Editorial: Temple View on rocky ground
18 November 2006
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3864496a6580,00.html
Sometimes no matter how advanced Hamilton becomes, how sophisticated a city it has developed into, how cosmopolitan and how confident it now is, there are occasional reminders that pockets of intolerance and ignorance still reign unchecked. writes the WAIKATO TIMES in an editorial.
The latest evidence of that came this week with Mormons complaining of a roadside sign at Temple View promoting Hamilton's unique Riff Raff statue.
The sign reads: `Rocky Horror hamilton' (note the small "h", at least it's not in txt lingo -- yet) and features the top half of the Riff Raff statue. One of the several objections to the sign, according to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints member Tony McKenna, is that it glorifies "homosexual sub-culture".
To which the most obvious retort is: "What's wrong with that?" It would be appropriate to note at this point that homosexuality is no more a sub-culture than Mormons and no one's trying to ban them from the side of the road -- although it could free up some cycle lanes.
One of Mr McKenna's other objections is that the sign is at the top of a hill just below the temple which is seen as a spiritual place for church members and Maori. He calls it a "blot on the landscape". However, one person's blot is another's celebration of a unique success story. And while Mr McKenna is entitled to his opinion on the billboard, Hamilton City Council's reaction has been utterly bizarre.
The council has agreed to replace the sign with something more benign. Given that, it's difficult to know which group is being the most stupid: the Mormons for wanting it removed or the council for agreeing to set a precedent it may live to regret.
More worrying is that this incident continues Hamilton's history of intolerance that has included opposition to two pagan gods at Hamilton Gardens, an incident or two by the McGillicuddies, attacks on Hamilton's mosque and the Riff Raff statue itself.
Hamiltonians let themselves down when they fail to accept lifestyles different from their own.
The narrowmindedness of the Mormon community aside, the issue does raise some questions about the council's promotional strategy.
The siting of the billboard on a road that, unlike Hamilton's other entry points, attracts little traffic from major centres, seems superfluous.
The controversy also follows news earlier in the week that the council is spending $55,000 sponsoring a balloon with the city logo on it. For the next seven years, the balloon will fly over the city during big events promoting Hamilton to people who are already here. People might have preferred the money went into solving the traffic congestion so it doesn't take them quite so long to arrive.
A council spokesperson says the balloon offers "high impact promotion of the Hamilton brand". But it will be impossible to quantify what that means and even more difficult to persuade ratepayers it is value for money. And if ratepayers object, will the balloon be deflated?
