Tze Ming Mok on NZ First
May 31st, 2005 at 3:41 pm by David FarrarI don’t read all the bloggers on Public Address, but will be subscribing to Tze Ming Mok from now on, who has written a very readable piece on NZ First, immigration and the National Front.
No tag for this post.
May 31st, 2005 at 4:09 pm
She’s great – did you read the one about job discrimination against asians? She wrote an article about it, and had to change her name to Julie Middleton to get it published!
Vote:May 31st, 2005 at 4:46 pm
A good post and I can understand her frustration with the all-encompassing “Asian” description. Just as I get frustrated with the all-encompassing “Pakeha”, “white” or “Palagi” descriptions. We all sin against each other.
Vote:May 31st, 2005 at 7:57 pm
I totally agree with her. I have an Asian daughter in law. She is a good wife and mother. She is only interested in becoming a Kiwi. She is not in any Asian group trying to subvert New Zealand.
When I heard Peters ranting on again as usual I wondered if he wanted to start by sending my daughter in law home.
His raving reminds me of similar ravings in Australia during the 1950s. Then large numbers of displaced Europeans were brought in. The Australian reactions were the same. The “refos” were going to ruin Australia. They brought terrible crime. This was claimed because their strange names stood out so clearly in news reports. The fact that official statistics showed crime among them was at the same level as Australians cut no ice with the bigots. They boosted the Australian economy and helped develop the country. Their children are now true Australians with their names over so many businesses to show their success.
If we opened our eyes we would see the same will happen here.
Vote:May 31st, 2005 at 8:58 pm
An excellent post from Tze Ming Mok. It would be good to have a copy sent to each member of the NZ First parliamentary caucus, were it not for the fact that some of them can’t read.
Vote:June 2nd, 2005 at 7:22 pm
Nice to see Tze Ming talking in a segment on Campbell Live tonight. It is appropriate to show the hurt NZ First’s vile populism causes to NZ minorities.
Vote:June 3rd, 2005 at 12:04 am
All of a sudden being white and enjoying white culture makes one a racist?
All I want is to be allowed to live in a country where I fit in. Where I can be allowed to practice white culture, and to know that my children will also be allowed to enjoy the culture that my ancestors created for me. I don’t, nor would I ever, expect any other race to give up the culture, and the traditions that they have practived for thousands of years. Yet I’m supposed to sit by and watch as my peoples culture gets wiped from the face of the Earth?
Importing any people from a foreign country en mass will destroy my culture in the long term. With New Zealands open door policy, and the billions of people there are in China, India, and throughout Asia it won’t be long before the majority demographic in New Zealand is changed for good. Chinese people admittedly will never change their culture, they will maintain their status as ‘New Zealand Chinese’ while continuing to practice the culturalisms that they are used to. When these people are the majority of New Zealand all of their culture will be forced on others, Chinese language will become mandatory, chinese festivals will be celebrated and the more Chinese people that come the less emphasis will be placed on my races culture. All of my children (or more likely my childrens children) will be taught almost solely Chinese culture, tradition, and history in Schools.
In the long term, mass immigration will result in white cultural genocide within New Zealand.
Then what will happen to my race, my culture? Where do my people go? What place do we have to call our own? Nowhere, this same mass immigration is happening worldwide. Chinese will always have China, Japanese will always have Japan, British will always have…? Nowhere.
I want the right to live and practice my own culture. Thats why I agree with Winston Peters. Does that make me a racist?
Vote:June 3rd, 2005 at 12:10 am
All of a sudden being white and enjoying white culture makes one a racist?
All I want is to be allowed to live in a country where I fit in. Where I can be allowed to practice British culture, and to know that my children will also be allowed to enjoy the culture that my ancestors created for me. I don’t, nor would I ever, expect any other race to give up the culture, and the traditions that they have practived for thousands of years. Yet I’m supposed to sit by and watch as my peoples culture gets wiped from the face of the Earth?
