Thursday, January 04, 2007

Sgt Pepper Blues


So...who am I today?

Am I Paul McCartney singing..
I've got to admit it's getting better, its getting better all the time.

Or am I John Lennon quipping - It couldnt get much worse..

Time will tell...

I've been thinking about this email that arrived in my inbox today;

After Wellington not wanting to offend other cultures by putting up Xmas lights.
After hearing that we are going to let a Muslim woman have her picture on her drivers license with her face covered.

This prompted this editorial written by a New Zealand Citizen.

Quote:

IMMIGRANTS , NOT NEW ZEALANDERS, MUST ADAPT. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT!

I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individuals or their culture. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to New Zealand.

However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country and apparently some born here, need to understand.

This idea of New Zealand being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As New Zealanders, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle.

Our culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom, even died for it.

We Speak ENGLISH or MAORI , not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian or any other language. Therefore if you wish to become part of New Zealand society, -- Learn the language!

"In God we trust" is our national Motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented.
It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then it is recommended that you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.

If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A FAIR GO", then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet.

We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from, This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, AND OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and or griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our National Motto, or Our Way Of Life, then you are Highly encourage to take advantage of one other great New Zealand freedom "THE RIGHT TO LEAVE"


LEAVE if you aren't happy here then ##@* off! We didn't force you to come here.
YOU asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted. It's pretty easy really, when you think about it



I figure if we all keep passing this to our friends (and enemies) it will also, sooner or later, get back to the complainers. Lets all try.

5 comments:

Di Mackey said...

Hmmm seems like it might be what the Maori people would have said to to the 'colonisers', then again the 'colonisers' simply changed the language = non issue.

Kisses from the non-integrating kiwi living in Belgium ... did you ever try to learn Dutch dipthongs.

Mark J said...

I'm having a long think about this last post before commenting.
And yes- I am aware that as an immigrant yourself - you have a unique perspective. I'd be interested in your comments to my next post.

Di Mackey said...

Hmmm, did I see a demonic smile on that face of yours?

I love the way the 'colonist' has become a very 'illegal immigrant' now. And the way that it's not p.c. to impose ones culture on another. The author of your letter only talked about 200 years of NZ settlement ... surely they were taking the piss? The Maori were here for 100s of years before ...

I'm almost sure the Belgians didn't respect a visa process and language requirements of the Congolese and hmmm shall I go on?

Mark J said...

No demonic smile - really. Colonial intervention aside, the issues caused by sub-cultures with a community can be a concern. Given that (rightly or wrongly) we must obey the colonial enforced laws of the land, as a society we have to concider the human rights of individuals as a basis of the whole community, not one part. Far be it from me to comment on the burka, and the wests view of its restrictive stereotype - oh damn - i just did!
Personally I believe in one law for all, otherwise we would have the situation where, although all people are equal, some are more equal than others.

Anonymous said...

I think spock summed it up best with "the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many"