Comments on: Waitangi 2009. Do we need a national identity anyway? http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2009/02/waitangi-2009-do-we-need-a-national-identity-anyway/ Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:06:29 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Best of the Politics Blogs: Worried Will Young | New Statesman http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2009/02/waitangi-2009-do-we-need-a-national-identity-anyway/#comment-1806 Best of the Politics Blogs: Worried Will Young | New Statesman Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:02:44 +0000 http://www.kiwipolitico.com/?p=863#comment-1806 <strong>Best of the Politics Blogs: Worried Will Young...</strong> To New Zealand, where Jafapete on the left of centre Kiwipolitico has been reflecting on Waitangi, the national holiday marking the conclusion of the treaty which made the Maori people British subjects....

Best of the Politics Blogs: Worried Will Young…

To New Zealand, where Jafapete on the left of centre Kiwipolitico has been reflecting on Waitangi, the national holiday marking the conclusion of the treaty which made the Maori people British subjects….

]]> By: Lewis Holden http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2009/02/waitangi-2009-do-we-need-a-national-identity-anyway/#comment-1600 Lewis Holden Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:14:50 +0000 http://www.kiwipolitico.com/?p=863#comment-1600 I'm talking about the Queen. By law the Sovereign must be the first born male (the Queen was lucky not to have any older brothers) and not Catholic or married to one.

I’m talking about the Queen. By law the Sovereign must be the first born male (the Queen was lucky not to have any older brothers) and not Catholic or married to one.

]]> By: turtal http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2009/02/waitangi-2009-do-we-need-a-national-identity-anyway/#comment-1599 turtal Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:06:07 +0000 http://www.kiwipolitico.com/?p=863#comment-1599 "We have a head of state that discriminates against women, Catholics, and indeed all New Zealanders." Sorry I don't understand what you're getting at ?

“We have a head of state that discriminates against women, Catholics, and indeed all New Zealanders.”

Sorry I don’t understand what you’re getting at ?

]]> By: Lewis Holden http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2009/02/waitangi-2009-do-we-need-a-national-identity-anyway/#comment-1573 Lewis Holden Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:32:36 +0000 http://www.kiwipolitico.com/?p=863#comment-1573 The thing I don't understand about the discussion on "national identity" is that we're seeking to "forge" one. We don't need to - we already have a national identity, which as you point out specifically includes a "fair go for all". It's also about having a can-do attitude, pulling together when we need to, saying 'live and let live' to our differences. The real issue (of course I'm going to say this) is that the symbolism of our state doesn't meet this national identity. We have a head of state that discriminates against women, Catholics, and indeed all New Zealanders. We are a predominantly multi-cultural society, yet we have a state that reflects our mono-cultural colonial past.

The thing I don’t understand about the discussion on “national identity” is that we’re seeking to “forge” one. We don’t need to – we already have a national identity, which as you point out specifically includes a “fair go for all”. It’s also about having a can-do attitude, pulling together when we need to, saying ‘live and let live’ to our differences.

The real issue (of course I’m going to say this) is that the symbolism of our state doesn’t meet this national identity. We have a head of state that discriminates against women, Catholics, and indeed all New Zealanders. We are a predominantly multi-cultural society, yet we have a state that reflects our mono-cultural colonial past.

]]>