Importing any people from a foreign country en mass will destroy my culture in the long term. With New Zealands open door policy, and the billions of people there are in China, India, and throughout Asia it won’t be long before the majority demographic in New Zealand is changed for good. Chinese people admittedly will never change their culture, they will maintain their status as ‘New Zealand Chinese’ while continuing to practice the culturalisms that they are used to. When these people are the majority of New Zealand all of their culture will be forced on others, Chinese language will become mandatory, chinese festivals will be celebrated and the more Chinese people that come the less emphasis will be placed on my races culture. All of my children (or more likely my childrens children) will be taught almost solely Chinese culture, tradition, and history in Schools.
In the long term, mass immigration will result in white cultural genocide within New Zealand.
Then what will happen to my race, my culture? Where do my people go? What place do we have to call our own? Nowhere, this same mass immigration is happening worldwide. Chinese will always have China, Japanese will always have Japan, British will always have…? Nowhere.
I want the right to live and practice my own culture. Thats why I agree with Winston Peters. Does that make me a racist?
Vote:June 3rd, 2005 at 8:51 am
Whether your views make you a racist or not,is nobody,s business but your own.I share your attitude entirely,and do not plaintively request confirmation that I am a decent,ie,non racist person.If some people think I’m racist,well,I just don’t care.Forced multiculturism,to the extent that is occurring in NZ today,does not auger well for race relations…look around the world…show me a country where this Utopian ideal is a reality.
Vote:June 3rd, 2005 at 8:59 am
Whether your views make you a racist or not,is nobody,s business but your own.I share your attitude entirely,and do not plaintively request confirmation that I am a decent,ie,non racist person.If some people think I’m racist,well,I just don’t care.Forced multiculturism,to the extent that is occurring in NZ today,does not auger well for race relations…look around the world…show me a country where this Utopian ideal is a reality.
Vote:June 3rd, 2005 at 12:38 pm
So Alan…
“I want the right to live and practice my own culture. Thats why I agree with Winston Peters. Does that make me a racist?”
No, that doesn’t. But that’s not what you’re saying in the rest of the post.
I’m only guessing here… but I bet you don’t apply the same thinking to say, maori issues here. Has the mass immigration of me & you & our families & ancestors destroyed Maori culture?
Some might argue so, but I bet you don’t.
and as for “All of a sudden being white and enjoying white culture makes one a racist?”
Pay attention! That’s not what opponents of Winston are saying. Neither is “being white & enjoying white culture” what Winston is promoting.
Our culture may change, but it’s going to with or without immigrants. I for one (an immigrant actually, but one probably endorsed by the likes of you – white & English speaking) welcome those changes brought about by immigrants.
Vote:June 3rd, 2005 at 4:27 pm
llew you are making incorrect assumptions about me.
I do think Maori culture has been greatly affected by the colonisation of the British. I would say that a lot of the cultural expressions of Maori were almost lost, some likely were lost. Most Maori don’t speak the Maori language any more since for years it was not taught in schools.
Fortunately now we are recognising what a treasure the Maori culture is to our country. We have a lot of sponsorship for Maori cultural events and we have Te Reo Maori being taught in most schools now.
Although it’s convenient for you to pull out the Maori culture card in relation to this, it’s not nearly the same.
At the time New Zealand was a third world, undevelopped country. Britain still recognised Maori as Sovereign and had no intention of taking that from them. The Maori chiefs asked the British to come and establish rule over New Zealand, thats when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, Sovereignty was handed over to the British crown, and Maori were given equal rights as British citizens.
We then worked together to build this country into what it is today.
I don’t hate any other culture, I don;t hate anybody. I’m just afraid, that in 50 years, or even 100 years at it’s current rate of immigration New Zealand will become a majority chinese. These people don’t seem to care for our culture at all. I can already see the future of New Zealand when I walk through certain parts of Auckland. I see Chinese people going into Chinese stores (some with no English on them at all), speaking only Chinese. In order for me to live in this neighbourhood I would have to learn to speak chinese. If I want to get along with these people I would have to learn about their culture. When this country becomes a majority Chinese then everyone will have to do these things, at the cost of their own culture. If these foreigners came to New Zealand and lived our culture, instead of their own then I would have no problem with it. Just as I’m sure if I went to China I would have to learn Chinese culture to fit in. But not here, in my own country.
Vote:I’m not going to sit back and watch as my peoples culture gets wiped from the face of the Earth. Thats why I’m supporting Winston peters.
