Tuesday 23 April 2013

I don't belong in the real World

I come from Planet X.

Oh, you knew that already? Well, I never. You should have said something.

I had to learn this fact from the Daily Show - definitely my kind of satire.

This video is the first of a three part series on Australia. It is on gun control so do not watch it if it may trigger something for you....



Frivolity aside though, don't you think we have a lot to learn from each other? Country to country, person to person?

I think we bloggers know better than most that no matter what part of the globe we come from we share more things in common than not. Right?

Planet X Australia has a whole lot to learn from other countries. And right now New Zealand, our nearest neighbour is teaching us a thing or two.

And while I know there are Aussies out there who believe that NZ is from another planet, we still need to take a leaf out of her book. Oh be damned, we should just grab the whole bloody book. And run with it.

You see Gay Marriage has just become legal in NZ.

And even though it's a tiny country of 4.4 million people (no, I have excluded all the sheep), it happens to be very progressive in the ways that count. 


NZ was also the first country in the world to grant women the vote in 1893.  Imagine. It took Australia another 18 years to do the same, the USA till 1920, UK 1928, Italy 1946, Bahrain 2001.....

So I am assuming, based on history, that it's going to be a long time before our government passes similar same sex marriage legislation. (Note, there are about 12 countries that have passed similar legislation now, including Canada).

If you want to be convinced watch this NZ Member of Parliament make a very entertaining pro-gay marriage speech. It's truly superb no matter what your views on the topic.

I so wish our Parliament could not only be that progressive but our politicians be that funny .....I might actually take them all a bit more seriously then.


                                                

Powerful hey?


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Update 28/4 - for anyone interested here is Part 2 and 3 of the Daily Show's three part series on Australia. Just be assured that our politicians are no better than anyone else's though.




63 comments:

  1. that NZ speech is fabulous, can you imagine any of our politicians being comfortable enough to take the piss out of themselves and their constituents like that?

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    1. Um no I cannot. I am just surprised by Gillards reluctance on this issue. And as for Tony well no chance in hell when he becomes the next PM. We will be going back 100 years.

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  2. Both videos are gold. Well done NZ and the other twelve countries. It is only a matter of time. Meanwhile it should boost tourism in NZ with lots of weddings perhaps.

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    1. True now would be the time to be involved with the wedding industry.

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  3. Oh, I LOVE this man! And the whole room of people, too. I cannot imagine our Congress even smiling over anything, let alone a Bill about Gay Marriage....Our Congress are mostly all Old Old Men Stuck-In-Another-Century who have lost their humanity on every level., IF they ever had any.
    BRAVO New Zealand111111

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    1. I cannot imagine our politicians speaking like that either. What a powerful speech and how sad the fear of the unknown makes people.

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    2. You have such a large country Naomi. At least as Bill and Cheryl say, state by state it's happening. My ex neighbors have been together 40 years. I think they deserve to be able to do what the rest of us can. Finally marry the person they love. It is no more complex than that.

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  4. BRAVO NEW ZEALAND!!!! Thereis something wrong with my Shift Key....!!

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  5. I second that bravo indeed.

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  6. Oh Lilly we are sooo on the same page! I posted the Jon Stewart video on my Twitter and Facebook accounts this morning. Whoopdy-do! Certainly my type of satire too. And I do love living down under on another planet.

    As for New Zealand, what inspiring people they breed on that planet.

    Great post my friend!
    Big big hugs
    Peggy ♥♥♥

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    1. We are on the same page Peggy. I cancelled my Facebook and Twitter accounts otherwise I might have seen your posts. It is a full time job to manage them all. Yes Planet X is out of this World. We are lucky.

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  7. I fail to understand how gay marriage is anyone's business really. If two people love each other, isn't that the most important thing? Why on earth would anybody care? I mean, no one is asking you to marry someone of the same sex so why would you care?

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    1. Such a great comment. You are right it is not complex and why do we make it so.

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  8. good videos Lilly. You're right some people do not seem human at all.

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    1. Least your country is progressive Christine.

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  9. Thanks for sharing those clips. The Daily Show was a must watch thing until we dropped cable (I should do a post on dropping cable). So thanks because I probably would not of seen those clips. The two issues for me are completely unrelated except they both are current controversial issues. The same-sex marriage (I'm sure heard the joke on about that term) issue will be a state by state decision here in the US. Each state writes its own marriage laws. Of course there are federal laws and programs that are affected. My experience (mostly work related) of interacting with gay men and women has been good. I don't understand why some people are scared of their lifestyle.
    The gun issue - I believe for the extreme gun nuts (the Daily Show interview) the issue is fear of government. There are groups who truly fear our government will change into something that they will need to defend themselves against.

