Dunedin City, SHAME! In a world of ironic and risque advertising Dunedin and Otago Cricket thought they would dust off an old classic, racism. Funnily enough when I used to see billboards in Auckland's North Shore with the bourgeois middle aged couple advertising Dunedin as the getaway from the big smoke, I used to joke that the coded message was "It's All White Here". Now we can bust out our white robes and tattoo it on our foreheads. But wait our poor city is under siege by the PC police, quick call Debra Coddington she'll know what to do.
Anyway It's hard to know how to express how one feels as a result of this mind fuck. I know we do have Cadbury's here why not rename ourselves, "Chocolate City"! One Nation Under a Groove.
Tune in to here Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin as he responds to criticism. Also Victoria University Associate Professor in Media Studies and quasi-cricket historian, Tony Schirato on the colonial and race politics of cricket. Also Dr Vern Andrews on the history of racism towards the black athlete and the NZ context.
Download interview with the Mayor
Download interview with Tony Schirato
Download interview with Vern Andrews
Playlist
RIP Mama Afrika, Miriam Makeba (1932-2008)
Miriam Makeba - Jolinkomo
Gregory Issacs - Sinner Man
Roy Ayers - Red Black and Green
The Coup - Ass Breath Killers
Miriam Makeba - Soweto Blues
Cornell Campbell - Natty Don't Go
Mumia All-Stars - Mumia 911
Fela Kuti - Witchcraft
Rakka Iriscience - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Miriam Makeba - Talking & Dialoguing
Ice Cube - Bird In The Hand
Rod Taylor - True History
Bill Withers - Harlem
Miriam Makeba - Mas Qa Nada
Stevie Wonder - Black Man
RA Rugged Man - White & Black
6 comments:
Hey man,
I really enjoy your show and I agree with you on the cricket ad. It's not a good look for Dunedin or the South Island. It doesn't shake our reputation as the more ignorant Island on racial issues.
I do have one problem with your show however, and that's with your interviewing technique. In your interview with Peter Chin you'd say "This is my opinion, this is my argument...Your response to that please." Instead, I think you should give him open ended questions and let him answer them. By all means give your own opinion, but keep the op-ed part for either before or after you talk with a guest like Mayor Chin.
I liked your chat with Vernon Andrews though, and you play some great music. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for your feedback.
I suppose I could embrace more mainstream journalistic values of 'neutrality' or 'objectivity', but that's not me. These journo values are like a fig leaf for dominant doctrines. Also even if I'm little mean, this is about engaging in real political ideological discussion. Someone like Mayor Chin should be up to that.
I don't know if you've noticed but Mayor Chin is great at dancing around issues, he's probably the last person I'd like to give an open ended question to. Also I was making my opinionated comment in response to his comment, "Dunedin can't be racist because I'm Chinese".
Anyway keep the criticism coming, keeps me honest.
I wouldn't want you to be like the mainstream media. You should certainly be asking Peter Chin the hard questions. Someone ought to. But I still think you should hold to some journalistic standards while doing your own thing and speaking your mind.
Chin is a consensus conservative so he'll always try to avoid controversy and he'll not want to offend 'middle Dunedin'. I wish he'd take a liberal stand on these sorts of issues but I'm also greatful that he conducts himself with dignity unlike some other Mayors in this country (Michael Laws, Tim Shadbolt, etc.)
Kia Ora
I think when it comes to defining Chin's politics he's not really liberal or conservative in the traditional sense but liberal for business. In his own words he's talked about the stadium opponents as the 'stick to your knitting' bunch. Meaning we want good plumbing and public transport. We have neither by the way. But he and the council on the other hand are bold and visionary by emptying our pockets for a project that benefits a very narrow sector of the population.
This is how contemporary urban politics works. City administration as venture capitalists sparking markets and entrepeneurialism. If you read David Harvey cities have been the front line of neo-liberalism. While you create a massive international investor rights framework (WTO), you devolve responsibility to local authorities who are faced with increasing competition for investment. Mayor Chin's politics are not unique in this sense but are an extension of this neo-liberal governance rationale.
Peace
Oh yeah, Thank goodness he's not like Micheal Laws!
There's a thread on this at dunedinmusic.com
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