Open Letter from Anthony Ravlich to Patrick Geary

Discrimination on grounds of social status and youth suicide

(The following letter was sent to Patrick Geary, legal coordinator, of the Child Rights Information Network, London, UK. He will be giving a talk on Wednesday, February 24, 12.30 to 1.30, at the Institute of Public Policy, Level 2, 350 Queen St, Auckland).

It was Sunday morning, Auckland, February 21, 2010 and Newstalk ZB reported that a woman jumped off the Auckland harbour bridge early this morning…she survived. The reported stated: “A passing motorist reported the woman's fall just before three o'clock, and police, Coastguard and the Spirit of New Zealand training ship all scrambled to pick her up”. In my experience there may be large numbers of New Zealanders who entertain suicidal thoughts due largely to feelings of hopelessness because of the creation of a class system denies many any upward mobility. Put simply, it is extremely difficult to help oneself in present day New Zealand society and education courses often lead nowhere. Such a class society is likely to prevent many children from reaching their hopes and dreams.

Later Sunday afternoon a very small group of protesters representing the Working Party on Suicide, which includes psychologists, doctors and teachers, the Father’s Coalition consisting of ‘survivors of family devastation’ and members of the Republic of New Zealand Party went to the Prime Minister John Key’s home in Parnell to draw attention (without success – the media did not turn up) to the high rates of suicide in New Zealand. Kerry Bevin, spokesperson for the groups, said that there was a high level of concern in New Zealand regarding the youth suicide rate in New Zealand which according to the New Zealand figures released in September, 2009, by the OECD, (which consists of 30 member States able to reach the required standards) was the highest amongst these countries. Kerry Bevin said he had thousands of signatures by concerned citizens of various classes.

I have been a human rights ‘outsider’ writing about New Zealand and the United Nations New Zealand for nineteen years (see my book now on an official UN website and my intellectual support below). In my view, the essential cause of many of our social problems is the creation of a class society which has been permitted by the surprising exclusion of non-discrimination on the grounds of social origin (social status at birth) from our domestic human rights law. However this omission also reflects the position of the United Nations and global elites (see my book and article on the internet – Global Systematic Discrimination against the poor). This discrimination ensures the hegemony of an liberal elite, born middle class , professional (but now in power – liberal where it suits) consumed with hiding this fact so people do not know where the injustice is coming from so resign themselves to their condition. This elite also regard human rights as their intellectual property and they have very effectively ‘dumbed down’ the New Zealand population (see next para).

Non-discrimination on the ground of social origin is in the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights upon which our human rights laws are based (see titles to Acts). So should not have been excluded from domestic law in my view. People could not hold the State to account simply because I am informed by the NZ Human Rights Commission that although Section 5(a) of the Human Rights Act 1993 requires the Commission to educate people in human rights successive governments since 1993 have refused to fund it. (see my book and article on the internet: ‘Global Systematic Discrimination against the poor’).

This discrimination has led to the considerable privileging of those born with a higher social status over those with ability contributing to a mass exodus of the ‘best and brightest’ (which also includes middle class ‘tall poppies’) to live elsewhere with devastating effects on independence and freedom of thought in New Zealand leading to mass conformity, particularly amongst the middle classes; also the really talented want to reach their full potential but, although there are some politically safe exceptions, this is virtually impossible here; the exclusion of the above ground of discrimination also meant that affirmative action favored Maori and women higher on the social scale while ignoring huge increases in the most disadvantaged of both groups for whom affirmative action is really meant for; the huge discrimination against children of beneficiaries re the in-work tax credit (see my letter on the internet Children and discrimination(estimated affecting 200,000 by the Child Poverty Action Group, also see Kidscan, both on the internet, regarding the high numbers going to school hungry while those higher on the social scale are obsessed with their restaurants!) – also see my brief letter below; the discriminatory human rights agenda is followed by all major organizations in New Zealand e.g. the mainstream media as well as all the political parties in parliament, the Corporations, the trade unions, the churches, nearly all NGOs (see my book) and I am also learning the courts lack the independence they claim.

The ramifications of this international and domestic discrimination on the grounds of social status are profound. For example, globalization is based on this discrimination. Taking an obvious example – one of the claims of those who promote globalization is that it has taken many millions out of poverty in China – but human right protects minorities consequently you cannot destroy the lives – which must also be worth living – of New Zealand children even if it helps the children of the very poor in China. Human rights does not allow such an ‘ends justifies the means’, psychopathic approach. In other words you cannot help the poor in China by discriminating against many New Zealanders. The elite have turned the beautiful idea of ‘global citizenship’ (imagine a dual citizenship: New Zealand and the rest of the world) into something ugly, a ‘global elite citizenship’ using a discriminatory human rights agenda.

I am presently writing an article which will expand considerably on this discrimination on the grounds of social status. I hope to dissuade States from ratifying the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and cultural Rights which I consider discriminates on the same basis

While it is inevitable that such a ‘born to rule’ elite would see the British class system as their model, unlike Britain which is more honest about its faults and not so lacking in tolerance to exclude those with exceptional ability, our elite perpetuates the ‘equality myth’ - see the following from the New Zealand Immigration Service website:

Social values

New Zealanders have a very similar way of life and share values common to most Western countries, but there are some special features. We are passionate about sport, and have a firm belief in social equality. The social welfare system prevents extreme poverty, and the nation has neither a strong class system nor major social tensions. Differences between high and low-income people are not pronounced. Some minor ethnic tensions exist, but are low by international standards, and goodwill between races is usually evident.

Page Last Updated: 17 Dec 2006

In other words only the elite can be ‘tall poppies’ in New Zealand but this is essentially based on nothing (or having gained degrees immediately they suffer from ‘arrested development’ because loyalty rather than truth is valued much more) – I have never seen any research which proves that those born with higher social status are a higher form of life and of course it is certainly not human rights.

I have written many articles which can be found on the internet and my recent book, ‘Freedom from our social prisons: the rise of economic, social and cultural rights’, is now recognized on the official United Nations website along with 14 other books in the field despite its harsh criticism of that organization and being largely ignored by the New Zealand’s mainstream media and establishment, see ESCR - General The UN Practitioners Portal on HRBA http://hrbaportal.org/?page_id=3180). My major supporters over the years have been Noam Chomsky (receiving nine emails), Yash Ghai, UN Rapporteur to Cambodia and who spoke at a recent Commonwealth Conference and ‘backdoor support’ from Rosslyn Noonan, New Zealand’s Chief Human Rights Commissioner. Also I received an email from John Key’s office on 27 May 2009 which stated: “The Prime Minister will appreciate your taking the time to write to him”. So although virtually ‘persona non grata’ in the domestic and international human rights/political establishment, the ‘unfashionable’ truth I present is respected in certain quarters. These human rights omissions are ‘easily’ verified from human rights law and the internet can locate original UN sources and major international NGOs with consultative status with the UN.

I am confident that the above truth will set people free not only in New Zealand but around the world also considering the emphasis New Zealand places on a good human rights image (we do not have economic or military might) it may consider including this ground of non-discrimination immediately and the State could fund human rights education to also help ensure independence of thought.

Anthony Ravlich
Chairperson
Human Rights Council Inc. (New Zealand)
Auckland City.
New Zealand.

ENDS

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