June 3rd, 2005 at 5:45 pm
The sad irony is that Tze Ming Mok and her mates are organising the great banana shindig next month – banana being the Chinese equivalent of the Maori mallowpuff, ie “white” on the inside. So this statement:
“Chinese people admittedly will never change their culture, they will maintain their status as ‘New Zealand Chinese’ while continuing to practice the culturalisms that they are used to”
… is just flat-out wrong. (Although so what? They aren’t hurting you by not being like you. Your own children, raised by you, will not be like you. That’s how cultures change and evolve, and that change is unpredictable and unstoppable. But anyway).
So while you’re moaning about the decline of your culture, it’s spreading to the young and NZ-born. Just as it always has, and just as it always will. The only thing that’s going to keep immigrants’ children in the ghetto is discrimination by people who are too quick judge on appearances.
Vote:June 4th, 2005 at 9:49 am
Stephen, stating that ‘Chinese people will not change their culture’ is not wrong, it’s simply not all-inclusive. There are obvious exceptions. I’m not against them practicing whatever culture they like as long as this culture remains a minority in New Zealand.
I realise white culture is spreading to our children quite happily today, but that practice is on a steady decline. This has not always been the case, 50 years ago, people who lived in New Zealand would have to travel to foreign countries to learn about foreign cultures.
If the situation remains as it is today. British culture will be gone from the face of the Earth within 200 years. Is that what you want?
‘The only thing that’s going to keep immigrants’ children in the ghetto is discrimination by people who are too quick judge on appearances.’
Vote:Fortunately we don’t have any people like that in New Zealand.
June 4th, 2005 at 1:40 pm
Alan, you’re understandably upset at the so-called destruction of your people’s culture. Are you now saying that New Zealand all of a sudden has a ‘British’ culture? I’m sure most kiwis would be offended at being compared to the poms. New Zealand has and always will be a mish-mash of many different cultures – it has a unique identity of its own.
By whose standards was New Zealand a ‘third world country’ when it was colonised? The English? Hmmm, kinda interesting when you consider that they then proceeded to take over New Zealand under pretence of a ‘civilising’ mission. I’m sure there were no ulterior motives behind that labelling. Nope, none at all.
Most Asian people in New Zealand do speak English – they’re bilingual, some even trilingual. Many of the new immigrants are shy about speaking English because of people like you, who most likely sigh impatiently when someone does not produce the requisite kiwi accent when they open their mouths.
I’m not even going to argue over the merits of Winston Peters and New Zealand First. For one thing, Winston is….nah, it’s just too easy.
What about the white expats overseas who are living in Asian countries? They practise their culture freely in these countries, and have even wrought changes in the landscape.
I have an issue, Alan, not with you stating your opinions here, which you have every right to – but to the fact that you won’t allow yourself to be called a racist.
You are.
You’re judging people based on race and making sweeping general statements about entire cultures. You want an immigration policy based on race. Those are all by definition, racist ideals.
Either accept you’re one and live happily with the label or change. Just don’t try to argue that you’re just a good ol’ Kiwi bloke wanting to protect Pakeha culture. Really, that’s a bunch of nonsense. Most Pakehas wouldn’t want to be associated with your theories.
Vote:June 4th, 2005 at 1:43 pm
Alan, you’re understandably upset at the so-called destruction of your people’s culture. Are you now saying that New Zealand all of a sudden has a ‘British’ culture? I’m sure most kiwis would be offended at being compared to the poms. New Zealand has and always will be a mish-mash of many different cultures – it has a unique identity of its own.
By whose standards was New Zealand a ‘third world country’ when it was colonised? The English? Hmmm, kinda interesting when you consider that they then proceeded to take over New Zealand under pretence of a ‘civilising’ mission. I’m sure there were no ulterior motives behind that labelling. Nope, none at all.
Most Asian people in New Zealand do speak English – they’re bilingual, some even trilingual. Many of the new immigrants are shy about speaking English because of people like you, who most likely sigh impatiently when someone does not produce the requisite kiwi accent when they open their mouths.
I’m not even going to argue over the merits of Winston Peters and New Zealand First. For one thing, Winston is….nah, it’s just too easy.
What about the white expats overseas who are living in Asian countries? They practise their culture freely in these countries, and have even wrought changes in the landscape.
