Remember the Kiwi charged with sending an e-mail to the US Embassy?

[Devils Advocate NZ]

For those who don't remember the details, a New Zealander was charged after he sent an e-mail to the US Embassy in which he said that the US had dropped napalm on "babies and kids" in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that it had invaded 72 other nations as well as installing US-backed military dictatorships.

A member of the US Embassy was offended and felt that an attachment to the e-mail was threatening, and reported it to the police. The attachment was a quote from Nelson Mandala saying "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty."

Apparently pressure was applied to the police by the Embassy to prosecute the man under a law governing telephone use.

Today, three months later, the charges have been dropped. The man's lawyer is criticising the police and demanding to know why it took three months for the charges to be dropped, and is accusing the police of attempting to suppress free speech at the behest of the US Embassy.

[R3dD0g]

1. And you expect what?

That an American would be surprised to find free speech restricted? You've seen the 'free speech zones' at Bush* events!

That we would be astounded to hear that people have been charged for nothing? Surely you've heard about the chaplain from Gitmo.

Sir. Are you from New Zealand? The night of Bush* appointment I began an effort to emmigrate to New Zealand. Unfortunately for me I'm too old, poor and untalented to be a candidate for citizenship in your fine country.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

4. Actually, if you had been around back then...

some people asked me to keep them informed of what happened to him. You see, the original story was posted right here on DU (by someone else), and like I said at the time, I am just keeping those interested in the outcome informed.

Sir. Are you from New Zealand? The night of Bush* appointment I began an effort to emmigrate to New Zealand. Unfortunately for me I'm too old, poor and untalented to be a candidate for citizenship in your fine country.

That's a pity. Although we do allow quite a lot of immigrants each year, there are some restrictions. For example, last year, 45,000 people migrated to NZ (about 1.1% of our total population) whereas about 1,200,000 people immigrated to the US (about 0.4% of the US population).

In other words we accept far greater numbers of migrants per head of population than the US, and as you have discovered we do turn away a lot of people. But this is only fair. Our job market is not the strongest, thanks to globalisation, and thus we do have a fairly high unemployment rate, which means priority for jobs must go to NZ citizens.

Thus only migrants who can fulfill needs that are otherwise unmet by NZ citizens are usually given residence.

[Violet_Crumble]

5. Thanks for posting about it...

I missed it when it was originally posted and didn't hear anything about it, but I bet there would have been much more hoopla in the media over the charges being laid than over them being dropped. Which is what the US would have wanted - to send out a strong message from the tough guys that no-one fucks with them by emailing them Nelson Mandela quotes....

I've sometimes thought about moving to New Zealand until the Howard circus bites the dust, and figured all I had to do was hop on a plane and go and fade into the population. I don't know where you are over there, but I fell in love with the South Island when I did the tourist thing...

Violet...

[Devils Advocate NZ]

6. If you did the tourist thing, you probably came through here

I am in Rotorua, famous for its Maori culture and geothermal wonders - or so the tourist brochures say :)

[jpak]

7. I was in Rotorua last month

Spent 6 weeks traveling the North, South and Stewart Islands.

Loved every minute of it.

I could definitely live in NZ.

[legin]

2. Hi Devils Advocate NZ

:hi:

[Devils Advocate NZ]

3. Hello!

:hi: