Politics and Prose

Finally, an event that mixes both politics and prose.  The New Zealand Society of Authors is hosting an event tonight on what politicians think of the arts. Plenty of MPs attending and should be a good lot of debate.  If you’re interested in either politics or writing, get on down to Turnbull House.  It should be a good night for all.

From the NZSA:

Through its annual Politics and Writing forum, the New Zealand Society of Authors has established a regular and highly productive dialogue about the business of writing in New Zealand with parliamentarians who are their parties’ spokespeople on the arts.

These forums are influencing the political agenda.  They give voice to issues that affect New Zealand’s working writers and the spokespeople on the arts are listening. One of them recently described the annual forum as “the single most effective piece of lobbying the publishing industry does each year with politicians.”

Politics and Writing 2008 will take place on Monday, June 30, in the Large Gallery, Turnbull House,

A great articile from the latest “trans-Tasman” out today on the recent crime wave in South Auckland. 

NZ’s sombre political mood has become even darker in the wake of South Auckland ’s latest crime wave. The headlines which followed (“Residents living in fear as police hunt killers” and “Fear on Streets in Manukau” ) are the kind damaging any Govt. Security, for most citizens, is the primary role of a Govt, and when, for whatever reason, the security fails or is eroded, the political backlash can be lethal. Helen Clark was quickly on the case, calling for reforms in the liquor laws in response to the first killing. And Opposition Leader John Key targeted the issue as soon as Parliament met again on Tuesday.

The difficulty for the Govt is the crime wave stems from a new phenomenon of youth gangs disconnected from the social patterns of their parents, and there is no simple solution to what is a complex problem. The Govt gets no credit for the fact the crime rate nationally has fallen, nor for the measures it has taken to reinforce the social work undertaken by both central and local agencies. Polling has shown law and order as the top concern of voters all year, well ahead even of economic issues, and it is seen as the main reason Labour’s support is collapsing in marginal seats like Rotorua, Taupo, Hamilton West, Otaki and generally through the provinces.

The perception is under the Labour-led coalition, what had come to be regarded as a macho culture within the police has been so emasculated its rules of engagement no longer provide effective security, as the unfortunate events in South Auckland demonstrated. Those events added to the pressure the Govt is under on issues of competence and credibility. National’s shadow cabinet has been working on law and order issues as a priority, but is resisting pressure to disclose new policy until closer to the election, fearing its opponents will steal it. Almost certainly it will separate out the portfolios of police and justice, at present held by Annette King, and entrust them to front-bench heavyweights (Simon Power, Gerry Brownlee and Tony Ryall would be contenders for one or other of these portfolios).

An interesting perspective.

Two quotes :

On the true meaning of feminism:

“All who are genuinely committed to the advancement of women can and must offer a woman or a girl who is pregnant, frightened, and alone a better alternative than the destruction of her own unborn child.”
- Mary Ann Glendon, Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing , September 5, 1995

On the priorities of the modern age:

“…is it surprising that today we have become so morally blind (for wickedness blinds) that we save the baby whales at great cost, and murder millions of unborn children?”
- Alice von Hildebrand, The Privilege of Being a Woman, p.24

“One thing everyone likes to forget with this debate is that they were a foetus once…” – Anonymous

At last we can have a sensible debate on abortion as a High Court judge lays down his judgement that we do have “abortion on demand” here in New Zealand .  This from Stuff:

“Pro-life group, Right to Life has launched a court case against the Abortion Supervisory Committee, accusing it of not sufficiently regulating abortion by allowing broad interpretation of the mental health exception.”

The case was tested in the High Court to see if New Zealand ’s abortion laws really stack up.  Deceivingly, abortion is not a right in New Zealand .  When it was first made legal in 1977, the law states that only in medical-related incidents (such as psychological or physical danger) can an abortion proceed, and even if this is the case, it requires certificates from two separate GPs.

Contrary to popular belief, abortion it is not legal in New Zealand .  No one, neither a woman nor a man, has the right to an abortion just because they feel like it.  The so-called “pro-choice” lobby is, in itself, a contradiction and a farce.  They cannot be pro-choice, because abortion, in New Zealand , is not a choice.  Abortion in New Zealand can only come (legally) about if health is the primary concern.  A girl is not legally entitled to an abortion just because she wants one.

Ask anyone today what the legal standing of abortion is in New Zealand and they will tell you it’s legal.  It is not.  The right to an abortion is not a human right; it does not belong in the Bill of Rights or the Treaty of Waitangi (as even some pro-abortionists claim). 

