Parihaka

Norightturn wrote an interesting post about Parihaka, and ended with this:

Why should we remember Parihaka? For the same reason we remember any event in history: to avoid repeating it. Parihaka was a gross injustice, but it is also a warning of what happens when government acts on fear and without respect for human rights. Only by acknowledging and remembering it can we hope to avoid making the same mistake in the future.

I don't remember Parihaka to try and avoid it happen again; I remember Parihaka to make it happen again.

I never looked at history and think of the implications for those in power. I'm on the opposite side from them. For me, the point of studying history is to learn about resistance, to remember that we can fight and win, and that it's worth fighting, even if you lose.