Recently a friend was engaged in a dispute before the Employment Relations Authority and during a discussion between the parties the Judge* claimed, and advised all parties, that my friend’s conduct may amount to blackmail. One of the parties involved in the discussion was the Crown and the punishment for blackmail is up to 14 years imprisonment so it was quite a serious proposition**. This got me thinking about blackmail and whether it should be illegal or not.
As far as I can tell blackmail, extortion and duress are much the same thing and are of the following form…
Do X or I’ll do Z.
One problem with blackmail is that many obviously just interactions are this same form*** e.g. “give me a pay rise or I’ll accept another job offer” or “give me back my money or I’ll have you prosecuted for fraud”.
The difference, I think, between just blackmail and unjust blackmail is what is being requested (X) and what is being threatened (Z).
Proposing “do X or I’ll do Z” is no worse than doing X and/or Z.
If X or Z are unjust then laws against X or Z should be sufficient to cover unjust blackmail.
If X or Z are not unjust then laws against this type of blackmail would be unjust.
Therefore, I say, blackmail itself is not unjust and blackmail laws may be unjust in some situations.
My challenge to you is to find examples where blackmail laws would be justified and, where laws against the request and threat wouldn’t be justified.
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* ERA decision makers are not actually judges.
** Ironically similar to blackmail i.e. “don’t threaten us or we’ll prosecute you for blackmail”.
*** NZ law arbitrarily allows blackmail if the making of the threat is, in the circumstances, a reasonable and proper means for effecting his or her purpose.
My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.
He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
(She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:
“Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”
With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer stepping into a noose
till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.
Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.
Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death. (NIV)
NZ Fighters puts up some very interesting posts on their facebook feed.
Today they posted this picture and Quote:
“When man learns to respect even the smallest being of creation, whether animal or vegetable, nobody has to teach him to love his fellow man. Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man. “Albert Schweitzer”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is undeniably True.
Even when we must eat Animals …Even when we must exterminate them (destructive and dangerous Pests) we must never be cruel, but seek to dispatch them in as ‘humane’ a fashion as possible.
That these Pugilists put up such a post on their page is an excellent example of True Martial character.
It demonstrates the truth that Martial arts, and even Military Professionalism is not of necessity accompanied by a Brutish or Sadistic personality, but can and ought to be regulated by high morals…as opposed to the Love of violence for violence sake. The strong and powerful man ought also to be Meek, and a friend of the Lowly.
This is what distinguishes the likes of David Tua from thugs like Mike Tyson.
In war it distinguishes the honorable and truly heroic soldiers like Rommel, from the depraved and barbaric monsters like Chemical Ali. (Hey; I hope Tyson figures this out…maybe he has? The great truth is People can change for the better if they so wish!)
Getting back to the subject of having compassion for the lower creatures…
As a Christian I believe the value system of the Bible, whereby God gives Man Dominion over the Earth, and all the things therein. Ie They exist for our use, sustenance and enjoyment.
Thus the Bible places Mankind above the animals…but below the Almighty.
This being so does not mean we can abuse these blessings or make use of them to satisfy perverse lusts… like sadism.
The Bible teaches us to be dillegent gardners and to practice righteous Husbandry… these being examples of good character… Christ even being described as ‘The Good sheppard whom giveth his life for his sheep’.
This is the Christian ethic and heirachy of values.
It is important to understand that while we must never be cruel to animals, or reckless with the environment, we must take care never fall into the snare of de-valuing Humanity by valuing other creatures above Mankind.
Eg we ought to be prepared to sacrifice our most treasured animal companion should that be necessary to save a human life.
I post that warning because there is a very real Danger today due to the prevalence of ‘Earth worshipping’ ‘Anti-humanity’ philosophies… propagated by Atheists whom despise the ethics of Christianity and work like Transylvanian Gypsies for Dracula lobbying Governments around the globe to pass laws and prohibitions which sacrifice the wellbeing of Mankind to ‘the Goddess Earth Mother’… and this involves a perverse hierarchy of values the exact opposite to Christianity.
Radical Environmentalists consider Mankind a disease.
I have witnessed this hatred for mankind from Environmentalists whom think it is a virtue to go to war against humanity for the sake of some ‘endangered species’.
Take care never to be sucked into supporting such wicked Anti-freedom anti-humanity politics.
You don’t have to be a member of the Green party to care about the environment or to work for the preservation of species.
As a Libertarian I care a great deal about these things, yet I promote the pursuit of these noble goals via non-coercive means which do not involve oppressive Laws which violate the rights and liberties of Humanity.
Libertarianism is about instilling High values and personal ethics in the hope of raising the level of civilization via voluntarily action.
The Christian ought to realise this Libertarian modus opperandi is the perfect fit for the dissemination and practice of our faith which functions via voluntarily embraced and self-imposed duties and moral obligations.
