A lot of the usual fuss last week followed revelations that Pita Sharples last autumn entertained, at taxpayers’ expense, some Maori men who are leaders of gangs, to discuss recent government moves as they may affect Maori and/or gangs (precisely what was discussed has not to my knowledge been explained).
I wrote several months back about my belief that visceral reactions to such confrontational events (ie, events which confront mainstream, middle-class, Anglo-Saxon culture) rarely have positive results, and usually lead to further confrontation and less understanding down the line. In this case, the standard visceral reaction is: How dare Sharples talk with these scum! How dare he use our money to get them together! How dare he legitimise what gangs do to harm our communities and our country!!
I won’t go through my argument against chest-thumping posturing again. I just want to re-iterate that of the two options here – condemn all contact with gang members as wholly evil people, or engage with them to understand their perspective and seek avenues of inclusion – I’m pretty sure which is more likely to produce sustainable, positive results in the long run.
I may be wrong but . . . . engaging and talking open-mindedly with people whose way of life we cannot condone at least provides possibilities of change for the better, for all of us. Chest-beating, posturing, outright rejection and attributing only evil to this small but significant group in our society merely makes things worse.
I’m confident that if any change is to take place in the minds and attitudes of gang members and gang leadership, it is far more likely to take place through conversation, encouragement and inclusion than through being shouted at, excluded and condemned carte blanche.
I’m happy enough to see a bit of my tax money go toward maintaining inclusive dialogue and engagement between people who have widely different views on how society should operate. I’d rather that than seeing a majority of self-important mainstreamers refusing to talk with or accept, or even acknowledge any worth of, a small minority of angry margin-dwellers.
And if it so happens that gangs respect Pita Sharples for his willingness at least to listen to them and try to involve them in decision making and planning, then that can only be good.
