Native Maori should ... "smoke, gamble, fight and eat fatty foods"

[kiwitt]

Author stands by controversial health book

26/09/2005 13:39:13

The co-author of a widely-condemned book on Maori health is standing by his call for Maori to smoke, gamble and eat fatty foods if they so choose.

'Maori Health' was published by the Kotahitanga Community Trust, one of South Auckland's largest Maori health providers.

It claims the health system is racist and opposes activities Maori enjoy. It says Maori can smoke, gamble, fight and eat fatty foods if they want to.

The book also describes Maori health workers who say otherwise as brainwashed "house niggers" and "health Nazis".

Co-author Peter Caccioppoli says the book's purpose is to inform Maori there are other options to what the Health Ministry preaches. He says the idea is to encourage Maori to make their own choices, and admits that includes even ignorant decisions.

He says Maori shouldn't be made to feel bad about things they enjoy.

He is now planning a book on Maori in the education system.

Link

More links here and here

So the Health Ministry should not be advising how people should live their lives, even though the costs of their lifestyle choice costs the ministry in surgery and other specialist work to keep them alive. If they choose to ignore the advice they should also not seek help from the Ministry when they get sick. That would be a fair call, don't you think.

[Incongruous]

Well if they wan't it that way simply withdraw public health for them.
Simple as that, of kick tem in the face and tell them to calm down.

[Adrian II]

It claims the health system is racist and opposes activities Maori enjoy. It says Maori can smoke, gamble, fight and eat fatty foods if they want to.

The book also describes Maori health workers who say otherwise as brainwashed "house niggers" and "health Nazis".

Good man. Good book. Power to Caccioppoli.

[Papewaio]

Mr Caccioppoli, 26, has no tertiary qualifications. Dr Cullen could not be reached for comment.

Well it sounds more like an April Fools book then anything worthy. More useful in the bog as an emergency paper supply.

In 1999 Mr Caccioppoli was involved in an Internet-based organisation offering degrees in New Zealand that came under scrutiny from the ministry for calling itself a university.

The same internet education provider, Cyberuni, aroused the suspicion of academic staff around the country about its courses.

Mr Caccioppoli said the venture failed because investor funding could not be raised. He said no degrees had been given out by the group.

In 2002 the two men formed the Kotahitanga Community Trust after an at times acrimonious split with the Papakura marae.

He is a snake oil merchant peddling his wares.

[Adrian II]

He is a snake oil merchant peddling his wares.

Oh come on, he is spot on about the private and government health freaks who want to tell not just Maori's, but all of us how to live. Makes me sick. Pun intended.

[Papewaio]

Hmm I hope you are joking... I for one would not like to pay high tax rates just to subsidise someone elses poor selection in lifestyle choices.

[Adrian II]

Hmm I hope you are joking... I for one would not like to pay high tax rates just to subsidise someone elses poor selection in lifestyle choices.

That is the mechanism that the health fascists use to control people's lifestyles: hey, you don't wanna pay for someone else's choices, do you? It is just a matter of time, Papewaio, and then it is your turn and people will start to meddle with your lifestyle choices, because hey, they don't wanna...

The state, the medical establishment, the pharmaceutical industry and the health insurance companies are creating a nanny complex that wants to control and supervise our existence from the cradle to the grave. This is not a conspiracy, oh no, it is far far worse: it is the result of a confluence of interests and policies. And it is all in our own best interest! Did you know that the World Health Organisation has declared two-thirds of the world population is suffering from 'mental problems'? Amazing, isn't it? They just stretched their definitions a bit, and presto, the WHO won't be out of a job (or income, or investment, or publicity) for the next 100 years...

[Papewaio]

The state, the medical establishment, the pharmaceutical industry and the health insurance companies are creating a nanny complex that wants to control and supervise our existence from the cradle to the grave.

Most of your arguement is for why Maori Health would be liked by these if there was a conspiracy.

Health insurance and the pharmaceutical industry get less money if the population is healthy. If people have a health lifestyle they are going to use less pharmaceuticals and need less medical intervention.

A healthy lifesytle would be stuffing up the health facists.

Maori Health goes on to say that a pill should be made rather then have people exercise. This book is the perfect one for some sort of health industry rort in which we spend money on pills and concoctions rather then just using our kitchens to make good food out of fresh ingredients.

[Adrian II]

A healthy lifesytle would be stuffing up the health facists.

It is exactly the other way around. Once the principle has been established that your lifestyle is their business, the health industry can redefine the concept of 'health' to their heart's (and portfolio's) content. The exponential growth of diagnostic techniques will support this drive. At some time in the future every person's life will be transparent from the word 'go' because insurance companies demand it. If you look close enough, everybody has some 'defect' that requires supervision, treatment, regular checks, a specific diet, etcetera.

[Proletariat]

You've really hit the nail on the head here, Adrian. I wish there was more I could add other than I've now learnt this absurd Puritanical Health Lifestyle isn't just hijacking America's idiotic-trend market.

:lights up a cigarette, drinks a normal amount of water, then has a coffee:

[Don Corleone]

Adrian! There might be a libertarian in there yet!

