Sue Bradford has reportedly likened parents who lightly smack their child to the same category as child abusers and child beaters. She has allegedly indicated that all parents who smack are either religious fundamentalists, or being directed by them.
She first threatened to outlaw any form of smacking and to treat anyone guilty of this as law breakers, potentially placing good families under massive stress, and then later carried out her threat in spite of pleas for restraint and moderation from hundreds of thousands of parents.
More than a million people are feeling bruised and battered by Sue's treatment of the issue, with requests for a restraining order preventing her from approaching Parliament within 100 metres totally ignored.
In retaliation, a large majority of the population pressed for a referendum, a popular "positive democracy" approach to politics, akin to a "positive parenting" approach to child rearing. A response with an 87.6% majority indicating smacking should not be a criminal offense was achieved without the use of force. However, it appears "positive democracy" techniques are lost on Sue Bradford as well as John Key, who remain defiant and insistent they have the right to punish their constituents and ignore the will of the people.
"You are all criminals and child abusers, and we will use the force of the law to ensure you are named as such. However, we have no immediate plans to enforce the law. We will continue to call you child abusers until such time as we are prepared to move forward and take a much tougher stance, as the law can now be interpreted exactly as we wish."
Many people who believe in "positive democracy" think it sends a very bad message for our politicians to ignore the very techniques they believe are adequate for parenting. Who would have thought the very politicians that recommend such an approach are so prepared to become abusive to the general population?
Another Way of Looking at this
PS: Here's also an opportunity for Sue Bradford to understand the difference between child abuse and a smack. People that make disgusting threats against Sue Bradford are in the child abuser category. People that react by signing a referendum and then voting to produce an 87.6% majority are issuing a "light smack" at worst, or are engaged in positive democratic participation. The politicians need to understand the profound difference, and be mature about respecting the outcome of the referendum. They have not done so to date.
She first threatened to outlaw any form of smacking and to treat anyone guilty of this as law breakers, potentially placing good families under massive stress, and then later carried out her threat in spite of pleas for restraint and moderation from hundreds of thousands of parents.
More than a million people are feeling bruised and battered by Sue's treatment of the issue, with requests for a restraining order preventing her from approaching Parliament within 100 metres totally ignored.
In retaliation, a large majority of the population pressed for a referendum, a popular "positive democracy" approach to politics, akin to a "positive parenting" approach to child rearing. A response with an 87.6% majority indicating smacking should not be a criminal offense was achieved without the use of force. However, it appears "positive democracy" techniques are lost on Sue Bradford as well as John Key, who remain defiant and insistent they have the right to punish their constituents and ignore the will of the people.
"You are all criminals and child abusers, and we will use the force of the law to ensure you are named as such. However, we have no immediate plans to enforce the law. We will continue to call you child abusers until such time as we are prepared to move forward and take a much tougher stance, as the law can now be interpreted exactly as we wish."
Many people who believe in "positive democracy" think it sends a very bad message for our politicians to ignore the very techniques they believe are adequate for parenting. Who would have thought the very politicians that recommend such an approach are so prepared to become abusive to the general population?
Another Way of Looking at this
PS: Here's also an opportunity for Sue Bradford to understand the difference between child abuse and a smack. People that make disgusting threats against Sue Bradford are in the child abuser category. People that react by signing a referendum and then voting to produce an 87.6% majority are issuing a "light smack" at worst, or are engaged in positive democratic participation. The politicians need to understand the profound difference, and be mature about respecting the outcome of the referendum. They have not done so to date.
Silly Sue is Smacking Good Satire, surely to God?
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