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    1. I will put the other two when they are on. I think we get described as being comfortably racist in the next part. the issues are the same in terms of learning from others who have made positive changes. Yes it is a state by state issue here too but we still need federal legislation. I guess any of us are scared of the unknown. Time will see change.

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    2. You are right about fear of the unknown. The future is always unknown. Often we start filling the unknown blanks with ideas and pass them off as facts.

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    3. Love that comment Bill. I have been guilty of that myself lately. I need to stop filling in the blanks.

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  10. New Zealand - a small, beautiful country that gives so much to the world. A bit like Scotland!

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    1. Ha ha and you are so right. Scotland has given us you after all. Just wait till you guys get your independence then you can truly be like NZ. Very similar countries. I visited a city there called Dunedin recently. They call it the Scotland of the South. Many Scots there, Scottish street names and similar architecture. So it's actually a lot like Scotland. Very interesting place.

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  11. I didn't realize that NZ was the first to allow women to vote. Very cool fact.

    As for allowing same-sex marriages. As Bill Lisleman pointed out, here in the U.S. each state governs marriage laws within their state. Right now 9 states and the Dist. of Columbia allow same sex marriage. We have a long way to go.

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    1. Nine States is great Cheryl. Can you go between States to marry then? Yes NZ is a bit of a dark horse.

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  12. I'm all for gay marriages. Live and let live and let love too. The US is making changes, but it's a slow road for us.

    As for gun control. I'm against it. But I DO think you are from Planet Earth! I grew up in the South where it's pretty normal for households to have a gun, just like a television or computer. That said, there are a lot of hunters in the southern states and competitive shooting and these are people who already go through the system to get the guns legally and are already checked out. The problem is the background checks, because the criminals bypass that already.

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    1. I think it's a slow road everywhere. As long as it is creeping towards true equality is the important thing. We are a much smaller country than you so we have no excuse at all as to why legislation has not been passed. Yes we still are able to hunt over here but it's the automatic weapons that are banned.

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  13. French parliament also just this day adopted gay marriage laws too. Tell your ex neighbors they can go get married in Paris. They deserve it after being together 40 years.

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    1. I will tell them that otherwise they may be dead by the time our Parliament agrees on this issue.

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    2. There was huge numbers against it in France too. I was surprised as somehow I have this view that France is some foreword thinking nation. At least it got through.

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  15. Don't for one minute believe it, Abbot's reluctance to support gay marriage is a reflection of voters sentiment. If majority supported gay marriage, he'll turn!

    BTW, Barry O'Farrell (another good catholic boy) has come out in support, but then he's also signed up to Julia's education reform. Pollies, they'll sell their soul...

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    1. He will turn? Cannot stand the man. At this point I think the only one I could happily put up with is Malcolm Turnbull. Yes it was interesting about O'Farrell - I wonder what the sweetener was because he turned quickly and was oh so positive.

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    2. I guess the only way the Liberal Party will replace Tony Abbott with Malcolm Turnbull is if the Labor Party dumps Julia Gillard.
      I believe this may happen in June (dumping of Julia)otherwise the Federal Labor party will go the same way as the Queensland Labor Party....lost in the wilderness and Australia will be led by a former trainee priest nicknamed "The Mad Monk".
      Peggy

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    3. Peggy, i support Labor but am over them too. And no there is no way i want the trainee priest running the country. Malcolm is nearer the left and talks sense in the main. I had high hopes for Julia but its been imposdible for her. Bloody little Kevin Rudd....interesting days ahead.

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  16. Almost 90% of Americans WANT gun control, but somehow that watered down bill was not passed. It's more than stupid and ridiculous! Arrrghhh! This was an excellent, most wonderful post, Lilly. Thank you! I wish America could be like Planet X.

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    1. Kay it is a sad world when the majority of citizens want what is best for their country but the government won't listen or is too weak to act. I had no idea that so many Americans wanted gun control.
      Peggy

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    2. Yes I know Kay that is how complex the political processes are. And the more reason why we all need to be more actively involved in the political process I guess. It is compulsory for us to vote here as we get fined otherwise. It will happen but we are also so influenced by the media who delivers the messages they want to deliver. Or at least that of those who own media outlets like the Murdochs. The truth often gets lost in the hype. Same thing applies here too.

      Things will change eventually.

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    3. All my American friends feel the same way. It is such a big country with such different States.

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  17. Brilliant post as usual Lilly, I want to emigrate to NZ ... Ermmmm ... I wonder if he would consider coming over here to shake up the numsculls in this little corner of the world ?

