NZ was the first self-governing country in the world where women won the right to vote. My petition requests a visible acknowledgement of that hard-won achievement.
As a Canadian (settler) male, I give thanks to the brave women of your nation for their sacrifices, as our proud and enviable Nation of Nations & Commonwealth sister to yours is immeasurably better for the contributions of our female voters past and ongoing.
You note, quite reasonably imho, “I’m not going to pretend that women have a perfect track record in anything. However, we don’t call for the removal of men as a group from having a say in politics because they’re imperfect, do we?”
I’m a firm believer that our continued freedoms depend on implementing a reasonable trio of gates for suffrage, borrowing from the eternal wisdom of carnivals:
1. “You must be this rational to vote,”
2. “You must be this informed to vote,” and
3. “You must be this empathetic to vote.”
None of these three should be onerous, and our societies should work tirelessly to promote those three civic virtues, but the truly insane, ignorant, and sociopathic have no business being part of the process of determining governance for our pluralistic, secular, and democratic societies.
It’s a pipe dream, I acknowledge, as it’s surely impossible for those gates to remain unbiased by political pressures & venal interests, but what I truly yearn for is a society in which none of these 3 filters would exclude a single citizen: quality mental health care, reason-based education, and interpersonal relationship instruction should be ubiquitous so that no potential voter is ever left behind, and to allow every individual to maximize their potential to the extent they desire.
Signed and I agree with you Katrina. For me women are too often dismissed and men who should be aren't. This was an importent part of our history and should be celebrated and remembered.
I totally support what you say, Katrina. My only concern is that when you mention how the Trans, Rainbow, Pride/Progress, Bisexual, and Intersex flags are not being flown in recognition of anything notable, I think that those activist groups will certainly argue that legislation covering Homosexual Law Reform, Civil Unions, Gay Marriage rights, etc etc, are battles that were hard won and worth flying their flags for. And I fear both major parties are woke enough to believe them.
I did ponder on that, but decided that it was only the rainbow flag which represented that, and the others represented nothing. The rainbow flag was never flown at the time of those achievements, but only flown when it got caught up with the TQ+. It's now become symbolic of 'gender identity' and not the achievements you mention. That is the argument I'll be putting forward, if challenged.
Given that our rights are bring repressed our selves demeaned our being appropriated as man face we certainly need to symbolically herald that we shall overcome the insanity.
A great petition with a very reasonable demand, considering how important this day is. I think that the UK Women's Suffrage Flag is Green White and Violet, from top to bottom, to represent the demand Give Women the Vote.
Yes, there’s been some discussion about which way the flag goes, but after a bit of research, I could only find that it was flown with the purple stripe at the top when it was displayed in the 100 year commemoration of UK women getting the vote.
Signed thank you…I’ve not voted left so whoever said all
Women do is wrong…so much wrong these days! And one big wrong is women being so very dismissed!! Especially in the midwifery area!!
Signed and about to be restacked.
As a Canadian (settler) male, I give thanks to the brave women of your nation for their sacrifices, as our proud and enviable Nation of Nations & Commonwealth sister to yours is immeasurably better for the contributions of our female voters past and ongoing.
You note, quite reasonably imho, “I’m not going to pretend that women have a perfect track record in anything. However, we don’t call for the removal of men as a group from having a say in politics because they’re imperfect, do we?”
I’m a firm believer that our continued freedoms depend on implementing a reasonable trio of gates for suffrage, borrowing from the eternal wisdom of carnivals:
1. “You must be this rational to vote,”
2. “You must be this informed to vote,” and
3. “You must be this empathetic to vote.”
None of these three should be onerous, and our societies should work tirelessly to promote those three civic virtues, but the truly insane, ignorant, and sociopathic have no business being part of the process of determining governance for our pluralistic, secular, and democratic societies.
It’s a pipe dream, I acknowledge, as it’s surely impossible for those gates to remain unbiased by political pressures & venal interests, but what I truly yearn for is a society in which none of these 3 filters would exclude a single citizen: quality mental health care, reason-based education, and interpersonal relationship instruction should be ubiquitous so that no potential voter is ever left behind, and to allow every individual to maximize their potential to the extent they desire.
Thank you - and a thought-provoking comment :-)
Signed and I agree with you Katrina. For me women are too often dismissed and men who should be aren't. This was an importent part of our history and should be celebrated and remembered.
I totally support what you say, Katrina. My only concern is that when you mention how the Trans, Rainbow, Pride/Progress, Bisexual, and Intersex flags are not being flown in recognition of anything notable, I think that those activist groups will certainly argue that legislation covering Homosexual Law Reform, Civil Unions, Gay Marriage rights, etc etc, are battles that were hard won and worth flying their flags for. And I fear both major parties are woke enough to believe them.
I did ponder on that, but decided that it was only the rainbow flag which represented that, and the others represented nothing. The rainbow flag was never flown at the time of those achievements, but only flown when it got caught up with the TQ+. It's now become symbolic of 'gender identity' and not the achievements you mention. That is the argument I'll be putting forward, if challenged.
Good argument
Yep - good argument!
Given that our rights are bring repressed our selves demeaned our being appropriated as man face we certainly need to symbolically herald that we shall overcome the insanity.
Signed
Signed as this is significant for all of NZ. I disagree with all the random woke fly anything approach we currently have.
A great petition with a very reasonable demand, considering how important this day is. I think that the UK Women's Suffrage Flag is Green White and Violet, from top to bottom, to represent the demand Give Women the Vote.
Yes, there’s been some discussion about which way the flag goes, but after a bit of research, I could only find that it was flown with the purple stripe at the top when it was displayed in the 100 year commemoration of UK women getting the vote.