Accidental racism served up on a plate
At the risk of invoking a tirade of “harden up, princess” abuse from readers not shy of ignoring intelligent, respectful argument, James Crow has a good point.
Crow hit the headlines this week in a story about a car he bought that had a licence plate that started with NGR.
A Napier electorate Green Party candidate at the last election, Crow and his wife are uncomfortable with driving a car sporting those letters.
NGR, of course, could be short for a word that is not fit for printing in a 2020s media outlet.
Waka Kotahi, which is in charge of such matters, has given it some thought and say that anyone who wants to swap the plate can do so, free of charge.
“Waka Kotahi recognises the offence the letter combination has caused, and we will arrange for replacement standard issue plates to be provided at no charge for any vehicle owners who do not wish to retain the plates,” a spokesperson told Radio NZ.
“We are also looking at the practicality of withdrawing the series from circulation.
That’s the thing about racism — it’s not about in your face, black and white offence.
“We are reviewing our processes to ensure that future number plate combinations are more thoroughly assessed before being manufactured and released.”
Here’s why Crow, beyond any immediate observation about the offence caused or not caused by those three letters, has a good point.
It turns out that Waka Kotahi has a list of abbreviations that they don’t use.
Some are obvious.
One of them is BUT. Correct, BUT.
“But BUT”, I hear you say — “that’s not offensive”.
Well, if BUT is unacceptable, why not NGR?
It’s not an argument that will wash with the many who took to social media to ridicule anyone who agreed NGR was offensive.
That’s the thing about racism — it’s not about in your face, black and white offence.
There are nearly 1000 number plates in New Zealand that start with NGR.
Sometimes it only takes three letters to perpetuate negative racial stereotypes.
And if BUT doesn’t cut it as a number plate, why should NGR?