicians and good on Pakeha Party to get healthy debate out on the table. There is a constitution review on but how many Kiwis are involved with that? Who decides whether the treaty should be in there? Why isn’t it put to binding referendum which Bill English admitted being against?
Bomber, let’s try framing this as a unique (indigenous?) political development, rather than trying to shoe-horn it into a precedent from US politics, which are profoundly different from ours (although of course they do affect ours). Also, if we have a local equivalent to the Tea Party, it’s probably the islamaphobe objectivists from the Libertarianz.
Secondly, it’s all too easy to start throwing the “R” word around, but I don’t think it applies here. This is not some kind of respectable front for neo-nazis. This is a sign that a lot of PÄkeha are genuinely confused about the state of our race relations. They mostly want to see MÄori getting ahead, but not in a zero-sum game where their own children are condemned to the same fate we all want impoverished MÄori lifted out of. If I didn’t know what I do about the history and politics of this country, I can actually imagine myself looking at the Nats pushing heaps of working class pÄkeha into poverty, with the MÄori Party as yes men, and wondering if race based policies are somehow to blame.
Thirdly, let’s keep the ad hominem out of it. Pouring scorn on David Ruck and other members accomplishes nothing. If the PÄkeha Party lasts, let’s use it to have respectful conversations with “middle NZ” about history (colonial and recent) and politics (eg more tax money spent bailing out South Canterbury Finance than in all Waitangi settlements). If the left reacts by getting all hysterical about what terrible “racists” they are for having a different opinion on race relations to ours, this plays right into the hands of the real racists, who can say “see! it doesn’t matter what you say, those politically correct lefties and mowries will attack you anyway”.
Finally, there are plenty of PÄkeha in this country who are impoverished too. Not all PÄkeha share in the fruits of colonisation in any substantial ways. Get off your damn high horse Frank (and others) and stop pretending otherwise.
The Pakeha Party and the ‘1Law4All’ party spread the fear and intolerance of others in this country. If people continue to give these jokers support, this country is going to end up like Greece, with their ‘Golden Dawn’ party: Distrust, animosity and fear, leading to hatred and violence-sad, sad stuff.
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