Democracy is the one great privilege we all share. If tomorrow New Zealand collectively agrees to award the economic, legal and moral advantage to wealthy, old, white men for three more years, it will be a sad shame. I know something about privilege, because I have an awful lot of it. Im part of an impenetrable secret society called White Educated Men. Its a really good time. Our lives and social statuses are constantly enriched by privilege, whether or not we are humble enough to admit it. So if youre heading into the polling booth tomorrow, take some time tonight to think about the groups in society that could use an advantage economically, legally and morally. Think about the immediate issues we face as a country economically (child poverty, inequality, foreign ownership, asset sales), legally (mass surveillance), and morally (the protection of workers, women and children from abuse). Then vote based on the personality of the leader. Because you should. Not to choose a Prime Minister youd like to watch the rugby with, but to elect a Prime Minister we can confidently send out onto the international stage without the fear he has been lying to us, spying on our economic partners, implicated in top level corruption, or working to satisfy the urgent requests of multinational corporations. A Prime Minister who can assert himself internationally not by agreeing to compromises in a boardroom, but by taking a moral stand at the podium. If todays government has any genuine ambition to address child poverty, the housing crisis, or unemployment, it needs to read a book or two about how those things can be helped. Were smarter than that. We know in our hearts and economics textbooks that the trickle down never does. Instead, the government has run a media-focused campaign, fixated on manipulating journalists and steamrolling local conversation to win an election. Its an election of soundbites like strong stable government. Just read one international article about the 2014 election and youll feel the palpable disbelief of the international community. We look like fools. This is the last thing Ill publish before tomorrows social media blackout. If you agree with what Ive said, please share. Lets try for a record voter turnout tomorrow. Lets all take a moment tonight to be thankful for our own privileges. And lets aim to deliver a small advantage to all those underprivileged whose voices we are too frightened to allow into our precious, wealthy, old, white, male, democracy.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 03:10:40 +0000
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