Ian McLean Spokesperson for the Green Party

Notions of bigotry, bias, racism, extremism, fundamentalism and more, can be captured in one simple phrase: intolerance of how others differ from me. Cue the Pakeha Party.

This is not a new idea, despite the media attention, but has suddenly gained traction. Redress is apparently needed because a portion of the population distinguishable by racial origin appears to be disadvantaged by a political process. Sound familiar?

And now for a new distraction on the small screen. A lesbian couple (with three children) were selected to build the house of their dreams on the TV programme ‘Mitre 10 Dream Home'.

Lesbians with children. The kids are from a previous relationship, although many gay women (and some men) are choosing to have children when in an established gay relationship. Surprise! It turns out that the biological imperative to be a parent is independent of sexual preference (reference Sir Elton John).

That couple have become a target for people who feel threatened by gender preference issues. Some of the comments have been extreme, senseless, and seriously hurtful.

As presented, Jay and Amanda are doing their best to live regular lives, make a living, look after their children, and maintain a relationship with the estranged father of the kids that Amanda brought to the relationship. Sounds a lot like many of the people I know.

It is hard enough to survive in Christchurch today without the added stress of being the target of bigotry. Jay and Amanda, along with Mitre 10 Dream Home, made some brave decisions and deserve applause.

The letters to the editor sections of our media are currently filled with some pretty distasteful commentary on Maori settlements. The settlements may be part of a political process, but their effects are redress and community support. These are good outcomes.

If we look beyond ourselves, focus on building relationships, and stop attacking others for being a little different, we might just manage to create a safe, secure and resilient community.

Ian McLean is a spokesperson for the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. He can be contacted by calling 021 547556 or 07 5794670 or emailing ian.mclean@greens.org.nz