Tuesday, October 23, 2007

So, what does democracy mean round here? Really?

Last week raids were made across New Zealand supposedly in the interests of protecting 'us' from terrorism, though the actual threat has not been clarified, or indeed specified in any way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_New_Zealand_anti-terror_raids

We had lunch with politically active friends in the weekend who raised the issue with us. I had that 'mother at home out of the loop feeling' and didn't say a lot, assuming I was feeling uninformed because I hadn't been paying attention. Not so, it seems. I received a forwarded email from my sister this morning which showed that the media is being tightly manipulated and they in turn are manipulating what information we have access to. Finding out that 17 people are in prison (i.e. arrested and awaiting trial and not granted bail) galvanised me into more active pursual of information. Favourite Handyman found the wiki link I've pasted above.

We're still on the lookout for more information. After fairly idle comments about the responsibilities democracy bestows on us all earlier in the month when the local body elections were held, we are thinking that this is when democracy can be handed over or fought for. I'm getting prepared to fight for it.

Wherever you live, talk about this. Spread the thinking, no matter what you ultimately decide to think.

1 comment:

Rach said...

Sandra, I was in and out of the car after the raids and could not work out WHAT was being discussed on talkback radio with such animation. The newspaper was of no assistance in clarifying my questions (not that I looked the next day)....and when I got out of the car for the final time I ahd children to put to bed and dinner to cook and washing to bring in...and lo and behold I forgot all about it. Head Firmly Planted In Sand. Yet, philosophically I stand with you on this one!