An Open Letter to John Key (not about Snapper)

[source]

Dear John Key
I am one of the people who voted you into government in the last two elections. (Silly me.)
Recently your comments about New Zealanders caring more about snapper than about their right to privacy have disturbed me deeply. I am not usually particularly political, I dwell in the Centre of the political spectrum, usually leaning slightly to the right. I'm conservative and usually tend to avoid controversy and political debate. I am not a political activist. I don't have an axe to grind or a political agenda.

But you John Key (with the GCSB Bill and your dismissive comments about voters like me) you have awoken my sleeping sense of political justice and provoked me into speaking out.

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You say, "If you've nothing to hide, you've nothing to fear..."
I beg to differ.
I fear that we are not being listened to by our politicians.
I fear that you are pushing through unwanted legislation that you have no mandate for while hoping we will be distracted by fishing quotas.
I fear you are completely ignorant of the fact that you are alienating your own voters by treating us like we are stupid.
That's what I fear, John.

We don't want this legislation. We don't want our information traded to the USA, we don't want our Government spying on us - even though we are upstanding citizens who contribute to our community and "have nothing to hide".

One day a government might decide that what we consider to be freedom of speech is suddenly subversive or dangerous. That is a chance I don't want to take.

I have lost all confidence in you and your Government.
Pushing through unwanted laws "for our own good" and changing forever the fabric of our country.
Telling us we don't understand, distracting us with snapper.
I'm insulted. And annoyed. Angry even.

I have three children who will reap the harvest of these spying laws. Who knows what kind of people will one day take this information and bend and twist it for their own benefit?
We are not stupid John (except for me. I am a bit stupid for voting for you - twice - but I won't make that mistake again.)

Don't think that just because the Opposition are in disarray your disillusioned voters won't jump ship come Election time.
Remember the Anti-smacking legislation? That was a bridge too far for Labour. Even their own supporters couldn't swallow that one being rammed through for "their own good".
And this is a bridge too far for you now.

I just hope that if enough of us speak up and use our freedom of speech while we still can, a couple of flip-floppers might just flop our way and defeat this legislation.

from your former (very disappointed) supporter
.........................

Here Endeth the Letter.

[photos sourced from this photo story on the GCSB protest march on Idealog]

Now my Kiwi readers, watch this video and hear John say it with his own words:
New Zealanders care more about Snapper than the GCSB

If you are horrified (as I was) go and vote on John Campbell's opinion poll...
Have your say on the GCSB Bill

And then "like" this page
Stop the GCSB Bill

And if you want to read more here's an excellent blog post on the subject by Sophie Slim
And a somewhat controversial article on Stuff:
Why you should care about the GCSB Bill

Or start a conversation with your friends on Facebook (like my friend did... it was pages long; here's just a snippet with the surnames blocked out. But the spies would be able to hack us and find out what we said if the bill goes through...)

Now I'm off to go and email Peter Dunne (our best chance of a vote switch) peter.dunne@parliament.govt.nz