The S-Files

Mendacity or Blindness?

Contra Celsum nominates Sue Bradford for an S-Award

Sue Bradford is an extreme left-wing ideologue who successfully changed the law effectively making smacking illegal when administered by parents for purposes of training of children. She was aided and abetted in her success by Helen Clark, a fellow extreme left wing ideologue.

Citation:


The website Family First has fisked the report of a speech delivered by Sue Bradford to a national conference. The complete fisk can be read here. The speech was reported by the Otago Daily Times. (Hat Tip: Half Done)

The speech by Bradford was replete with half-truths, lies, and misleading statements. Amongst the misleading statements were the following:

1. Powerful forces were working to overturn and repeal her anti-smacking legislation.
2. They were backed by money (and by implication, monied interests).
3. That 5,000 signatures on the original anti-smacking petition were declared invalid.
4. That some people will have changed their mind since signing the petition.
5. A repeal of the law would “send a message” that violence against children was acceptable.
6. There is no evidence that parents were being dragged off to court for minor offences.
7. That 44% of voters are in favour of the smacking ban legislation.
8. The real divide of proponents and opponents is around 50%.

Family Integrity has recently been placing large ads in national newspapers highlighting cases where parents have been investigated by police for administering physical discipline to their children, even if only physically restraining them from hitting others or running on to the street. We are now up to nineteen cases or incidents.

So, what are we to make of Bradford's statements? Is it simply a case of the perverted blindness of an ideologue who will not see because ideology is blinding her to evidence and truth that is as plain as the nose on her face? Or is it mendacity—deliberately and self-consciously lying to promulgate a perceived higher cause?

Either way, Bradford is a blight upon the body politic. The fact that she remains tolerated in the public square, listened to by social policy makers and executors, and supported electorally as part of a greenist political party stands as a perpetual indictment of Athenian Unbelief.

Sue Bradford, MP: S-Award, Class II, for actions that are Stupid, Short Sighted and Stupefied