Freedom of speech?

What is the point of a democracy if the politicians don't actually listen to what we say?

This is Sue Bradford. She is the MP who has pushed (literally!) the anti-smacking bill through Parliment here.

These people don't like her. And with good reason. The anti-smacking bill is perhaps the highlight of all the stupid bills that parliment has put through. Everyone I've talked to (i.e - the plebs, the people etc) thinks this bill is a stupid idea.

It's supposed to stop child abuse. But all it does is remove "a defence for parents against assault charges if they use reasonable force to discipline their children". Basically, you can't smack your kids. How does that stop child abuse??? All it does is bring up a nation a spoiled, bratty children. I was smacked. I am a functioning, well adjusted human being. I have a university degree, and I managed to make it through life pretty well. I have a job and I am a contributing member of society.

Do I think that my parents abused me? No, I probably deserved it. Children are all different. Sure, there may be some kids who go through life never needing a smack. But there are a heck of a lot of children who do. I know some children who I love dearly who often need a smack just to keep them in line.


Anyway, this woman is probably pushing through the stupidest legislation on the face of the planet. It is ambiguous and completely unenforceable. (No, really. Tell me who is going to enforce this and how?) Not only that, she is completely ignoring public opinion in face of her own personal crusade.

There have been petitions, there have been referendums, there have been death threats - but all it does is make her even more stubborn. Perhaps if she'd been smacked as a child this would be different? She is not a popular woman at the moment.

But it all makes me wonder why we claim to be living in a democratic society when really the politicians don't even bother to listen to what the people say. Meanwhile most of us sit at home outraged about it but don't really bother to do anything to prevent it because we don't know what to do. (I am guilty of this.)

So really, what is the point? This bill isn't going to stop child abuse. People who abuse children are going to abuse them anyway. (And I am in no way saying that this is a good thing!) In the same way, Sue Bradford isn't actually going to listen to the people, she's going to push the damned legislation through parliment anyway. And it's probably going to get through.

And, like the lowering of the drinking age, it is going to cause society to continue to tumble downhill.