Snow White: “I think it’s possible that Kidman is just race-baiting…”

That’s certainly possible. In my view, this sort of thing isn’t racism, no matter who does it. Racism is the preserve of governments. I’d describe what Kidman does as ethnic chauvinism. Still unlovely, of course, and reflects very poorly upon her.

I must say, I’d be a bit surprised if she hasn’t been taken aside for a little chat, by the Dean of her department. If that hasn’t happened, maybe everyone is so intimidated by her that they don’t call her out for it? It’s undignified behaviour on the part of someone who purports to be an academic. As I said above, she puts me in mind of Robert Mugabe. And we all know how THAT situation turned out….

“…denounced as racism if done by others.”

Yes indeed. I think we’d be moderated out of the comment threads on this blogsite, were we to try it.

At the time of the matauranga Maori frou-frou, I read a republished tweet from Dr Wiles (she of the pink hair who, mercifully, appears to have gone to ground), which was equally unscholarly, and also reflected very poorly upon her. So there’s a bit of it about, evidently.

saveNZ: “…99% of university history professors need a curfew and ankle bracelet”.”

Here’s the thing: isn’t she (or wasn’t she) partnered up with Vincent O’Malley? He’s a historian. I wonder how he feels when she comes out with that sort of hostile, unscholarly tosh? I wonder if it’s a case of a woman scorned. If you know what I mean….

Alan M: “….learning Te Reo is good….”

Agreed. Everyone who wants to do so, seize any opportunities you get. Just so long as – if you aren’t Maori – you don’t think that you’re contributing to the revival of the language. You aren’t. Even if you’re Maori, the chances aren’t great.

“…senior teachers especially who maybe see it as a promotion chance…”

Either they don’t understand how languages survive and thrive, or they do, and this is just something that they feel obliged to go along with.

If any language is to survive – let alone thrive – it needs native speakers. I’m a native speaker of English. It was the first language I learned to speak, and I spent the first years of my life hearing only English spoken around me. This is what Maori themselves must do for their babies: it’s the only way the language will survive. The rest of us cannot help, no matter how keen we may be to do so.

The language is now on life support: as far as I can tell from census stats and the like, there are now no native speakers, which makes Maori a dead language. Not extinct, just dead, as is Latin. The closest NZ gets is having people who are bilingual: I have young extended family members who are bilingual. But that won’t save a critically endangered language such as Maori.

In my view, it’s pointless to waste resources in schools: that’s not what’s needed for revival.

David George: “Not sure how much of a scholar or how indigenous she is…”

She’s the daughter of Ian and Fiona Kidman. Her mother (well-known to my generation as a writer) is pakeha, her father was of Maori descent. As I understand things, Ian Kidman’s mother was Maori, his father pakeha. Ian Kidman was a remarkable person:
https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/98911733/champion-for-the-cambodian-community-ian-kidman-dies-85

So: she’s indigenous, in the same sense as are all of the rest of us who were born here. I can’t attest to her being a scholar: judging by her tweets, she isn’t anything like as measured and careful with the use of language as were the academics who taught me in the uni system, many years ago.

“….these are committed activists with an agenda wholly at odds with their social cohesion claim…”

Yes. She comes across as a rabble-rouser. That’s what her intemperate language and complete absence of argument suggest. And in the present febrile climate, we need this sort of person in such a position like we need toothache.

Reading her tweets, I’m reminded of Robert Mugabe. And everyone my age at least knows how that situation turned out.

Pray tell me what the likes of Kirk Hope, Michael Barnet etc actually produce

100%

John White I dont even post on the Palestinian threads, I hope you are talking to Mark otherwise WTF are you talking about?

I assume you are talking to Mark, John White? I have never spoken against the Palestinian people although terrorism is never justified.
As a matter of fact it was my disgust at Mark posting on The Standard – and being allowed to do so by moderator Bill about Muslim people “getting what they deserve” or words to that effect – that lead to me leaving that site some years ago.
I do accept apologies though.