He explained it this way.
Any group that gets privileges can eventually have those taken away and, even worse, have special rules placed against them because they have made themselves different to everyone else.
In being one of the masses, a person, or group, is protected by common laws and there is safety in numbers.
That got me thinking and I could see the sense in what he was saying.
Through the years, I have seen many examples of how special treatment can turn around to bite people unexpectedly.
And this is one area where the creation of a Maori ward for Tauranga City Council has dangers.
It further strengthens the perception that many in the Maori community want special treatment and to have a greater say in things than the rest of the people in our city.
Those pushing for a Maori ward say it would provide the head that connected to the body and would strengthen the Maori voice and show true partnership.
I'm not sure the Maori voice necessarily needs to be stronger, as from what I have observed there is a great deal of respect shown to their views by councils and official organisations.
Certainly more so than to the general ratepayers.
One of the questions that come to mind is that if a Maori ward was to be created what would happen to the various iwi representatives who advise and work with the council?
Do they stay on? Are the numbers reduced? Or is the new ward councillor an extra?
And how much will it cost ratepayers? Not only for the extra representative, but all the associated positions that may ride in on his or her coat-tails.
One thing I am pleased about with the suggestion is that those who vote in the Maori ward will not be able to vote in the current ward seats. That means my "one person, one vote" beliefs are not offended.
However, the issue of political seats being based on race is not something I can support - as it is extremely divisive.
There is too much creeping "specialness" in this country and that is not a good thing in a tiny land where everyone should be working together for positive outcomes for all.
What I would like to see is for a first-rate Maori candidate to stand in the Mount-Papamoa ward by-election and try getting into council the same way as everyone else.
It would be interesting to see the result.
Go on, challenge yourselves.
AS A photographer I don't mind taking a few risks to get a good photo but, in my opinion, no image is worth putting your life in danger for.
My adage is that if it is bigger than me, can move faster than me, or can kill me ... then I'll change from a wide-angle lens to a telephoto one and stand back a bit in safety.
Unlike naturalist and wildlife film-maker Paul Rosolie, who wants the ultimate shot of an anaconda.
And I don't mean wrapped in its crushing coils - but from within its stomach.
Yup, for his art, Rosolie wants to be eaten by a giant anaconda and film it for a documentary.
He will be wearing a specially made "snake-proof" suit and will go into the monster reptile head-first.
I hope the snake-proof suit works otherwise he'll end up a character on a D-grade movie called Anaconda Returns or Son of Anaconda.
Now the closest I ever want to get to one of those massive beasties is about a metre - through a metre-thick wall of glass, that is.
AFTER last week's stroll down memory lane about the fall of the Berlin Wall, here is another tale from the German capital that spooked a lot of locals.
A Hitler impersonator is doing the rounds in Berlin, much to the consternation of the good burghers of that city.
His name is Oliver Masucci and his Hitler character is part of a movie called Look Who's Back that looks at what would happen if Hitler popped up in modern-day Berlin.
I'm guessing invading Poland probably isn't one of them, nor annexing the Sudetenland, but I digress ...
Masucci dresses as the former fuhrer and even has his intolerably wimpy moustache which, thankfully, died out with Hitler in his Berlin bunker in 1945.
