Blaming Maori for Crime is Racist

In response to the sensible sentencing trusts statement that Maori need to fix the problem when it comes to crime - the Mana Party said this:

“Saying Maori are to blame for ending up in prisons is like saying chickens are to blame for ending up as our Christmas Dinner” said MANA Leader about the Sensible Sentencing Trusts statement that Maori criminal offending is a Maori problem.

“Mr Garth McVicar is adding a twist of racism to get a headline out of the crime statistics” said Mr Harawira “but the facts say otherwise, and here’s one of those little Maori/Pakeha stories to prove it”

“A Maori and a Pakeha are walking down the street, having just committed a crime together. Which one is more likely to get stopped? The Maori. Which one is more likely to be taken in for questioning? The Maori. Which one is more likely to be searched? The Maori. Which one is more likely to be arrested? The Maori. Which one is more likely to be charged with anything? The Maori. Which one is more likely to end up in court? The Maori. Which one is more likely to get convicted of anything? The Maori. Which one is more likely to go to jail? The Maori. Which one is more likely to get the longer jail term? The Maori.”

“Those are the facts Mr McVicar. Don’t let them get in the way of your good story, but those are the facts”

“Yes, Maori are involved in too much crime but the facts also tell us that Maori are involved in too much poverty, too much homelessness, too much drug abuse, too much suicide and too much unemployment” said Harawira. “If Mr McVicar wants Maori to be like everybody else, then I suggest he do something to help eliminate the poverty that keeps Maori sitting squarely in the crime zone, do something to help eliminate the institutional racism that sees Maori unfairly targeted by the police and the justice system, and do something to help bring Maori up to zero, so we stand a fighting chance of survival”

“That’s what MANA is focusing on” said Harawira “trying to eliminate poverty, reduce the harm caused to Maori communities by drugs like meth, and fight the racism that fuels the inequality in our world”