I have an issue, Alan, not with you stating your opinions here, which you have every right to – but to the fact that you won’t allow yourself to be called a racist.
You are.
You’re judging people based on race and making sweeping general statements about entire cultures. You want an immigration policy based on race. Those are all by definition, racist ideals.
Either accept you’re one and live happily with the label or change. Just don’t try to argue that you’re just a good ol’ Kiwi bloke wanting to protect Pakeha culture. Really, that’s a bunch of nonsense. Most Pakehas wouldn’t want to be associated with your theories.
Vote:June 4th, 2005 at 2:08 pm
Alan, you’re understandably upset at the so-called destruction of your people’s culture. Are you now saying that New Zealand all of a sudden has a ‘British’ culture? I’m sure most kiwis would be offended at being compared to the poms. New Zealand has and always will be a mish-mash of many different cultures – it has a unique identity of its own.
By whose standards was New Zealand a ‘third world country’ when it was colonised? The English? Hmmm, kinda interesting when you consider that they then proceeded to take over New Zealand under pretence of a ‘civilising’ mission. I’m sure there were no ulterior motives behind that labelling. Nope, none at all.
Most Asian people in New Zealand do speak English – they’re bilingual, some even trilingual. Many of the new immigrants are shy about speaking English because of people like you, who most likely sigh impatiently when someone does not produce the requisite kiwi accent when they open their mouths.
I’m not even going to argue over the merits of Winston Peters and New Zealand First. For one thing, Winston is….nah, it’s just too easy.
What about the white expats overseas who are living in Asian countries? They practise their culture freely in these countries, and have even wrought changes in the landscape.
I have an issue, Alan, not with you stating your opinions here, which you have every right to – but to the fact that you won’t allow yourself to be called a racist.
You are.
You’re judging people based on race and making sweeping general statements about entire cultures. You want an immigration policy based on race. Those are all by definition, racist ideals.
Either accept you’re one and live happily with the label or change. Just don’t try to argue that you’re just a good ol’ Kiwi bloke wanting to protect Pakeha culture. Really, that’s a bunch of nonsense. Most Pakehas wouldn’t want to be associated with your theories.
Vote:June 4th, 2005 at 4:49 pm
‘You’re judging people based on race and making sweeping general statements about entire cultures’.
Seriously, are you do realise there are different cultures/races in the world right? Thats one of the things that makes it great, I like touring the world and seeing the many cultures and the things their civilisation has achieved. You’d better avoid watching the discovery channel, theres a lot of racism on there. Things like “this particular style of pottery was quite common throughout the Ming dynasty of ancient China”. Uh oh he just made a general statement about one particular culture/race, he must be a racist.
According to your definition, in order for you to not be a racist, you would have to see everybody as, not only equal (since I see everyone as equal yet I’m called a racist), but also EXACTLY the same.
I stated that chinese culture is different, I also stated that a lot of them, in this country do not adopt our culture and instead continue to practice their own, including their own language. These are facts.
I’ve stated nothing but facts. If stating facts makes one a racist then being a non racist is being a liar.
New Zealand is a British colony. In 1840 Sovereignty of New Zealand was signed over to the British crown. Since then it has been primarily settled by British settlers (until recently). You may like to insult them and call them ‘poms’ (as racists do) but they are our cultural heritage. One that will be lost from the world forever within centuries.
Vote:June 5th, 2005 at 8:58 am
trish, I find your post to be somewhat hypocritical.
YOU are the one making judgements based on race:
‘Most Pakehas wouldn’t want to be associated with your theories.’
YOU are the one making sweeping general statements about a particular race/culture:
‘Most Asian people in New Zealand do speak English – they’re bilingual, some even trilingual.’
‘The English? Hmmm, kinda interesting when you consider that they then proceeded to take over New Zealand under pretence of a ‘civilising’ mission.’
Also I have never supported an immigration policy based on race. I simply want all immigration to cease or reduce to a bare minimum.
So I guess if you plan on calling me a racist based on these definitions you will have to call yourself one as well.
