Harawira v McClay

Neil Reid at SST reports:

A war of words has erupted over National MP Todd McClay’s proposed gang patch ban, with Mana Party leader Hone Harawira labelling him a “foolish dickhead” promoting a “deeply racist” bill.

Harawira has threatened to wear a gang patch into Parliament if the bill becomes law, a move McClay says casts doubts on Harawira’s suitability to be an MP.

“The guy is such an idiot,” Harawira said. “I’m not going to stand by and watch a blonde, blue-eyed redneck kick around poor people who, out of desperation, bond together because they see nothing in the blonde, blue-eyed society to give them a sense of hope for their own or their children’s futures.”

I don’t know what Todd McClay’s hair colour or eye colour has to do with anything. And I also don’t think wanting to ban gang patches inside government buildings is a redneck move. I think it is an anti-gang move.

Harawira said he understood why some people from lower socio-economic backgrounds joined gangs, adding that 90 per cent of those targeted by the bill would be Maori, making it a “deeply racist piece of legislation”.

Does that mean the DPB is racist?