the white man's island

Some think that racism is not here in this country or that we are somehow better than other countries around this area. But they completely forget about colonisation and the severe, utter destruction it brings to indigenous peoples. The following exchange between a meat selling, rugby league loving Knight of this country Sir Peter Leitch aka The Mad Butcher and a young Māori woman on Waiheke Island illustrate so much that is hidden.

Māori Television

Lara Wharepapa Bridger, 23, says she was at a vineyard on Waiheke Island earlier this week with her mother. Leitch, famously known as The Mad Butcher, approached the group about not drinking and driving.  He doubted that they were locals, which sparked Bridger to tell him she was born on the island. This promoted  Leitch to make the comment – which he describes as light hearted banter but Bridger took as a racist taunt. 

The exchange upset Bridger, who posted an emotional video on Facebook last night to express her emotions."He said specifically to me, 'this is a white man's island, you need to go.

Now leitch is not disputing this - he is calling it light hearted banter. And THAT is where the major problem is in my opinion. Leitch has zero idea of the impact of colonisation upon tangata whenua - the losses of so much including the mana of saying, "this is my land". He does not have a clue - why would he? He did make this statement

In a press statement, Letich says he “apologised unreservedly” when he discovered that Bridger was offended by his comment.“There is no way I can ever be accused of being racist,” he says.

Oh dear apology FAIL leitch - you ARE racist for saying that to a young Māori woman. You believe your own hype - "my partner/wife/friend/teammates/aquaintances/workmates and so on are Māori/Pasific Islanders/Asian/Aborigine and so on - I CANNOT BE RACIST!!! 

and to top it off we have the sight of michelle boag - a horrible National Party ex pres, stalwart saying

But Letich media spokesperson Michelle Boag, says that his comments can’t be racially targeted because Bridger is “barely coffee coloured” referring to her being a light-skinned Māori. She also claims that Bridger has come forward because she wants to be famous.

what a disgusting piece of work boag is - and notice this - this is how racism and colonisation work - they 'other', they use the results of colonisation against you as in skin colour, they use best intentions against you, they use anything and everything against you - why? Because ANY realisation from indigenous peoples of their rights is considered dangerous, is a threat, and ultimately is a source of shame to them because underneath their racism is the knowledge that their ancestors took, that they take and that as they take others lose, sometimes even their cultural identity.

Newsflash racists - we aren't taking that shit no more - we will call you out every, everywhere and on all media.