Did you know that NIH redefined the definition of obesity, specifically BECAUSE they weren't receiving enough money for obesity research? They lowered the BMI figures, even though the people that invented BMI say it's a relatively poor figure of merit for health and wellbeing (measures weight versus height w/o regard to muscle/fat distribution). Well, originally obese was 25% over your ideal body weight. Well, they lowered the ideal body weights by 7% (on average) and then turned around and lowered the criteria for being obese to 20% over the ideal.

This is true of many facets of health & safety, not just the medical profession. Due to a prolonged criminal and educational campaign, the US has seen drunk driving fatalities reduced to 1/3 of the all time high seen in 1983. Cause for celebration, right? Wrong. State and local governments aren't receiving the money in fines and legal fees they once did, and they have reduced the Blood Alcohol Limit from 0.1% to .07%, .05% and even .03% in some states. This means that unless you weigh at least 240 lbs, even one drink will put you over the legal limit. Conveniant, huh?

[GoreBag]

Ohh, I get it. It's like saying the Christopher Reeve was a jerk just because everyone else sympathised for him.

It's not really this guy's business, but really, it's not anyone but the Maori's, either. But then, it would be a shame to have them turn out like the North American aboriginal.

[PanzerJaeger]

Hmm I hope you are joking... I for one would not like to pay high tax rates just to subsidise someone elses poor selection in lifestyle choices.

Ahh the costs of socialized medicine..

If i have a heart attack or get lung cancer, I dont expect anyone to pay for it but me.

Who actually listens to the state's health care advice? I had to learn the food pyramid for school when I was younger and promptly forgot it the next day.

Dont they recommend 8 glasses of water a day and no sweets?

[Goofball]

Ahh the costs of socialized medicine..

If i have a heart attack or get lung cancer, I dont expect anyone to pay for it but me.

Don't you have health insurance?

[Adrian II]

Adrian! There might be a libertarian in there yet!

There is, in fact, starting with a healthy distrust of Big Government, Big Business and Big Ideas. Democratic socialism is really libertarianism without the money, the guns and the charity as guiding principles for social life.

:lights up a cigarette, drinks a normal amount of water, then has a coffee:

I gather my lady inhales to her heart's content? Have you tried the recipe for inverted apple-tart à la grandmère with whipped cream over the weekend? A real bunker-buster with its cholesterol tip and reinforced sugar coating, non?

[Crazed Rabbit]

The state, the medical establishment, the pharmaceutical industry and the health insurance companies are creating a nanny complex that wants to control and supervise our existence from the cradle to the grave. This is not a conspiracy, oh no, it is far far worse: it is the result of a confluence of interests and policies. And it is all in our own best interest! Did you know that the World Health Organisation has declared two-thirds of the world population is suffering from 'mental problems'? Amazing, isn't it? They just stretched their definitions a bit, and presto, the WHO won't be out of a job (or income, or investment, or publicity) for the next 100 years...

And there is one of the big problems of socialism; since everyone has to pay for everyone else, they get to thinking that they own you, and become totalitarian in their desire to control what you do.

Democratic socialism is really libertarianism without the money, the guns and the charity as guiding principles for social life.

What do you mean by money and charity? If you liked (or at least didn't mind) guns, and were capitalistic and small gov't, we could form a political party!

Crazed Rabbit

[Adrian II]

What do you mean by money and charity? If you liked (or at least didn't mind) guns, and were capitalistic and small gov't, we could form a political party! Crazed Rabbit

Alright, but I draw the line at bazookas. They don't fit into my Trabant.

[Papewaio]

The substance of the book is that somehow the Maori are being picked out for healthy lifestyles and that it is racist propaganda...

A few too many tin foil hats about.

[yesdachi]

This is true of many facets of health & safety, not just the medical profession. Due to a prolonged criminal and educational campaign, the US has seen drunk driving fatalities reduced to 1/3 of the all time high seen in 1983. Cause for celebration, right? Wrong. State and local governments aren't receiving the money in fines and legal fees they once did, and they have reduced the Blood Alcohol Limit from 0.1% to .07%, .05% and even .03% in some states. This means that unless you weigh at least 240 lbs, even one drink will put you over the legal limit. Conveniant, huh?

Yep, this kind of stuff ticks me off too . I also don’t like the way more police hunt down traffic violators (speeding) rather than actually spend time on hunting criminals just because writing tickets generate money. GAH!


@ Adrian – I agree with some of the concerns you are expressing but I have had a bit of experience from inside the medical community and with the NIH and IMO it’s a miracle they can do the work they do. There seems to be a lot of internal fighting between the MD’s and DO’s and gov. and insurance co.’s and drug co.’s and everyone is always fighting for a better parking spot. There may be a direction that the industry is moving in but for a bunch of organizations that are so dysfunctional, I think they are a long way from arranging a conspiracy. Most docs do good things, most medical organizations do… a lot of paperwork . No falling sky yet.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Alright, but I draw the line at bazookas. They don't fit into my Trabant.

I like the cut of your jib.

