Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Postcard Protests

We're in the age of postcard political protests. The current crop includes Stop Night Class Cuts, Waikato Commuter Train Now and New Zealanders Love Libraries - all causes which I support.

Members of Parliament and Ministers are being deluged with postcards by protesters making their point. No stamp needed!

It is relatively easy to sign a petition or send a postcard while it takes more time and thought to write to a MP. It takes even more time and commitment to a cause to show your support publicly by attending a protest rally. So it was encouraging that more than 200 people did so recently when they came to Garden Place to protest the cuts to night classes.

Some brought their own placards. Once which read - Night classes, not Prozac - captured the argument made the speakers that night classes benefit not just the individual attending but also the wider community and their support is therefore a sound investment for government.