After cross-examination Jones knew he would lose the defamation case he took against film maker Renae Maihi. That’s why he threw in the towel. The weight of evidence was clearly against the old tycoon with the defense presenting fifty articles to confirm Jones’ racist views.
Being unable to harass somebody into silence with the High Court must be pretty demoralising for a bully used to getting his own way. But it also highlights another far more pressing issue; New Zealand’s mainstream media promotes racism.
The defense successfully argued that Jones’ views expressed in various interviews and articles, particularly his egregious ‘Māori gratitude day' commentary published in the NBR, are in fact racist.
Yesterday, the NZ Herald reported:
As if someone would present a petition to parliament to strip Jones of his knighthood if their offence taking wasn't a sincerely held opinion. Honestly!
For over five decades New Zealand has had to put up with Jones’ racist rants being widely disseminated. Even though there’s nothing new or significant about what he’s been saying, Jones has had free reign to pontificate about a country and topics he appears to know very little about. In effect he’s been running around lighting the fires of hatred that has assuredly caused people harm.
It’s not just Jones who is to blame though. Many media outlets facilitated his racism through publication. Editors could have easily put a stop to Jones’ animosity towards Maori, but instead idealised him and allowed their syndications to be used as propaganda tools for a privileged bigot! In my opinion these complicit editors need to be moved on.
People power may have won the day, but the bigger battle is getting New Zealand’s mainstream media to halt their prejudicial promotion of racism…and that seemingly unattainable goal might take more than the high court to resolve.
Being unable to harass somebody into silence with the High Court must be pretty demoralising for a bully used to getting his own way. But it also highlights another far more pressing issue; New Zealand’s mainstream media promotes racism.The defense successfully argued that Jones’ views expressed in various interviews and articles, particularly his egregious ‘Māori gratitude day' commentary published in the NBR, are in fact racist.
Yesterday, the NZ Herald reported:
Sir Robert Jones abandons defamation case against Renae Maihi
Sir Robert Jones has dropped his defamation case mid-trial against Renae Maihi, who set up a petition after he wrote an article which suggested Māori should be grateful to Pākehā for existing.
In a statement provided to the Herald, Jones said he had today "discontinued my proceedings against Maihi", and also understood she intended to take down her petition.
"I filed these proceedings because I was deeply offended by Maihi's allegations.
"I am not a racist," he said.
"I now accept, however, Maihi's offence taking was a sincerely held opinion.
As if someone would present a petition to parliament to strip Jones of his knighthood if their offence taking wasn't a sincerely held opinion. Honestly!
For over five decades New Zealand has had to put up with Jones’ racist rants being widely disseminated. Even though there’s nothing new or significant about what he’s been saying, Jones has had free reign to pontificate about a country and topics he appears to know very little about. In effect he’s been running around lighting the fires of hatred that has assuredly caused people harm.
It’s not just Jones who is to blame though. Many media outlets facilitated his racism through publication. Editors could have easily put a stop to Jones’ animosity towards Maori, but instead idealised him and allowed their syndications to be used as propaganda tools for a privileged bigot! In my opinion these complicit editors need to be moved on.
People power may have won the day, but the bigger battle is getting New Zealand’s mainstream media to halt their prejudicial promotion of racism…and that seemingly unattainable goal might take more than the high court to resolve.
