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/

14 comments:

Andy said...

Come on Wellington!

Luke H said...

I'll be there!

toad said...

March for the right to hit children? Not likely!

What about our children's right to live free from violence? Or are the rights of adults to be violent to their children somehow more important to you lot?

As Pita Sharples says, we should be trasuring our children, not hitting them. If hitting them is the only way you can teach them how to behave, I suggest you go to the SKIP webpage.

Andy said...

Hi toad.

It's parents who should make this call, not politicians.

It's a march to let the Government that they're going to far.

A smack from a loving parent is not violence.

Kiwis want to keep Section 59

This website helps you to email the MPs, and also has updates on the Section 59 debate.

theSECTION59blog

Just my opinion said...

Toad, since when did you want the Govt getting involved with how you bring up your children?

Next they will legislating what you feed them and what time they go to bed.

They already tell us they know best when it comes to telling us where our kids go to school, surely you wouldn't mind having some say in your own family affairs?

Vanilla said...

Doctors were the first to smack babies when first born. Are they now criminals? There is a difference between smacking and hitting. This is a conscience issue, and the PM is still flip-flopping away with it. Parents freedom to choose, also in article 5 of the rights of the child are violated.

Let's do it Wellington. The whole 80% of NZers should show what democracy is about with this government. Hope there's a huge rally in Auckland later.

dad4justice said...

You know what us concerned Canterbury parents and family members are like, we can out do Wellington with a protest on the same day? How about a gathering, same kick off time? Great chance to get some signatures for the petitions against the bill.Children deserve a good turn at all Marchs' by concerned kiwi's .Peaceful protests are the way to go .

Tim said...

Is there something happening in Canterbury?

dad4justice said...

The magic of youthful enthusiasm combined with being a tough minded optimist does make the possibility a reality .

Boss lady said...

Yo, Toad,
How many children have you got?

Boss lady said...

What I'm afraid of with this anti-smacking thing is that we'll get an increase in serious child abuse from parents who would normally NEVER countenance it.
It is surely better to deliver a light smack when necessary and when the parent is in control than to lose control out of sheer frustration and 'smack' the child against a wall or something, causing severe damage?

Andy said...

Tim, yes there is a March going to be held in Christchurch. Also a smaller one in Rangiora.

See details for the marches here: www.politik.co.nz

Lynton and Anna Baird said...

Can you please make sure people know not to produce signs that personally attack or threaten Sue or Helen and that everyone leaves their wooden spoons etc at home??!!

We don’t want this to be another 'enough is enough' march that gives the opponents exactly what they want to see.

teresa said...

im really against the anti-smacking bill..
i really cannot believe the bill has been accepted.
im just furious at the fact that this bill has given children and teenagers the advantage to use this against their own family!hardworking family,loving and caring!
not only this affects just mothers and fathers..this invovles the granparents too!.
families know what is right for there children!
i admitt that i have been beaten and hit!.but still i learn from my mistakes!and it has taught me a lesson!.its love!!parents just want whats best for their children!.
whats better?children fear from their parents?or parents fear from their children???

this is stupid!.
pretty soon children will be running the shots!! all because of this bill.

now do we want this for our nation?

i dont think so!.