Mike Hosking: A knockout blow for acceptable racism

Having dug themselves the most spectacular hole, just what was it that Whanganui High School were going to do but acquiesce and allow all their students into the Joseph Parker talk?

And in acquiescing I assume it lays bare what can only be described as a lie, as to who wanted the so-called closed session.

They claimed it was Parker, Parker said it wasn't him. I believe Parker.

And I believe the boxer because the school, through one of its trustees, went on to defend the closed session nature of the talk.

In other words the only people allowed in were Māori or Pasifika.

And what is that? That is racism, pure and simple.

And what made it worse was the fact they thought that was okay and they defended it. And they defended it, the way they always defend such nonsense.

It is their duty to give Māori and Pasifika opportunities. Yes it is - but not at the exclusion of others based on race.

It is Māori and Pasifika who are disadvantaged. Possibly, but you don't lift them up by being a racist.

The trouble is, this sort of thing is getting too prevalent.

Last year on the telly I criticised a mayor who wanted to introduce Māori seats on councils - I said he was out of touch with middle New Zealand.

I said that because votes have been held on such matters, and broadly speaking in areas where those votes have been held, a large majority of people rejected the idea.

So in other words it was more fact and less opinion, but that didn't stop the PC brigade, who you would have thought from their reaction I had set the Treaty document itself alight.

"Casual racism" is what they called it. I was called stronger things on social media. But that's social media, the home of the bewildered, lost, and angry.

But where was the upset this time? The parents were incandescent, as they should have been.

But where was the Race Relations Commissioner? Where were all the usual suspects who can't grab a headline fast enough, when the plight of the poor old Māori or Pacific Islander appears, in some way shape or form, to be compromised?

What if Joe Parker was talking to an elite school of privileged, European kids and anyone else that wasn't in the top team or top class were banned?

If it was a closed session to all but the elites you know what would have happened.

And this sadly is the country we live in now, where racism of any sort is leapt upon with vehemence, unless it's racism that suits you.

And this was racism that suited Whanganui. And not only were they racist in their approach, they were dishonest about it as well.

Yes it is solved, thank goodness, because Joe and his story is worth listening to. But it was always worth listening to by everyone.

Joe's story isn't about race, it's about success - and success is for all of us.