It seems that Don Brash is now learning some of the hard facts of politics. Having run an election campaign based around divisive race-baiting in which he advocated that Maori children "learn English first" rather than Te Reo, and called for the elimination of the wero in favour of "a handshake or an honour guard or something", he is now complaining that he is seen as a monocultural assimilationist:
Asked if he would do anything differently if campaigning on the [race] issue again, he said: "I might have tried harder to make it clear that I wasn't advocating a monocultural society. I mean, I could hardly advocate a monocultural society, my wife's not European."I don't retreat at all from the positions we announced at Orewa but certainly don't want that interpreted as Don Brash favouring an all-European cultural environment, because I don't."
If people had the impression he did not acknowledge a distinct Maori identity: "Then I failed to explain what I was meaning, because clearly I have complete respect for other cultures.
Clearly. That's why he's willing to use them as an election-year football in order to grub votes from rednecks.
One of the joys of being a politician is having perceptions of your personal views set by the public positions you take. If Brash doesn't like how he is now perceived, maybe he should have thought of that before listening to Murray McCully.
...but my wife's Singaporean!
ReplyDeleteWill this joke never die?
...roll on Nat leadership challenge...
ReplyDeleteCY
He is practically parodying himself there.
ReplyDeleteI was also looking for the speech where Brash complained about government departments having Maori names, which I'm sure I linked to at the time as an example of the pettiness of those he was appealing to, but haven't been able to dig it up yet.
The poor old codger would have a heart attack if the New Zealand government actually took official bilingualism seriously, as the federal government does in Canada.
ReplyDeleteWhy there'd be te reo announcements on inbound aircraft!
c'mon tze ming, some of my friends are asian, and they say you don't always know what you're talking about.
ReplyDeleteok, maybe they aren't...
but they do eat at an asian restaurant. and that makes them experts.
Surely Russell is the only one on PA who is meant to always know what he's talking about?
ReplyDeleteWhat's an 'Asian restaurant'?
DC: you know, that would be kinda cool.
ReplyDeleteWhat Brash is saying here is "People should not believe what I said,they should know it was just to get elected".
ReplyDeleteAlternatively he's saying "Turiana, Peter, do come in, have a biscuit, join my pretend governmaent".
Ugh! I need to have a shower.
TM: Surely Russell is the only one on PA who is meant to always know what he's talking about?
ReplyDeleteI believe the phrase is: "Knows everything about everything and doesn't mind letting you know."
And don't forget it. It's just a shame it's a bit long for a t-shirt ..
But sometimes I don't know what Tze Ming's talking about - and then usually I read it again and I do. It's kind of like getting two posts for the price of one ...
She should write more about cussing in Cantonese, though. If I ever get around to leaning Asian, that'll be my thing, fer sure.
Cheers,
RB
Look, my daughter's performing karaoke in the lounge right now. I want to know whose to blame.
ReplyDeleteBlogging live; my wife (not Singa-porean)has joined in (sorry Beyonce)...if only Don had won, they'd be singing a-tonally round a good old English piano right now, while I sucked on a pipe (meh) waiting for my roast.
ReplyDeleteSony, I blame you...
Politics is irregardless of race or religion. They don't mix.
ReplyDeleteThere are very few pure politics in the world.
Check mine out:
http://duriancapital.blogspot.com/
Lost: One copy (well-leafed)of
ReplyDeleteLeo Strauss' "Thoughts on
Machiavelli' (University of Chicago Press: 1955).
If found please return to
Muzza...
Dear Muzza:
Got your note. Why the blue crayon? Will return to your pigeonhole as soon as Richard Worth stops roosting there.
Don.