The Christians whom support the Left/Right Green lobbyist organizations whom function via Political force are supporting an antichrist/ definitively Unchristian ideology… a ‘pseudo morality’ that is in direct competition with Christianity… A Cult Of Wolves in sheep’s clothing.
They are the Chumps of Christ hating atheists.
They walk in Darkness with the Lost.
They need to experience a Libertarian ‘intervention.’
Tim Wikiriwhi.
This is great News.
Yet still I hang my head in shame.
I meant to send Dak some $$$ when he was inside, but never did.
Please Forgive me Dak.
Your an Inspiration. A Legend.
Tim Wikiriwhi.
The Treaty settlement process of recent years has been nothing short of systematic Treachery.
Not only have the People of New Zealand been forced to accept an apartheid system of Racial preference, they have also be deceived and robbed of Millions upon millions of Dollars.
The scale of this theft is monumental.
And this crime has been perpetrated by a malignant minority of Low lives.
Any notion that the settlement process has been what the Government claims it to be ie ‘redressing legitimate grievances’ can only be maintained by the most gullible and deluded Moron!
I ask why successions of Labor and National party governments have allowed this business to be orchestrated by blatant racists?
Countless times, the process, and the people involved in this ‘grievance industry’ have been exposed as outright dishonest and even Criminal!
Both National and Labour (and their minor party minions) have committed the highest form of treason against us by aiding and abetting a Mega Million dollar Extortion racket.
The latest revelations regarding the dishonesty of the Radical Separatist and Treaty Lawyer, Atareta Ponanga ought to send shock waves throughout the country!
You can read about her crimes and extreme bigotry in today’s NZ Herald article ‘Face of militancy debarred for forgery’.
Former activist turned Lawyer showed no remorse after falsifying Treaty signatures. Lawyer struck off…
Now here is a Racist Bigot of the highest caliber.
She Hates Pakeha.
As a ‘Maori Nationalist’ She absolutely Rejects The Treaty of Waitangi, calling Non-Maori New Zealanders Riff Raff, and says they ought to either Leave the country or accept Maori Sovereignty.
How, I ask, was it possible that such a Lawyer whom rejects British sovereignty …though it was accepted by the Maori Chiefs whom signed the treaty… how has she been allowed to handle 35+ Treaty claims, involving *‘Much of the North Island’*???!!!!
Pause and contemplate the travesty that fact represents!
Knowing that these grievances and Treaty claims which affect ‘much of the North Island’ have been fabricated by such a Demonic personality, possessed of militant racist hatred, Now a convicted Fraudster, whom is Hell bent on alienating an entire country, and disenfranchising Millions of Kiwi Citizens ought to provoke a National outrage!
How can the govenment maintain it’s claim that the treaty settlement process is bona fide?
We, the people of New Zealand of all races have allowed ourselves to be taken as fools, reduced to second class subjects, and ripped off on a gigantic scale, via a massive fraud that does nothing less than falsify the history of our country!
Satan Himself must be impressed!
The whole business stinks to High Heaven!
It was because of the falsification of New Zealand history for the political ambitions of extorting loot via the settlement process that Dr John Robinson wrote his book ‘The Corruption of New Zealand Democracy’
The exploits of this vile racist are exactly the sort of fraud I was talking about when asked by TV 1 presenter Shane Taurima my opinion of the treaty settlement process as a participant in ‘The Great Waitangi debate ‘Is The treaty holding Back New Zealand?’ TV1 Feb 2010. I said it was a complete Farce!
This is exactly the sort of lies and deception which provoked the late Stuart Scott to write his two books ‘The Travesty of Waitangi’, and ‘Travesty after travesty’
The travesty of the whole process provoked the formation of The lobby group The One New Zealand Foundation, with Ross Baker writing his Books ‘From Treaty to Conspiracy’, and his latest publication ‘New Zealand in Crisis’.
And now these same shysters are setting about to write a New Constitution for New Zealand. One which will entrench the Waitangi Appartheid system they have created.
We must stop them!
I must ask you this.
Will you merely shrug your shoulders in apathy… pretending everything is ok?
Are you going to allow yourselves to be so utterly robbed and deceived without protest?
If so I call you Cowards!
If so I say you have a Slave mentality… you are unfit to call yourselves a free and enlightened people!
Rise Up!
Stir up a whirlwind of Protest!
Contact your Local Political Party representatives and MPs, and express your indignation! Tell them you know they have defrauded you.
Tell them they will never get another vote from you unless they act to put an end to Waitangi apartheid!
Tell them you demand the fraudulent and immoral Waitangi grievance industry to be halted forthwith.
Tell them you will tolerate No more lies… no more Extortion!
Demand Racial equality before the Law!
Demand an end to the Separate electoral rolls and Racist seats!
We Need a Constitution of Equality before the Law and Limited Government.
It is time to get up off the couch and stand with those of us whom have had a guts full of this Racist scam and are fighting to put an end to it.
Contact me.
twikiriwhi@yahoo.co.nz
Tim Wikiriwhi
Libertarian Independent.
Hamilton West.