Sitting below all of this issue is a pervasive racism that mires our society. It's a deep cancerous growth we pretend doesn't exist. It also applies to those living in poverty or with mental health issues or any one outside our growth orientated greed focused norm. I see it constantly reflected in policy, Acts Treaty bill and the insane drug policies that target young Maori. I hear it in casual comments made about Maori having special privileges. As if having most of your land stolen is a special privilege. Imagine how crazy it is when our leaders say they want a more equal society therefore we need to change the Treaty because we are all one. Our politicians will never see this because they live in an alternative world a bubble way outside the lived reality of so many people. So your comments are as always prophetic AJ and you are right love is the only way naive as that may sound. Naivety is a good thing because it means you still have hope. At 71 I am struggling a little with the hope bit.
Well said. I was just thinking the other day that without an easily accessible end to end wellness to crisis support mental health system, we expect too much of the Police. But managing transition to something else, does mean something else needs to be in place. That will mean social infrastructure investment and systemic planning of it>>what's in the NZ Infrastructure Pipeline for social infrastructure? Applaud your vision and practical getting on with doing it approach-- but its also an indicator of government failure that people in the community feel they need too organise for the obvious deficit. It startled me that so many of the politicians couldn't hold the 2 thoughts at the same time that Police are trying to do a good job and that some New Zealanders feel worse in their presence also being true. I agree with your analysis, that most politicians didn't seem to see the possibility of another perspective, and that is truly disappointing of leaders who are clearly only working for a limited group. NZ did vote for what we got, which is why you articulating an alternative vision for caring within community and public systems is so important to remind us of....we can choose to do differently.
and the inability of the police to respond adequately to mental health crises, there's also the record of the police acting at the behest of the monied elite and especially the conservative Old Boys Club in Auckland. On this front, I have witnessed first hand and up close this: a young Pakeha woman walking away from a peaceful protest; being chased at a run by three police officers and a police car; the three officers tackling her to the ground on a tarmac footpath some 300m from the protest; manhandling of the woman, despite myself and the elderly couple who appeared at their front door calling for the police to stop; taking the woman to the police station then releasing her as a result of their ( the police's) incorrect identification. Yes I dif call and speak go the police commander of this operation, to receive an agressively defensive reply based on her false impressions. Yes there is video footage of this incident which aired on Maori TV. Yes Tamatha Paul is right: the police don't make everyone feel safe. Alex Stone
Sitting below all of this issue is a pervasive racism that mires our society. It's a deep cancerous growth we pretend doesn't exist. It also applies to those living in poverty or with mental health issues or any one outside our growth orientated greed focused norm. I see it constantly reflected in policy, Acts Treaty bill and the insane drug policies that target young Maori. I hear it in casual comments made about Maori having special privileges. As if having most of your land stolen is a special privilege. Imagine how crazy it is when our leaders say they want a more equal society therefore we need to change the Treaty because we are all one. Our politicians will never see this because they live in an alternative world a bubble way outside the lived reality of so many people. So your comments are as always prophetic AJ and you are right love is the only way naive as that may sound. Naivety is a good thing because it means you still have hope. At 71 I am struggling a little with the hope bit.
Well said. I was just thinking the other day that without an easily accessible end to end wellness to crisis support mental health system, we expect too much of the Police. But managing transition to something else, does mean something else needs to be in place. That will mean social infrastructure investment and systemic planning of it>>what's in the NZ Infrastructure Pipeline for social infrastructure? Applaud your vision and practical getting on with doing it approach-- but its also an indicator of government failure that people in the community feel they need too organise for the obvious deficit. It startled me that so many of the politicians couldn't hold the 2 thoughts at the same time that Police are trying to do a good job and that some New Zealanders feel worse in their presence also being true. I agree with your analysis, that most politicians didn't seem to see the possibility of another perspective, and that is truly disappointing of leaders who are clearly only working for a limited group. NZ did vote for what we got, which is why you articulating an alternative vision for caring within community and public systems is so important to remind us of....we can choose to do differently.
Beyond the issues of instutionalsed racism
and the inability of the police to respond adequately to mental health crises, there's also the record of the police acting at the behest of the monied elite and especially the conservative Old Boys Club in Auckland. On this front, I have witnessed first hand and up close this: a young Pakeha woman walking away from a peaceful protest; being chased at a run by three police officers and a police car; the three officers tackling her to the ground on a tarmac footpath some 300m from the protest; manhandling of the woman, despite myself and the elderly couple who appeared at their front door calling for the police to stop; taking the woman to the police station then releasing her as a result of their ( the police's) incorrect identification. Yes I dif call and speak go the police commander of this operation, to receive an agressively defensive reply based on her false impressions. Yes there is video footage of this incident which aired on Maori TV. Yes Tamatha Paul is right: the police don't make everyone feel safe. Alex Stone