Michael Laws and Whanganui

I have been pondering Michael Laws and his rather confrontational approach to this issue. It is 1960's white NZ raising it's head again really. Bolshie, ignorant, offensive. I find it amazing that we as New Zealanders would deliberately misspell a name because it suits us, even though we know it offends the people whose name it is. It is like me deliberately calling Michael Laws Michael Screwloose. It suits me! I voted amongst myself and unanimously decided that was how his name should be spelt. I don't care it isn't, or that he might be offended. That should be immaterial, or is it? I am intrigued that the people of Wanganui like being in a place which is a nonsense name, rather than a name that means something.

But the real sad thing is his written attack on the school children and their teachers. One day he might work out that to be Maori in this country is to be politicized simply because Maori are still trying to get justice over their land, .and are still being trivialized by the very acts Michael Laws sees as insignificant. When their language and concerns are taken seriously then maybe they can chill out like us Pakeha!