The substance of the book is that somehow the Maori are being picked out for healthy lifestyles and that it is racist propaganda...

While I don't see it as racist, it is definitely silly to encourage people to live unhealthly. Nevertheless, people should have a right to live as they please. Remember, in 1984 they had a forced exercise regimen. It probably helped, but it's just another facet of totalitarianism.

Crazed Rabbit

[Adrian II]

There may be a direction that the industry is moving in but for a bunch of organizations that are so dysfunctional, I think they are a long way from arranging a conspiracy. Most docs do good things, most medical organizations do… a lot of paperwork . No falling sky yet.

I wasn't thinking in terms of a conspiracy, but in terms of a convergence of interests. A good example of the process would be the huge complex of the security measures we have these days: we have our DNA sampled, our irises scanned, our credit card use checked against cctv images, our mail and phonetraffic tapped and checked with voice recognition, etcetera etcetera. This did not come about as a result of a conspiracy, but as the result of a convergence of interests of governments and all sorts of industries. Nonetheless, the consequence is a huge intrusion on our privacy. Still, most cops do good work, just like your doctors, Yesdachi.

EDIT

I just stumbled on a review of a rather efficient critique of our present obsession with obesity: The Obesity Epidemic, a book by Australian physical education academics Michael Gard and Jan Wright. They come to the conclusion that the apparent 'concern' with obesity is just a morality tale dressed up as health advice. Kind of reminds me of the hysteria about global warming, another fad of the post-modern nanny state.

Indeed, much of the scientific research on obesity makes assumptions that fly in the face of the available data. As Gard and Wright show, the available evidence suggests that we are as generally active today as people were 30 or 40 years ago and that, if anything, we are eating less these days.

'It strikes me as common sense', says Gard, 'that middle-class Westerners in particular are eating less and eating better than their grandparents' generation did. And the idea that young women, in particular, are less physically active than, say, my mother's generation - that just seems to be a non-starter.'

[..]

Behind the discussion of food and diet, there lurks the prejudice that there is something about modernity that makes us soft and fat; that modern life is corrupting. Gard says we should challenge the transformation of obesity into the biggest health concern of our age. 'Of all the things we could be talking about, we are focusing on millions and millions of people in Western countries who are going to live average lengths of time and die average deaths.

'We're spending all this time telling them to exercise more and lose weight when it's doubtful if dropping your weight from a Body Mass Index of 31 to 28 will help you live longer. Nobody has ever proved that it will.'

The penchant for petty interventionism crosses party political lines, he says. He notes that the re-election of the Conservative government for a fourth term in Australia has signalled greater intervention into people's lives under the banner of health, along similar lines pursued by the Labour government in the UK.

'In Australia, they have just brought in a rule that schools can get extra money if they have compulsory after-school physical activity. The idea that you can programme kids and they then become physically active for the rest of their lives...it doesn't work like that. Money is being poured into programmes that will have little or no effect.'

Lo and behold, our Dutch government has just introduced the same silly programme for school kids...

[Proletariat]

I gather my lady inhales to her heart's content? Have you tried the recipe for inverted apple-tart à la grandmère with whipped cream over the weekend? A real bunker-buster with its cholesterol tip and reinforced sugar coating, non?

I smoke probably about four or five a day until the weekend rolls around. Then probably about four times that while at a bar or a restaurant or even loafing around the kitchen.

The apple-tart was well worth the time it took me to find the required bowl for the recipe. Nice having a dessert that doesn't leave you feeling like you're on the brink of diabetes.

One of my biggest dissatifactions with growing up in America was the health-conscious fascism. I don't know how many mental health patients I have who drink their 8 bottles of Avian a day, run four miles a day, spend 2 hours at the gym a day, work 55 hours a week, shun all carbs, and never wondered how their lop-sided lifestyles effect their stress level.

The healthiest thing you can engage your activities during the day in are the things that have meaning to you. Finding a career that's rewarding, spending time on your hobbies, having an adequate social life, resting an appropriate amount of your time, etc.

I'm kinda glad to know that it's not just America, but I'm still sure we're the most silly about it, just considering our roots.

[Idaho]

From what I can work out - the problem with health in the US is that most of you eat junk food. I've been told that it's relatively hard to get fresh vegtables in some cities.

[Don Corleone]

Careful now Idaho, that foot is getting dangerously close to your mouth... you do know that the percentage of overweight & obese people is growing more rapidly in Europe and several countries have already passed the US? Regardless of our poor eating habits, I wouldn't be so smug as it seems you're in the same boat.

[Proletariat]

On second thought, I'll hold my tongue.

[Don Corleone]

Would that last comment be part of the 'striving for mental health' that you were talking about?

I know the Red Sox game yesterday certainly qualifies. I agree, so long as self-indulgence doesn't become a habit. "Success can test many men beyond suffering." (Bonus points to anyone who can name the movie that's from).

[Proletariat]

Would that last comment be part of the 'striving for mental health' that you were talking about?

Maybe 'striving to keep my edit button' is more accurate.

(At least Mussina sucks.)