This was the main reason for this court case – to show up the law as the faulty piece of legislation it is.

But don’t think this is a case of unintended consequences. 

Originally the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977 was created to lower the number of abortions by protecting the unborn.  However, its been high-jacked by feminists and was watered down.  They anticipated confusion and, more importantly, exploited it to ensure that a pro-abortion mentality slowly eased its way into New Zealand society.  Incremental change is always less controversial and the pro-abortion lobby epitomises cowardice.

Never has the member of the pro-abortion lobby ever lobbied for abortion of themselves.  They attack the unborn, but never advocate that their mother ought to have aborted them.  It’s a twisted irony – to promote death for others, but never for themselves.

It is the sick and irrational belief that somehow being ‘born’ qualifies you as ‘human’.  As if only those who ever cross the finishing lines at the Olympics are able to all themselves athletes; a mild case of “we’ve made it - have no pity for the rest”.  Ultimately abortion is the result of poor judgement, a sincere moral vaccum and ignorance; it is the ultimate violent act; bigotry in its perfect form; the strike against those who have no means to defend themeselve.  Abortion is the curse of individualism; that no one else matters by me, myself and my outlook in the world.

While this is not a complete victory for the pro-life movement – it is a successful test in court with a good result.  The law is riddled with loopholes and needs reform.  Question is – will reform open up a new opportunity to finally make ‘abortion on demand’ a legal and firm reality, or will it allow the unique chance for New Zealand to be the first country to affirm the rights of the unborn?

Huge congratulations to the Right to Life group who have worked tirelessly for this result.  In the end, reason and justice will prevail.

Further reading:

Statistics New Zealand - abortion statistics (also has the current laws)

http://www.voiceforlife.org.nz Voice for Life

http://www.right-to-life.org Right to Life New Zealand

Lately Sue Kedgely, together with the Greens, fresh from her return to the World Food Conference in Rome (which, laughably, Mugabe attended) have released numerous statements on food.  I think we can all safely say that one is not going to find the solution to the food crisis in the Greens manifesto.

Kedgley, in her three reports on the summit has attacked GE, most developed countries, corporations, Bill Gates, free trade and the UN itself.  She’s even gone as far as criticising protectionism – something she actively promotes. Kiwiblog does an insightful breakdown of some of what she says and how ridiculous she appears.

Then, as if there wasn’t enough evidence that the Greens are loosing the plot, Fitzsimons releases this statement on GE:

“Genetic engineering of animals - such as the various GE cow trials going on in New Zealand - are a serious animal welfare concern as they involve doping cows up on hormones, harvesting eggs surgically, killing those cows and implanting embryos surgically in surrogate mothers.”

Now are we talking GE or In vitro fertilisation?  Fitzsimons fervently supports IVF and it raises an interesting conundrum.  It seems extraordinary that one can support IVF on one hand, while opposing GE on the other, particularly in this case.  Fitzsimmons actively promotes IVF as a ‘human right’ of all women, and yet opposes it when it comes to cows.  Now, clearly, IVF does not involve the killing of women, but it does involve the killing of the unborn who are harvested in test tubes until a successful (yet highly artificial) pregnancy occurs.

It is commonly accepted that Greenies like their food organic and their contraception artificial.  But I think this takes on a whole new level.

The contradiction is lunacy and the logic despicable, but we’ve come to expect nothing less from the Greens.

I welcome your comments.

For more reading:

http://www.dioceseofscranton.org/You%20Should%20Know/BabiesInTestTubes.asp

It’s finally over!

Barack Obama has won enough superdelegates to push him over the edge, making him the unofficial Democratic Nominee for the Presidential elections later this year in November.  All he needs to do is wait until the Democratic Conference later this year to be confirmed officially the Dem. nominee (similar to Rep. John McCain).

This is a big deal for the US Elections, as the continued contest between Obama and Clinton would likely have caused irreparable damage to the party.

Hillary Clinton has accepted defeat and is talking about a possible VP position.  I think this is unlikely (because Obama will already have made some promises to certain people in order to gain the votes he needs) but he does need Clinton ’s votes for the up and coming election.

People are talking about an Obama/Clinton team as a winner but I’m not sure.  What do you think?

I can’t wait to see Obama up against McCain (who I am confident will obliterate the inexperienced Senator).

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/04/us/politics/03cnd-elect.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin