pn835. Sidney Poitier, another Black Trailblazer Dies

Sidney Poitier (1927-2022)

"Poitier's rise mirrored profound changes in the country in the 1950s and 1960s. As racial attitudes evolved during the civil rights era and segregation laws were challenged and fell, Poitier was the performer to whom a cautious industry turned for stories of progress." The struggle by American Blacks is by no means over but it has been advanced over the past 100 years by many trailblazers, most notable of whom are

pn827. If we do not recognize Fiji Indians as Fijian and Pacific Islanders, how can NZ Pākehā claim to be New Zealanders? -- ACW

 Ireen Rahiman-Manuel commented in Linkedin on my last posting (pn826), about NZ-born children of overstayers not being recognized as New Zealanders.

  Ireen, Fiji-born and NZ resident, has a master's degree in International Development Studies from Massey University and is the founder and Director of Impactdev360.  She wrote:

 

They don't even recognize Fiji Indians as Pacific Islanders in New Zealand too. So there we go. They get Fiji Indians on Pacific Quota visas and deny them any support accorded to Pacific people.
When it suits the Pacific Ministry and the government they count Fiji Indians under the Pacific number. An example of this is for the recent Covid-19 vaccine count. This government signals a lot of virtue and unfulfilled promises.

pn729. David Galler, a New Zealand Jew, tells of his family visit to the West Bank

 "My mother, a survivor of Auschwitz and the Death March, always thought Israel’s position on Palestine was a greater threat to the peace and security of Israelis than the Palestinians ever could be. I agree.

 "As a Jewish New Zealander I am ashamed by Israel's long history of inflaming tensions in the Mideast.

"Because there are extremists on both sides is the very reason that we in the diaspora should stand tall and actively seek peace."

As we welcome the ceasefire and contemplate President Biden's plea for a two country settlement, Israeli integrity and equal citizenship rights for Palestinians living in Israel, read what David Galler has to say.

Dr David Galler is the son of Polish Jewish refugees. He is the author of Things That Matter: Stories of Life and Death, a memoir of his work as a Middlemore Hospital intensive care specialist, which was named the best book of 2016 by the Spinoff. David was born in Wellington in 1967.

I publish this knowing that two of my special Jewish friends will not agree with David. I urge them to read his posting.

-- ACW

Alex Braae in The Bulletin on Maori Wards (pn679)

 

Māori wards gather momentum  After the decision from Nanaia Mahuta, councils and iwi around the country have moved quickly The Spinoff Feb 2 Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin for Wednesday 3 February, by Alex Braae for The Spinoff. Presented in partnership with Z Energy. In today’s edition: Māori wards gather momentum, the managed isolation system is effectively full, and drought on the way again in Hawke’s Bay. Image: Local government minister Nanaia Mahuta (Getty Images) In the day since an announcement from local government minister Nanaia Mahuta, the concept of Māori wards has generated both momentum and opposition. In case you missed it, the minister said

Waiteria Prison: Where there's smoke, there's fire (pn665)

God gave Noah the rainbow sign/ No more water, the fire next time*

It seems to be another case of six of one and half a dozen of the other. 

How much to believe of what Corrections and the Waiteria Prison staff have said on the five-day "riot" that has just ended, and how much of what the 16 "rioters" and prisoner families said.  

pn604. Rectify ethnic imbalances or watch food prices, a Judith Collins alternative

Judith Collins has queried Countdown's plans for diversity, saying it could be illegal.

The supermarket chain has made a commitment to make 20% of its top level management Maori or Pasifika in the next five years, a little short of their share of our population. 

Collins says this is a dangerous path to follow. They should concentrate on food prices and availability.   

But how then should they address ethnic and other imbalances? Concentrating solely on food prices, to the exclusion of staff and customer issues, seems to be an even more dangerous and futile path to follow. With respect, Judith tends to see most situations as  mutually exclusive eithers or ors.  Countdown — and other businesses — can surely do both.   -- ACW