Saturday, April 5, 2008
White Man's Club
Recently I was accused of beig a memeber of a "white man's club" that dominated Wellington College and that as such oppurtunities were denied to members of other ethnicities. I see this as nothing else but racism. Why should I be accused of dominating the cultural shere of our school, simply because I am commited eneough to constantly audition and turn up to numerous amounts of rehearsals. I beleive very strongly that all ethnicities should be represented in all parts of school life, but it just doesn't happen. The Rugby teams of Coll are often ratioed with far less pakeha, but no one accuses polynesian students of taking places from white players. Racism is present at Wellington College and we must all do what we can to reduce it. But saying that someone is thinking and acting in a certain way simply because of the colour of their skin is in basic tems the prest from of racism.
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17 comments:
I don't think people realise that not just white people are racist. I hear alot about how racist we are, but never hear anything (other than Zimbabwe)about how white people are being discriminated against. I think people just prefer to think of it as a one way street, it's just easier that way.
I reckon it's more of a natural thing than anyone would admit to. Out in the lovely nature, where the bees frolick and the bees hum or whatever, there is huge discrimination. It's called natural selection. No-one wants to have sex with the albino or the crippled honey bee or whatever because it would affect their offspring. And different fribes are naturally cautious about different rivals.
That's just a purely biological take on racism, but i'm sure Jacob will come along and rip into me for neglecting the plight of the underpriviliged minorities in todays society.
NOTE: I think it's ironic that nature has such a positive image nowadays when we all live in civilisation, where there is no NATURAL selection, and is in fact the most UNNATURAL thing out there, up there with plutonium and bending your finger back 180 degrees. But that's just me.
ROBBO!
I think I kind of agree with you, although I'm not sure I fully understand what you are saying. What I gather is that your main point is that not only white people are racist. This is what I agree with.
Recently the coach of the South African rugby team quit and they hired a new man for the job. I heard somewhere that because South Africa wanted to get rid of it's racist image, the next coach had to be black. But they missed the point, because saying the coach must be black IS racist. It's just racist in a way that would be seen as more uncommon, where the white people who also applied for the job are discriminated against.
So yeah, I agree with you.
Thanks, it;s good to know other people are observing this. I'm a bit confused about other aspects of political racism as well. Although we are all suposed to be equal and treated as such you need ten percent less to pass the bar exam if you are maori. If this was the other way around there would be public outcry.
Yeah, i've had a lot of people asking me if I have some Maori in me because apparently it's a hell of a lot easier to get in to Med School with Maori heritage. One guy qualified with one-thirty second Maori - that's one great-great grandparent who was Maori.
There is quite a justified reason as to why on some occasions why Maori and Pacific Islanders can get into courses with lower marks. Firstly you assume Maori and Pacific Islanders start on a level playing field with the others. This is bullshit as anyone who has seen any socio-economic stats will se Maori and Pacific Islanders are always at the bottom. Therefore they start with a disadavantage, not a level playing field. So the fact they can get a lower mark compensates for the disadvantage they start off with. Futhermore the socio-economic stats I talk about measure aspects such as health. If we want to increase the living standards of those living at the bottom through improving their health etc then there should be Doctors and other professionals who they can relate to. After all Robbie points out it is only natural that Maori/Pacific people would be more inclined to go to a Doctor of their ehtnicity. Therefore I fully disagree this is racism. It is just an attempt to level the playing field and any argument that condems doing this is racist in itself.
Firstly, Paul, I didn't say what you said I did, and secondly, one could make the argument that increasing their health and "levelling the playing field" could be better achieved by having quality doctors than merely polynesian doctors (assuming the polynesian doctors have lower marks than the pakeha doctors).
But I won't point out because that would be tantamount to political debate, not philosophical debate or social commentary.
Robbie the point you made was that it is natural to be racist, without explicitly saying it, but you were. I agree with that as well. So therefore do you think polynesians are more inclined to seek assistance from Doctors of their ethnicity or a different ethnicity? I think it should also be noted that the quota of Maori and Pacific Island doctors is on top of not instead of other people who qualified. Futhermore it should be noted the marks which you are refering to are only the entry marks into a course not the final quality of the Doctor. Can you point out any examples where Doctors of polynesian or Maori descent have made a major error and therefore aren't as good Doctors? The problem in New Zealand at the moment is there aren't enough Doctors, nothing to do with the quality. They are all leaving to Australia where they recieve double the wages due to John Howard's excellent management of the economy, unfortunately he got voted out. Do you not agree political debate, not rhetoric is closely related to social commentary?
Paul, I seriously don't have time with this, so I will confine myself to this: 1) This is not a debate, so I don't know why you expect me to come up with evidence of inadequacies of polynesian doctors 2) We seem to have strayed far from the original argument, viz. not just white people are racist. You have agreed with this. Hence, argument finished.
Paul, what are you talking about. You've climbed so far up that horse you've lost sight of what the original point was. White people are poor too, while I can see the justification being used, I think it is wrong for the best man to get passed over for the colour of his/her skin. That is precisely what happened in apartheid SA. While all cultures should be represented in every profession, I would prefer to think that everyone is getting the best care possible. I would point you to the most previous episode of grey's anatomy where a white supremacist asks for only white doctors. Is this any different to what you say about people wanting doctors from their own cultures??
Also when discussing racism can we [lease stop calling each other racist. Every single peron in the world is a racist, it is inevitable. All we can do is try and identify it and cauterise it within ourselves.
1. I WOULD have sex with an albino (after all, I married a ginga) but I draw the line at a crippled honey bee.
2. John Howard was on board the ship when its cargo (mineral wealth)went up in value but he wasn't much of a captain. Helen, however, steered us to semi-prosperity with just a hold full of live stock. Now there's leadership!
Ok well everynoe accepts the ponit that everyone can be racist, very profound. However a subsequent debate has happend, if you don't like debate you aren't obliged to take part.
TH, New Zealand has gone DOWN the OECD table of properity/living stnadards since Helen Clark became prime-minister. This is despite her promise in her pledge card she would take New Zealand into the top half of the rankings.
Minerals aren't the only reason Australia has higher living standards. The governments also have an impact. It is no coincidence Australia has a better personal tax system than NZ, and they experience higher living standards.
You quite correctly mention Helen Clark has given us 'semi-prosperity.' John Key will lead New Zealand to full prosperity when National gain office!
God Paul, you can be bitchy. I wasn't trying to be profound, I was simply trying to stop you from spouting off about everybody's elses inadquacies', this evidently hasn't worked. Also you're on my blog, go have your bitchfight about politics somewhere else, I'm not interested....
I'm sorry rob if you feel this has got personal, I never intended it to be. I was just dealing with some issues that were brought up on your comments page because I enjoy arguing/debating not because I'm trying to degrade everyone, just degrade the arguments of otgher people. I think there is a difference, which can at times can admittedly be blurred. You are right that this is your blog and you do have the option of deleting comments if you choose to. However I would point out it was TH did also talk about politics. I repeat though I never intented to perosnally offend you, and if you did take offence I apologise.
Thanks Paul, greaty appreciated.
Rob - White Man's Club meeting at lunchtime today alrite?
Be there 12.30 SHARP
I may have turned up a bit late to the discussion but MR THORPE! Albino's and Ginga's aren't even in the same league! Deeply offended. Shame on you.
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