Securing our Context & Protecting our Perspective

As the 2011 campaign heats up, so to do the sentiments and the tempers of those involved in it.

Several times in the last week, NZF Youth have run into other parties' online activists brandishing the quote
"We have now reached the point where you can wander down Queen Street in Auckland and wonder if you are still in New Zealand - or some other country".
This is then customarily followed with a screaming and hysterical array of vague and ill-substantiated allegations of xenophobia.

Now, anybody who's read the quote in-context - that is to say, anyone who's actually read the speech it originated in rather than a sensationalised excerpt - will appreciate how inaccurate this is.

Here's a short precis.

"Being a New Zealander is something precious.

That is why we called ourselves New Zealand First.

It means that we place our country above ourselves. 

We believe in words like patriotism, loyalty and traditional values.

We believe in the concept of the people of this country owning it.

We believe that we must protect and defend it.

And we believe that we have the right to say who should come and share it with us."

"The last census revealed that over 300,000 people in New Zealand spoke little or no English."

"New Zealand is for New Zealanders. This is our place.
The rest are here at our invitation. We will weed out those illegals who should not be here.
We will not have 20,000 overstayers 'give or take five percent'
And those who are here for genuine reasons and want to contribute and become New Zealanders, we will welcome.
And give them the same rights as New Zealanders."

What's so xenophobic about that?