Thought Crimes Investigation Opened
The NZ Herald reports that an acedemic is under investigation.
His crime? Coming to conclusions that the Race Relations Commissioner disagrees with.
An academic report describing Pacific Islanders as a drain on the economy is to be investigated by the Race Relations Commissioner.
Commissioner Joris de Bres said today that the commission hosted a meeting yesterday attended by academics, community members and analysts from government departments.
Significant concerns were raised over the academic rigour of the Massey University report, he told Radio New Zealand.
Mr de Bres, who will issue terms of reference for the investigation, said the report had resulted in a significant amount of prejudice vented over the internet and on talk-back radio.
Now, I don’t know if Pacific Islanders are a drain on the economy. What is a “drain on the economy” anyway? Sending money back to the Islands? That’s their right, it’s their money.
But since when is the “academic rigor” of a university’s reports the RRC’s business? I’d have thought that the university should be the first to worry about the rigor of a report. Because if the report is false or untrue, then that’s firstly a massive hit on the reputation of the university.
Further, just because some people got hot under the collar on talk-back that doesn’t mean the report is truthful or not. If it had made Helen mad… actually scrub that thought.
It would seem that this fellow’s problem is that his investigation came up with the wrong answers, true or false.
