The Eff Scale

My Dear Fellows & Dear Princess,

I don't know if this news has made it outside of NZ, but all-round awesome person and one of NZ's favourite sons, Taika Waititi, has recently provoked a bit of a debate by saying that NZ is his favourite country but it is as "racist as f***".

Stardust Lil weighed in, by saying that yes, NZ has problems but that she is "not sure where it is on the eff scale". 

Bless her. That's almost exactly what I thought. I'm lucky that I live in a pretty diverse city here, but I am reliably told then when you head out into the sticks, attitudes start to take on a slightly more - hmmmm - shall we say "1970's" tone? But what IS the eff scale? And where am I on it?

And are there only two degrees on this scale - "Not Racist" and "Racist As F***"?

I think he was right to say what he said, and right to use that language. It seems to have shaken people out of their complacency here. I think there's a feeling that, because of the Treaty of Waitangi, and because Maori are afforded additional consideration under the constitution, that NZ has cured racism.

Of course some people here did not appreciate it. Instead they chose to compare NZ to Brexitania or Trumpton, pointing out that those countries are further along the eff scale than NZ. I suppose it is true. And I'm sure there are countries in the world which are right off the end of the eff scale.

The "eff-off" countries, if you will.

But that does not excuse NZ racism, of course. And anyway, it is not helpful to make such comparisons.

I remember when Obama was elected and Stephen Colbert slapped his hands together and announced, "That's it, America has cured racism! It's over! Nothing more to see!"

It would be nice if it was a simple as all that. But I am hopeful. Young people seem to be much more sincere about ending this stuff. Maybe one day the Eff Scale will be redundant for racism and we can instead utilise it to measure Piers Morgan, Simon Cowell and Rupert Murdoch.

S.