National promotes legalized hatred of prisoners

Bill to stop prisoners voting
A bill to prevent those behind bars from voting passed its first reading yesterday amid heated debate in the House, during which the Green Party were called communists, National's Sandra Goudie gleefully used the word "duh" and Labour's Chris Hipkins found himself in the rather unusual position of agreeing with Hone Harawira. The Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill passed under the usual rhetoric from both sides of the House - "soft on crime" versus "dog-whistle politics". At present prisoners serving a term of three or more years cannot vote. Prior to 1993, when this law came into effect, imprisoned convicts could not vote.
National's Paul Quinn, who submitted the bill, said prisoners had transgressed against society and it was time to consider where to draw "the line in the sand". Act MP David Garrett said blood had been spilled in some parts of the world, such as England, to secure the right to vote.

National's Paul Quinn, what a smug smarmy little Tory this one is eh kids? Pointless dog whistle legalized hatred towards prisoners just to rob them of ANY rights whatsoever. It's a "Line in the sand" is it Paul? Pointless hate is a line in the sand is it? Because I think you are a line in the sand Paul between reasonable social policy and clown, why don't you just go the whole hog Paul and pass legislation for the words "Filthy Crim' to be branded onto each of their foreheads, go on Paul, I know you want to do that, your slathering National and ACT Party voters want that, why not really draw a line in the sand and brand these prisoners for life you sanctimonious ignorant sack of shit.

Removing a Prisoner incarcerated for less than 3 years their ability to vote removes any connection a Prisoner might have with civil society, it was created for Prisoners who are inside for less than 3 years because the decision of the election will impact them one way or another once they are released within the lifetime of that Government, as Hone put it "motivation of targeting people who are already isolated from our society ... except to punish them, to prove how nasty and vicious this society can be ... and to show what a callous and depraved society we really are."

Of course this will be loved by the redneck faction of NZ society who would gleefully turn up to public executions. Crime has become a news item fetish since the deregulation of TV, in 1984 40% of TV news in NZ was political issue based, after deregulation it dropped to 20% while crime news skyrocketed. We have become so easily led by anger caused by the myopic media focus on crime it has overwhelmed our logic and reason. Petty nasty legislation to remove someone incarcerated for less than 3 years from voting does nothing to improve the situation, it simply isolates and removes prisoners even further from civil society.

What a nasty, bitter little petty place NZ has become under this National ACT Party Government.