Peter writes:
>Ellen Dannin and others who haven't seen it
>should take a look at the transcript of
>the CBC program "Ideas" on New Zealand which
>is available in the pen-l archives. It's very
all the statistical details of how the right has
wrecked NZ are probably understated. there is a sharp
division b/tw the haves and have nots. business types
in wellington lunch at expensive harbour side cafes
in splendour getting served by some person from up
the Hutt Valley/Tawa who catches the train in at high
cost (10 kms) and then has to work in insecure conditions
for very low pay, barely enough to pay the rent on the
council house which is now rented at "market rates" - the
viability here depends on having more than one family crowded
in the one council tenement. it is very tragic what an
ideology can do.
but there is a huge upside developing. revolution. the maori
people who are most affected by the reforms and who the system
has virtually assigned to chronic poverty without any hope at
all, have developed a consciousness which traces back to their
days as warriors. they are so disadvantaged that the conventional
disciplines of staying legal b/c prison awaits or staying under
the thumbs of the capitalists b/c the mortgage has to be paid
are now absent. they have no mortgages and they are disproportionately
represented in prisons (mostly for property crimes due to poverty).
all around NZ now active maori groups have formed and they are now
moving to reclaim their land back. occupying key areas on certain
cities and the cops so far are scared. their protests forced the
officials of the annual Waitangi Day celebration (the day they
celebrate the treaty b/tw the maori and the pakeha (white invaders) to
cancel the day (it is a big day in NZ BTW) after the maoris had
spat in the face (literally) of the prime minister. it was beautiful
to see. the fucking PM looking disdainful and then scared and intimidated.
so they are predicting this will grow into something quite threatening.
the educated maoris (laywers etc) are leading the way. and some groups
are now saying that terrorism is to begin.
NZ will never be the same. but perhaps the destruction of its welfare
state will lead to a revolt for dignity.
kind regards
bill
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