Entry 1411, on 2012-07-12 at 10:19:24 (Rating 5, Politics)
Many people in New Zealand are getting really sick of the continual claims from Maori on just about everything that most ordinary New Zealanders think rightly belong to everyone equally (or to nobody in particular). The latest is the claim to fresh water. Apparently some Maori groups think they own the fresh water used by the hydro-electric power plants the government is trying to sell.
Many people would say that these Maori groups are a bunch of worthless parasites who are out to get whatever they can while contributing little to the country as a whole. Many others would say the special privileges Maori are given in this country are a form of racism. And others would say that the historic events which have been unfair to Maori are greatly exaggerated and probably of no real relevance today anyway.
But even if you do believe these statements - and I think there is a lot of truth in them even if I don't quite take them as being completely true - you do have to gain a certain amount of satisfaction in how claims by Maori are delaying, and potentially even sabotaging permanently, the government's asset sales program.
There's an old saying that an enemy of my enemy is my friend. So even though I disagree with most Maori claims and I think this one is totally ridiculous I still support it because in this case the silly, unfair, greedy claim by Maori might cancel out the even more abhorrent action of the government trying to sell of our assets to the rich.
And the cracks are really beginning to show now in this right-wing government. Even John Key has made hasty comments on the issue of Maori ownership of water which are likely to make things worse. He must know that many people just want to delay the sales until the next election because he'll be gone then and won't be back for a while. And I doubt whether he'll be so keen on stealing our assets again next time!
Comment 1 by Jim on 2012-07-18 at 19:11:37:
Well isn't OJB an enigma today! There's the typical lefty objection to the partial asset sales but then he presents a great rant against Maori greed. I'm impressed!
Comment 2 by OJB on 2012-07-18 at 21:54:27:
Well as I have said on many occasions, I don't like labels. If "lefties" don't like asset sales but do like "Maori greed" then I'm not a lefty. I agree with some left, some right, some socialist, some conservative, some libertarian ideals. I'm a rationalist and that doesn't fit any political label.
Comment 3 by Rob on 2012-07-22 at 18:51:10:
I'm going to have to use the "rationalist" label the next time I'm forced into political rantings with my family. I like it!
Comment 4 by OJB on 2012-07-23 at 08:20:20:
Yes, I think if every one attempted to be rational and not be influenced by the standard rhetoric of their political leanings the world would be a better place. For example, I lean toward the left/green end of the spectrum but there are many "standard" policies from that area which I disagree with because ether just aren't rational (the Greens anti-GM and anti-nuclear power policies, for example).
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