Vote:June 5th, 2005 at 9:59 am
Is it too much to ask to be able to have a yarn over the back fence with a neighbour who speaks English?Or to expect a shopkeeper to be able to answer questions about their goods?I could go on,but you get the drift.There is seething discontent about racial issues in NZ but most folk are too frightened of being thought racist to speak openly.
Vote:My elderly mother lives in a neighbourhood that was mainly white when moved there 10 years ago;now nearly all are Indian.She feels isolated and sad that she does not communicate with them.You simply cannot expect them to “get real” and accept the inevitable.Western countries world wide are doing a u turn in their attitudes towards their lax immigration policies .They have seen the massive problems resulting from “multiculturism” and are saying STOP.
Why don’t we learn and is it already too late?
June 7th, 2005 at 3:07 pm
OK Alan,
I did say I was guessing about your attitudes to Maori culture & Brit colonisation. SO I was wrong?
While that allusion might have been convenient for me (it stuck out like a sore thumb), I also think it still holds.
I don’t understand what people are frightened of – I LOVE that shops specialising in Chinese, Indian, by golly, there’s even an Italian one in Petone, are opening up.
And I don’t think you have to worry that we’ll all have to speak Chinese (at least, until Shortland Street & Come Dancing With The Stars start broadcasting in Chinese, then maybe get your phrase books out), it’ll all settle down in a generation or two. Those Asian kids will all be speaking like Lyn of Tawa & irritating the hell out of their parents because of it, before you know it.
And we need the immigration these days to keep the population numbers up.
And I suppose I am racist in saying that I think I’d prefer a multi-ethnic immigrant population to a 100% English one. At least the food is a whole lot better.
Besides… as Tze Ming Mok points out, Winston doesn’t actually believe what he’s saying, he’d vastly prefer Queen Street (or Courtenay Place) to be more like Hong Kong – the women, the bars, the cigarettes. She’s right on the button.
Vote:June 10th, 2005 at 1:20 pm
I get a bit confused by people (Alan, Stephen even llew) talking abouu “white” culture. Are you talking about French culture. Or Italian culture? Or Welsh? Or USA? What ‘culture’ are you indicating?
And if it’s “Kiwi” (or New Zealander) then what section of NZ – country, city, North, South, young, old?
Sorry, just trying to find my place in this “white culture” you speak of.
Or is it merely, ‘like me’?
Vote:June 10th, 2005 at 1:29 pm
I get a bit confused by people (Alan, Stephen even llew) talking abouu “white” culture. Are you talking about French culture. Or Italian culture? Or Welsh? Or USA? What ‘culture’ are you indicating?
And if it’s “Kiwi” (or New Zealander) then what section of NZ – country, city, North, South, young, old?
Sorry, just trying to find my place in this “white culture” you speak of.
Or is it merely, ‘like me’?
Vote:June 13th, 2005 at 10:00 pm
I think alot of the problems associated with immigration and the increase of different cultures within NZ is just a lack of understanding between people.
These Chinese/Italian/Indian whatever shops open up simply because those people of those cultures feel more comfortable buying within those outlets. If you are a NZ’er, living in a foreign country, you cannot tell me that you would not prefer to buy groceries at a NZ style shop?
Alot of older Asians, can speak English and reasonably well. But as Interested mentioned, they are shy and because it has not been practiced, they often mispronounce. Society looks down on them and they don’t improve. I mean how can you try to improve, whenever you talk you get funny looks?
I understand where Alan is coming from and the logic behind it, but I also believe that he – like many people – are just quickly jumping to conclusions.
For example. Although adult Asians may not be able to speak English well, and rely on Asian based grocery outlets to provide goods and services, what about their children? As a student I am seeing many children growing up, learning English and NZ culture, yet forgetting their own language and culture. In future will running a store that provides solely for the needs of say Chinese, really be sustainable?
I think it would also be interesting to look at statistics. Recalling from memory here, but the Herald on Sunday in their three part series on immigration identified British as the major contributor to immigration?
Now how does this all fit into the Asianisation of NZ when we are actually descending into a mini-Britain as it is?
“Also I have never supported an immigration policy based on race. I simply want all immigration to cease or reduce to a bare minimum”
How many NZ’ers actually understand the basis for immigration? That we actually have a labour shortage and therefore need to bring in more workers? How many NZ’ers actually understand what immigration means to the economy?
Vote: