New Zealand loses yet another freedom

[Topher]

This is sad. I don't understand how anyone can live somewhere where they don't even have freedom of speech. Do you guys feel happy living there knowing you're constantly being oppressed? Honestly, I can’t fathom the inhumanities you must witness living on the bottom side of the world. Are you guys 4real?

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3309227&page=1

[Drakona]

And French parents must choose from an approved list. The laws are designed to prevent teasing.

Wow. France has laws designed to control playground teasing. I did not think it was possible to enhance my perception of the French as weenies.

I was wrong.

[CDN_Merlin]

Try putting yourself in the shoes of a kids who's name is 4real or apple or whatever stupid arse name your parents thought of while doing LSD?

The law is there to protect the kids.

[Ford Prefect]

I can’t fathom the inhumanities you must witness living on the bottom side of the world.

Yes another day of oppression in the Socialist Hell of New Zealand. Poor people must be lining up at every embassy in town to get visa's out.

[Flabby Chick]

Facists. Let's bomb the bastids and call every one Phil and Iris.

[DCrazy]

The law is there to protect the kids.

It seems like every time I hear that explanation it's attached to something disturbing.

Legislating videogame distribution? FOR THE KIDS
Censoring Internet content? FOR THE KIDS
Preventing you from naming your kid what you want? FOR THE KIDS

But on a side note, those parents should be smacked.

[CDN_Merlin]

But on a side note, those parents should be smacked.

BIG TIME!

[Flabby Chick]

I wonder if anyone's going to figure out Topher's post..

[Dakatsu]

If you were to name your kid \"4real\", he would become a rapper:
\"Yo dis is JayZ & Big Boi up in dis ★■◆● wit 50 cent and Fo' Reel in da crip, dawg!\"

I agree with DCrazy, the United States needs one new piece of legislation, which allows for the creation for the PSA: Parent Slapping Administration. It would solve alot of problems like these

[Gooberman]

Try putting yourself in the shoes of a kids who's name is 4real or apple or whatever stupid arse name your parents thought of while doing LSD?

The law is there to protect the kids.

I never realized tell now how cool it would be to have a name like apple.

[roid]

I wonder if anyone's going to figure out Topher's post..

mobi bait AMIRITE?

[Ferno]

\"protect the kids\"

LOL

[Mobius]

Heh - I'll bite.

But thread title is inaccurate: you can't lose a right you never had in the first place. New Zealand doesn't have a constitution (and judging by the state of yours right now, I'm kinda glad about that! ) and only recently have we had the equivalent of the Bill Of Rights.

The NZ government can regulate any damn thing they please, at any damn time they like, provided they can get more than 50% of parliament to vote for it.

Since the advent of MMP (Mixed Member Proportional) voting (the same system as Germany) NZ has never had a majority government. While this does bring about a bit of the tail wagging the dog, it does put severe constraints on what legislation the government can pass. Historically, minor parties have tended to form working relationships with the majority party to form a government - and this is the way NZ seems to like it (up to now, but the conservative opposition would now rule along if elections were held tomorrow). Additionally, minor parties who have tried to wag the dog have been mercilessly punished in the polls in teh next elections.

So far the system seems robust and we have few complaints - except about the stinking left-wing crap we've been putting up with for years, and the diabolically large government budget surpluses which (AFAIK) are the largest in the OECD by population. We won't discuss private debt, as this is simply huge.

This isn't remotely about that \"4real\" kids name, and all I can say about that is thank god someone at \"hatch, match and dispatch\" is smart enough to decline the name.

[Mobius]

I agree with DCrazy, the United States needs one new piece of legislation, which allows for the creation for the PSA: Parent Slapping Administration. It would solve alot of problems like these

A good friend of mine, Dougal's favourite saying is; "Chris, the world would be a much better place if there were a lot more people getting slapped."

[Mobius]

On a serious, yet slightly funny note:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070625/ap_ ... ong_hits_4

The \"Bong Hits 4 Jesus\" supreme court decision is a kick in the teeth for your kid's freedoms.

See, in NZ it never would have even been an issue, because no policeman would EVER think it acceptable to take a banner from a person like this - no matter what any school principle said to them.

So, it seems we can do a pretty decent job without a constitution to rape and pillage.

Topher - back to you now...

[Ford Prefect]

\"hatch, match and dispatch\"