Devoy Challenged to Ask Victims if Cartoon is Racist
Posted on May 30, 2013 by admin in Hone Harawira, Press Releases“The Race Relations Commissioner’s claim that today’s nasty, racist Marlborough Express cartoon was offensive but not racist is laughable” says MANA Co-Vice President John Minto.
“MANA is challenging her to test her opinion out on the victims of the racist cartoon – Maori and Pacific Island school children in low-income communities”.
“Most kids will be able to help her with a few more adjectives to go with racist to describe the cartoon”.
“The cartoon is a vicious attack on New Zealand’s most vulnerable children and should be universally condemned”.
“Devoy can take action. We understand the law regarding “inciting racial hatred” but this relates to the bar set for a legal prosecution – not the bar for intervention by her office”.
“She is showing a basic misunderstanding of the law and her role”
“Because the target is vulnerable children living in poverty it can comfortably be argued that such a cartoon does incite racial hatred but Devoy, unable to see outside her own ethnocentric bubble, can’t see it”.
“Talking to Maori and Pacifika kids about the cartoon should clear her mind”.
“It’s fine for her to say people are able to express their opinion in a democracy even if it is offensive to others but when the victims are those unable to fight back it’s a different story”.
NOTE: At her 1pm media conference Devoy said her office had not received any complaints regarding the cartoon. However MANA sent a complaint to her office and received an acknowledgement at 11.45am this morning. That letter was circulated earlier.
ENDS
For further comment please contact Malcolm Mulholland on 027 765 6380
Joe says:
Post Author May 31, 2013 at 2:25 amIf she won’t Act then its time to look at who advertises with Marlborough express and avoid buying their products and services. Lets make it an economic issue for fair fax.
Denny says:
Post Author June 21, 2013 at 5:44 pmHere’s someone I thought that could be a great commissioner, Mai Chen. She’s got the knowledge & experience & intelligence. She also said about Devoy not understanding her role and also that she does have the legal authority to make a determination on this very issue under the Human Rights ActSection 61 & 63 Racism & Ethinicity Ta Moko can be linked to whakapapa/Geneology.