You have to respect Don Brash. Clearly he is a flawed, sinful man--like the rest of us. But the principles he stands for in public life result in vitriol being poured out upon his head. He is a bete noire of the left and an embarrassment to the right. This suggests he has got some fundamentals right.
We recall when he was Governor of the Reserve Bank that he spoke repeatedly in public on behalf of the Bank saying that officially induced inflation was theft. Suddenly the oft-heard meme "a little bit of inflation is a good thing" was exposed in all its moral turpitude. Undeniably Brash was right--inflation is theft, and a particularly cruel theft upon those who lend money and those on fixed incomes. Stakes of public rectitude were being put into the ground. We admire him for that.
The other day Brash returned to Orewa to deliver another "state of the nation" speech. This time he reiterated some unpalatable economic truths which the current government lacks the courage to face. The current lamentable situation will continue, we believe, until it is too late and the government will have no choice but to act. Austerity and riots will be the order of the day. We predict the next twenty years will have the unpleasant stuff hitting the fan. Needless to say the current crop of comfort seeking politicians will have long gone. It will be someone else's mess of pottage.
In his speech Brash also stood firm on the issue of Maori. The Herald headline said it all--in terms of the reflexive and inevitable vitriol: "Brash attacks Maori - again". But the report on Brash's speech is actually far better than the headline. What it (unintentionally) highlights is that Brash actually has a very high view of Maori. It's just a shame that the current crop of Maori leaders do not share it. Their view of their own people is very, very low.
It's not hard to see Brash's high view of Maori in his speech.
Titled Return to Orewa, Brash said Maori have no special rights and there was no grounds for a separate Maori political party. . . . Brash said Maori were capable of being elected on their own merits. There was "absolutely no case" for treating Maori people differently.
"The whole concept of a racially based political party would be seen as grossly inappropriate if wanted by any other race than Maori," he said. "What would be the reaction if a group of New Zealanders of European background decided to set up a 'European New Zealanders' Party'? "There would be outcry, and rightly so."
Brash said general legislation, such as the Resource Management Act, which requires local councils to consult their communities and Maori separately, should be "insulting" and "patronising" to Maori people. "The Maori electorates were established for a five-year period in 1867. There is no logic for them at all 143 years later."
The sad thing is that Maori people are more degraded and enslaved today than ever. Their leaders believe they could not survive without separate representation in the Parliament. They think they require the constant cocooning and support of "positive" discrimination. They think of their people as victims. They believe they could not survive as a people or race without a constant flow of government handouts. Regrettably these low views of Maori by Maori inevitably become self-fulfilling. The mana of Maori has never been lower as a consequence. Pakeha and other races do not hold Maori in honour. At worst they are contemptuous; at best they view Maori with a condescending paternalism that presupposes their inferiority. White liberal guilt is smeared all over their distorted agonized faces.
To add insult to injury the current crop of Maori leaders agree with them. They stupidly believe that their mana depends upon such historical fabrications and empty nostrums as "co-sovereignty". This is just one more form of self-degrading behaviour. "You cannot make it; you cannot cut it; you are victims; you need Pakeha help."
Dr Brash has part of the answer. He sees very clearly that the reigning paradigm of Maoridom is degrading and debasing to Maori and will only make the problems worse. For daring to speak out he is an anathema to Maori, to the left-wing, and to the white liberals who dominate the National Party. Not that it appears to worry him at all. He will keep banging the drum--and that is why we respect him.
But Brash has no real solution to the regnant debasement of Maori and their inter-generational degradation. He honours Maori as few Maori do. He has a far better view of what constitutes mana and self-respect for humans in general and Maori in particular. Here is the nub of the problem: Maori must develop a respect for themselves. They sought it on the battlefield during the Maori wars, seeking to re-ignite the warrior-ethos. They were smashed. Then European introduced diseases ravaged them. During the world-wars they once again sought mana in the warrior ethos. Their heroes were the antecedents of Willie Apiata. But that did not bring lasting self-respect.
Then they turned to a Maori cultural renaissance--a recovery of language and traditions. But the false religion and idolatry and pseudo-spiritualism has proved even more degrading. Idolatry always enslaves. No genuine self-respect there. Then, most recently, they have turned to assertions of co-sovereignty. This is the most degrading of all. Maori are cast into the role of perpetual whiners and whingers, crying out like petulant children, "Gimmee back". There is no self-respect there. Only querulous petulance.
Maori will not recover self-respect until they return to the faith of their fathers--by which we mean the faith of those Maori chiefs and leaders who bowed their knees in humble adoration of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only at the feet of Him will lasting and genuine self-respect be found. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is still graciously calling the Maori people to Him that He may adopt them into His whakapapa. When the Gospel first came to New Zealand, thousands of Maori heard the call, repented of their folly and pride, and were adopted into His household. But, sadly, they were followed by generations who had a "better idea". The falseness of their chosen hope shows up today in their abiding degradation and humiliation.
In Christ alone and at His feet will Maori recover their true mana and self-respect. All other ground is sinking sand. In Him, and Him alone, there is neither Maori nor Pakeha--but Christ is all in all. Until Maori humble themselves to give up their idolatrous Maoridom and lay it at His feet they will not receive back from Him an honourable culture redeemed, cleansed, purified by Him--that glorifies not them, but Him.
When Maori rejoice in that outcome, they will have discovered their true calling and true self-respect.
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