The Wanganui Council Prayer Row

Nearly 50% of the Wanganui region do not count themselves as Christian and the council is refusing to acknowledge that by insisting they read a Christian prayer at the beginning of every meeting to bless the decisions made on our behalf. This whole thing started when a councillor stood up for the rights of one of us who wrote to the mayor and asked that something be done about it. Now his personal beliefs are on public show and his kids are being targeted for it. This isn't right at all! One person shouldn't be left to deal with this! This is a human rights issue! If we dont speak out now - they're gonna think that they can take away our rights any time they please. I'm going to send the council a letter and I'd really like to urge you to join me. Please help me to speak out! Here is what I propose.......

 We write to the Wanganui Mayor and quote Lesley Rudhall's original statement......

"I object to anyone's religious beliefs being imposed on others. Religious worship has no place in a secular debating chamber that exists to serve all sections of the community, regardless of their religious beliefs, or indeed lack of them,"

That's all we gotta do - make sure they know that we will not go quietly into the night. 

The mayors email address is: mayorandcouncillors@wanganui.govt.nz
Below is my own submission.....you are very welcome to use it.

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Dear Ms Main,

I am writing to you in support of the removal of the Christian prayer from the formal proceedings of the Whanganui District Council Meetings. Since the proceedings and decisions therein are conducted on my behalf, I do not feel that the prayer is appropriate as it does not respect my beliefs. 

"I object to anyone's religious beliefs being imposed on others. Religious worship has no place in a secular debating chamber that exists to serve all sections of the community, regardless of their religious beliefs, or indeed lack of them,"

I would like to see the prayer either removed entirely or adjusted to a non-denominational affirmation.

Thank you for your time

.............................(sign your name here)

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Submission to parliament concerning the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2)

This bill implements the recommendations of the Law Commission in relation to the protection of children and young persons from assault, neglect, and ill treatment. This was my submission to the committee, made in an attempt to help to stop the child abuse and murder happening in my country - feel free to use it.

There have been so many children tortured and murdered by the very people who are supposed to be protecting them. Countless more suffer every day at the hands of their so-called family and guardians. This continues to happen in our country because our laws are lax, because people are afraid to get involved, because the organisations that have been put in place to help these children are failing and because our society is sick.

Please, please, please do something to help these children. If you cannot help them by revamping the procedures CYPS and other child protection agencies have in place, at least change the penalties for child abuse, child neglect and child murder.

I am asking you to make the penalties extremely severe by the simple fact that the victim is a child. Many of the killers are charged with manslaughter or injury causing death. This cannot be - this is unjust and it takes no amount of that child's suffering into account. When someone beats and tortures a child, they are responsible for a lifetime of emotional anguish from that point on and should pay for it accordingly. When someone beats a child to death, it is murder and the penalty should be to the fullest extant of the law. When someone watches it and allows it to happen - they are just as responsible and should also pay to the fullest extant of the law.

There are no excuses for the torturing and the killing of a child. There are no excuses for allowing it to continue.

Thank you for your time.

Letter in Support of the NZ Breakfast in Schools Programme

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to you to urge you and your company to support the Breakfast in Schools Programme. This programme supplies breakfasts to over 1600 NZ school children at decile 1 schools. These are children living in the poorest areas throughout NZ. 

The major sponsor, Countdown supermarkets has just pulled out on them, forcing the programme to shut down. 

NZ is at a time when poverty is rife and many of these are children are already suffering malnourishment - these kids desperately need your help.  I urge you to contact the Red Cross, who are the main organisers of the programme. Their contact details are 0800 RED CROSS or you can follow this link to their website http://www.redcross.org.nz/cms_display.php?st=1&sn=27&pg=503

Thank you very much for your time,
A Caring Kiwi.