There does need to be a debate about the vastly higher incidence of domestic violence in Maori families, and more importantly which interventions can most successfully reduce this.

If we men are demanding that feminists discuss the issue of violence in a rational and scientific way, without emotional, ideological and political baggage, we need to learn to do it ourselves.

This discussion is now over.

John,
IMO you seem confused and somewhat belligerant.
So I’ll spell things out as clearly as I can. Perhaps then you won’t feel the impulse to bait me and will review the reasoning in the debate.

Mr Hamoana should I believe take responsibility for dealing with his kins present day DV instead of trying to dump on Europeans claiming that European missionaries are to blame for instilling violent attitudes which have filtered down to present day Maori and made certain of them prone to DV. After all it’s a Maori health issue.
My name is Stephen Gee, not the Americanized and patronising Stevey-boy. I’m going to have to disappoint you. I’m much too old and ugly to be called boy these days.
All major dictionaries have fine definitions of the word ‘European’. Many are online.
I’m proudly part Gordon and McKay clan, part Danish, Felmish and Romany.
I don’t take kindly to people like Mr Hamoana trying to denigrate my ancestors with his disingeneous ethnic blame game.
Relax, I’m hale and hearty so no need to worry about my aerobic functioning or vision.

You say “as a European guy I’m unashamedly defensive in the face of white-bashing about Maori DV from the likes of Mr Hamoana”.
European as in sauerkraut and bratwurst? or bangers and mash? perhaps chorizo and artichokes? I mean, come on Stephen, what exactly do you mean when you say “as a European”?

Were you similarly enraged by that cheeky Scotsman William Wallace when you watched Braveheart? (how dare he attribute the ills of his people to the British Crown)

White-bashing indeed.

I don’t understand why you’ve insisted that Mr Hemoana take “responsibilty for [his] own folk’s attitudes and behavior”. I mean do you take responsibility for the bad behaviour of all of those folk who share your ethnic/ancestral/cultural background? I mean what if your grandfather was caught masturbating at the pictures? Would you feel responsible?

I’m sure you wouldn’t. I’m equally sure that no one would expect that you should.

Mr Hemoana’s speech was just plain embarrasing. Waikato University liberal studies 101 guff. But he spoke for himself or, at most, for the organisation for whom he works.

Take a deep breath Stevey-boy (and keep your focus!)

I wholeheartedly concur about the “racist” nature of these comments.

I am also left feeling gob-smacked that [yet again] DV is falsely portrayed as “men who beat their wives and children”. How about one of Mrs Clark’s queer brigade seriously considers why there are so many men with knife scars, permanent head injuries from pieces of timber et al all inflicted by a “defenceless woman”?