21 April 2007 - Family Integrity - Summary of Section 59 and what we can continue to be doing.

21 April 2007 - Family Integrity - Summary of Section 59 and what we can continue to be doing.

Greetings all,

The latest on Section 59 of the Crimes Act 1961

Please follow through on reading the links as there is a lot of good information in these links below.

1. Questions for Key & Bradford: Well, it appears John Key of National and Bradford are meeting on ANZAC Day, Wednesday 25 April, to talk about Bradford's Bill to usurp parental authority by making it illegal to use any kind of reasonable force to correct your own children.

Bombard Key and Bradford with the following requests, Numbered "One" through "Five"............ Click on this link for more info including contact details: details: http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/20-april-2007-family-integrity-226.html

John Key says: Let me know your thoughts on the anti-smacking bill at: http://www.johnkey.co.nz

2. Summary of Timaru Riding Crop cases: Things around the Section 59 debate are getting very heated, very confused, somewhat scary and way off topic.

The pro-repeal side have taken the lady from Timaru wielding the riding crop as their "poster girl" to advertise why parents should be legally forbidden to use a Section 59 defense, or any defense, to correct their children using reasonable force, regardless of how light it might be: because, they claim, it too easily leads to horrendous acts of violence and abuse against children that are subsequently "let off" by the courts when the parents and their clever lawyers bring up Section 59 and plead something along the lines that parents have a right to discipline their own children.

This kind of explanation is clearly a mix of truth and error.................... Read more at this link: http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/17-april-2007-family-integrity-223.html

3. Response to Labour form email: Below is a form letter being sent out by various Labour MPs in response to letters they receive on the Section 59 issue. I've responded to many of the inaccurate and spurious things these Labour ideologists say and thought you might be interested in the arguments yourselves............ http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/5-april-2007-family-integrity-216.html

4. Response to Bradford's latest form email: http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/11-april-2007-family-integrity-218.html

5. Petition: As of 16 April 2007, 150,745 signatures had been received on Sheryl Savill's Citizens Initiated Referendum on the question, "should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand? Read more here: http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/16-april-2007-larry-baldock-and-sheryl.html.

Larry Baldock says "Without your initiative to go out and get signatures we could never have reached this point after only six weeks. Remember Please send in what you have collected each week if possible to make it easier on our mail openers!" For some comments, ideas, reminders, answers to FAQ and plans go to: http://tvornz.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!A93B6100E328706D!367.entry and Larry says under plans "....As much as possible we need to keep steadily collecting through April and then be prepared for another major effort when the media and public interest will again be aroused for two weeks at least. Once we have a total of more than 200,000 it should be clear to all MP's that we are definitely going to have a referendum......"

To download Petition forms go to: http://www.FamilyIntegrity.org.nz

6. Continue to lobby the MPs and NGO's supporting this Bill

EMAIL: Consider sending an email to all the MPs using one of these links:
http://starstuddedsuperstep.com/section59/htm/mp_vote.htm

This has got to be the easiest way for every Kiwi to email the pro-repeal, pro-Bradford's Bill MPs.
It's dead easy, just click on a hyperlink and the email program opens up - saves quite a bit of hassle.

or

http://www.familyintegrity.org.nz/page/588413

The pro repeal lobby have set up websites to make it easier for them to email the MPs so the MPs are getting a lot of emails now from both sides. We need to keep the pressure on and not let the pro emails overtake the against emails. Make sure that you clearly show in the subject line what your email is about:

"Don't repeal Section 59"
"Don't vote for the Select Committee's amendment on Section 59" etc
Send these often each week.

For a list of specific MPs to target go to:
http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/files/MPs%20to%20target%20re%20smacking.xls

LETTER: A very effective way to lobby, no stamp required to any MP. Address to: (First Name)(Last Name), c/- Parliament Buildings, Wellington

FAX: This costs a bit more and is time consuming but effective.

PHONING: This is much easier to do than it would seem. You just ring the MP's office and say "Please add my name to the list of people you have who are against the Repeal or amendment of Section 59". You have to give your name of course and that as it.

VISIT: This is by far the hardest to do for some people. But this is most certainly the most effective way to lobby.

MARCHES: have been in some Towns/Cities because on one person standing up and organising a march or a gathering in the centre of their town. You could do it in your town. Just give us a ring or email us and we will put you in touch with organises of the previous marches for helpful hints on doing this. Many Marches are being planned for May - if your town doesn't have a march yet then perhaps consider being the coordinator.

March in Feilding Monday 23 April: http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/21-april-2007-family-integrity-227.html

Mass gathering outside Parliament Wednesday 2 May: http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/mass-gathering-against-anti-smacking.html

The group in Dunedin were going to have a march there but decided that their time would be better spent going out collecting signatures for the Petition. This is a consideration as well.

Write letters to editors and NGOs, talk on talk back shows, get your friends, relations and neighbours involved

Consider telling NGOs that you will be withdrawing your support if they continue to support the repeal or amendment of Section 59.

7. ROBERT E. LARZELERE PhD

Family First NZ, with the support of For the Sake of Our Children Trust and Sensible Sentencing Trust, is bringing to New Zealand ROBERT E. LARZELERE PhD, Associate Professor of the Psychology Dept. Human Development & Family Science at Oklahoma State University to present the dangers of the 'Anti-Smacking' Bill on the important role of parents and the well-being of our children. For a press release click on this link: http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/17-april-2007-joint-media-statement.html.

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT DR LARZELERE AND HIS VISIT AT: http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/files/larzelere%20info%20sheet.pdf

8. Dates Section 59 due to come up in Parliament: http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/next-debate-in-parliament-about-section.html

9. Press Release from Family First----- Cases Prove Child Abuse Not Being Protected by Section 59
http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/21-april-2007-family-first-cases-prove.html

10. 35987 people have voted in this poll so far-Make sure you vote too: http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/04/please-vote-in-this-poll.html

Lets keep the pressure on the MPs over the next few weeks. Remember the other side is sending in lots of emails, letters, faxes and visiting and phoning the MPs. Let us not grow weary in well doing. We need to not only be sending in emails, letters, faxes and visiting and phoning our MPs but also encouraging our friends, neighbours and relations in this as well. It is so encouraging to see people who have never got involved in Politics before getting involved now. This is an issue worth fighting for ---- for our children and future generations.

Regards
Craig and Barbara
PO Box 9064, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Phone: (06) 357-4399 or (06) 354-7699
Fax: (06) 357-4389
http://www.hef.org.nz
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KiwiSmithFamily/
http://www.familyintegrity.org.nz
http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/

if Section59 is repealed - or replaced...
YOU CAN KISS YOUR CHILDREN GOODBYE.
http://www.storesonline.com/members/846699/uploaded/Brochure_-_Kiss_Children_Goodbye_7.pdf