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  18. I think that you would love it. There are loads of Scots living there. And its cold too so you'd feel right at home. Lol x

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  19. hey lily,
    I was amused to no end to see the second video. the first one ,I couldn't.
    The NZ guy sounded so cool.Coming from a politician such witty and tongue in cheek humour is unthinkable in India.
    What he said was completely logical and made sense .Hats off to NZ's being trail blazers.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Kirti. It is great when a small country can show the rest of us isn't it? They are trail blazers in many ways.

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  20. What a pity the first video has been taken off the system, along with many other folk I loved the quick wittedness of the man doing the interviewing... It was priceless and he made the gun toting believer look like a total prat !!

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Part1

      Above is the link to the first video via youtube.
      Cheers
      Peggy

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    3. Thanks Peggy for that I will add the link in the post. I just saw the second part too which is just as funny. I will post the link to that one too. By the way, well done on putting the direct link in. Very clever.

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    4. As you can see Lilly I had two goes at adding the link. I also wanted to open it in a separate window but your blog refused that command.
      This series of videos are so clever and spot on!
      Peggy xxxxxxx

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    5. Thanks Peggy. I was able to post it again anyway. That British guy would have to be a lawyer surely, imagine him in court he would be brilliant.

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  21. I have to point out that although Jon Oliver is British, Jon Stewart (and his show) is American, so clearly not all Americans agree with that nutjob he was interviewing.

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    1. Yes I read a high percentage of Americans do not agree with it either so slowly it will all change. It was easier for us because we are a much smaller country with fewer States involved.

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  22. High five to New Zealand. I'll e a very old woman before it gets passed in the US-- How sad is that.
    The Daily Show is fantastic. Jon never fails to crack me up and leaves me thinking on current events.
    Love the videos!
    xo jj

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    1. You just never know Joanna, the more that the public and community make a noise about something the more the politicians have to hear us. We need to all be a little louder on the issues that matter.

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  23. Great work, Lilly! In the long run it may only be by subjecting the die-hards to ridicule that we will succeed in changing their minds

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    1. True Magee, very true. And this was one sure funny way to draw attention to how ridiculous it all is. Thanks for commenting.

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  24. My oldest daughter has this bumper sticker on her kid hauler minivan:

    "Did anyone vote on your marriage??!"

    And for the US gun supporters who think the 2nd amendment is rated higher than the 10 commandments, here's a quote from Thomas Jefferson, one of the main framers of the document:

    "I know also, that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.”

    The document might have been carved in stone, but the sculptor left the chisel and hammer there for us to use.

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    1. Now that is THE best comment I have ever read on the whole debate. The sculptor left the chisel and hammer for us to use and that is our job. We have to leave something positive for the next generations not the hell that is becoming of our own making.

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    2. I had to come and comment when I saw your comment Sarah. It is a fantastic quote and comment. Straight to the heart of the matter.

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    3. Both these comments were music to my ears too Lilly. I feel we are morally obliged to leave the world in a better place than we found it.
      Peggy xx

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    4. Thomas Jefferson also said "Dread the day when the city fold are sufficient in number to outvote the country folk, for then the nation is well & truly stuffed" (or words to that effect).

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    5. "Should Fish More" - that's great bumper sticker. The constitution (US one - I know a little about it and absolutely nothing about the documents of other countries) was a compromise between the strong central government and the states' governments. It was made to be amended. I swear many of the 2nd amendment preachers don't even paid attention to the meaning of amendment. Most of them I'm sure don't mind that the prohibition of alcohol was repealed by another amendment.
      Lilly I don't know if you will be able to watch a good series on our constitution that just started on our PBS channels. You might be able to watch over the internet.
      http://www.pbs.org/tpt/constitution-usa-peter-sagal/home/

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    6. Thanks Steve, Bill, Peggy. It is really great to hear everyone's views no matter how we differ. And Steve you have a good point too. That happens a lot when the needs are entirely different.

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  25. Hi Lilly,

    I've just watched the third video.... absolute brilliant, and just read 'should fish more's comment - fantastic!' It's a pity Americans who are not in favour of gun control can't be made to sit and 'really listen' to the sense being spoken in these videos. Mind you, to be honest that probably wouldn't work... 'You can take a horse to water etc.. springs to mind !'

    I wonder how many more lives will have to end or be ruined before they realize gun control 'does' makes sense.

    Cheers, Kate x.

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    1. Hear, hear Kate. I think the most interesting part of these videos was of the farmer who was demonstrating loudly his opposition to the gun control legislation in Australia. And then he changed his mind completely years on because it became obvious that those with legitimate reasons to have a gun could still have a gun. It is the guns that are used in war zones that have no business being in our neighbourhoods in peace loving countries.

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Thanks for your comments.