Monday, March 26, 2007

Feilding Rally Report

Gidday Folks,

Attended the Feilding rally. About 200 or 300 there. One protestor for the other side. She didn't even know what Section 59 says when we got talking to her! Yet she retorted that she wouldn't talk to people with no brains like us anymore. So she talked to the media...they were keen to talk to her.
The Mum who organised it gave a passionate speech, saying precisely what most mums would say to Bradford and Clark. Get a life.

Craig Smith

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Rangiora March Report

This report from the Rangiora march comes courtesy of Lennie:

The march went well. There were at least 150 people who took part. The organisers handed out A4 sized signs to those who didn't have one. Marc Alexander and Ron Mark (MPs) spoke at the destination of the march. The march itself was only around the block, but did go through a piece of main street. There were 4 people picketing our march with signs saying *would Jesus have smacked his children?* They got some remarks as the march went past them, but that's all. Clayton Cosgrove MP had his bus in the main street as we marched past. He was busy collecting signatures to get Telecom to extend their toll boundaries... mmm.

Susan Peach is writing to the editor of the North Canterbury News and The Press to indicate the bias of reporting of the march. The national news on TV1 said "those for and against" were out. But of course they neglected to say that those against the bill who were out, counted 150 at least, and those for only 4....

If we can get to the Chch one, we'll go there too. Depends on whether we can find the travel money :-)

Lennie.

Feilding Protest

Friends, It is official:
There will be a protest gathering in Feilding on Monday, 12 noon, at theclock tower.
Bring balloons and placards.
Bring all your friends, too!
Craig Smith

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Smacking Quotes

"Sue Bradford ... was asked whether it would be possible to smack children after her bill becomes law - and she said no."

- Newtalk ZB, March 15, 2007


"This whole debate is about whether or not parents who smack should be prosecuted."

- Chester Burrows, March 13, 2007


"It should not, one would have thought, have been beyond the ability of our Parliamentarians to come up with a law which says a slap on the hand or bum with the open hand is OK, and anything else is not. But it looks like they can’t manage that."

- Transtasman, 15 March 2007


Bob McCroskie:
"So you do not want to see smacking banned?"

Helen Clark: "Absolutely not, I think you are trying to defy human nature."

- Radio Rhema, 2005

Wellington March Transport Details

If you are travelling into Wellington for the march next Wednesday and you either need a lift, or can provide one, please post here. It is VITAL that we have as many people as possible attend. Thanks

Nelson March

Please post info here

Rangiora March

Please post info here

Masterton March

Please post details here

Other Marches

Please post any information on other marches here. If you have a request for a new blog topic regarding this, please e-mail antiantismacking@gmail.com. Thanks

Dunedin March

Please post here if you are interested in organising/helping to organise a march in Dunedin.

Christchurch March

Please post here if you are interested in organising/helping to organise a march in Christchurch.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Anti Smacking Bill

Public March on Parliament To Protest Anti-Smacking Bill

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people."

Abraham Lincoln once used these golden words to describe the purpose of politicians in a free society. Yet with polls now showing over 80% of New Zealanders in opposition to Sue Bradford's proposed anti-smacking bill, it is clear that our current government no longer understands why they have been elected. In accordance with another cornerstone of a free society, freedom of speech and freedom to dissent, Coalition Against Nanny State’s Anti-Smacking Law (CANSAL) will be staging a peaceful march on Parliament to remind our politicians just whom they are elected to serve.


Sue Bradford's bill, proposing to remove the right of parents to use a smack as a form of correction for children, will turn loving parents into criminals. The bill strikes at the very foundations of the family structure. Will parents who choose to smack be 'ratted out,' Soviet-style, by teachers or neighbours? The proposed law would compel the police to get involved in cases where they have no place - wasting valuable time and resources – and give them no discretion, as they themselves have said, as to whether they use common sense in deciding whether to arrest. Indeed, being that one of the jobs of MPs when passing laws is to make them unambiguous, it is outrageous that the police are now going to be put in an even more uncertain position. This will subject the police to more and more public anger – hardly what they need.


I, like many other New Zealanders, was smacked as a child when I deserved it. To think that my parents could have been taken away from me for their actions in correcting me is incomprehensible. What we have now is government of the people, by the Politically Correct, for the Politically Correct. The bureaucrats have stolen our cash, they have interfered with our property, and now they are trying to invade our homes. It's time to push back. The present law allowing "reasonable force" should be left intact.

The protest march will start at Civic Square at noon on Wednesday 28 March.


ENDS


For more information, see http://smackingback.blogspot.com/ or e-mail antiantismacking@gmail.com


Mitch Lees
Representative
Phone: 027 243 1676
E-mail: antiantismacking@gmail.com
Coalition Against Nanny State’s Anti-Smacking Law
http://smackingback.blogspot.com/