Yes, I think it’s partly because the media focuses so much on it, so it’s easy to get the impression things are more dangerous than they in fact are.

Like silly white guys having small p*****s?

Just to be clear, the point I tried to make the other day was that it makes no sense to get worried about crime just because politicians are having their tri-annual rant about it.

The areas I live and work in are far from squeaky clean but letting people with power agendas whip us into a state of perpetual fear over it helps no-one.

Living in fear of anything is one sure way to make your life poorer in every sense.

Your comment actually strikes me as quite the reverse of my own experience in that I generally find that people who jump up and down about crime tend to live fairly safe lives in clean areas behind big fences.

Well, not any more, anyway.

Incidentally, I agree it isn’t an open-and-shut case of blatant racism – I think it’s a judgement call and a matter of opinion. But I think there’s been a lot of conveniently disingenuous literalism displayed by Smith’s apologists on this matter, and equally (as I’ve tried to call out above) a lot of idiotic overreaction from his detractors.

L

1. Because there is no other news at present.
2. Because NZ and the world appear to have lost all sense of perspective as soon as race is mentioned.

What on earth are you on about?”

I made a comment much earlier that a lot of the people who get on their high horse about race issues tend to live, work and send their kids to predominantly white schools. I think that some people take quite liberal positions on issues because they can afford to.

For instance, Felix I think the other day made some comment that people should quit worrying about crime and enjoy life. That’s fine if you live in a low crime area, which most policy makers presumably do, but not so great if you’re a shopkeeper in some places.

What on earth are you on about?

I think I came across it in Malcolm Gladwell’s book ‘Tipping Point’. Also, the race relations person in the UK referred to it earlier this year. In terms of sport Joseph Romanos pointed out in ‘The Judas Game’ that increasingly whites were taking up soccer because they tended to be physically smaller at high school.

“Then why the hell have you wasted the last two hours of our lives arguing the point then?”

This thread isn’t just about Smith.

Who???? A)never heard of them b) net throws up some guy who died before the existence of N****

And you really are missing the point, read Phil’s comments again

“eventually through prejudice and malice of human nature it distills into a poisonous brew of racism, usually starts as a throw away comment”

You dont have to agree with him, I don’t care. I’m not reference nothing unlike you who apparently has to be thought of as some Mr Walking Authority on everything.

Think you need to get out more

I am addressing the issue. I was asking a genuine question. Why is it racist to attibute to a racial group a physical characteristic that they patently possess?

B