INDEPENDENT NEWS

McDonald Did Not Get Justice

Published: Thu 11 Sep 2003 01:52 PM
PRESS RELEASE
LIBERTARIANZ
JUSTICE
MCDONALD DID NOT GET JUSTICE
Libertarianz spokesman, Stephen Berry, today found himself agreeing with United Future's Marc Alexander who has disapproved of the sentence handed out to former newsreader Darren McDonald, saying, "There is absolutely no doubt that Darren McDonald did not receive justice when sentenced to eight months in prison. McDonald should never have been arrested for methamphetamine possession!", Berry declared.
Alexander slammed the eight month prison sentence given to McDonald, labelling it as a "manifestly inadequate stretch". The Libertarianz spokesman countered, "The Heil God Squad of United Future appears to have the idea that they own the lives of others and have the right to control those lives. They could not be more wrong. Mr. McDonald, like every other individual, has the exclusive right to control his own life and to exercise his own judgement over the substances he chooses to consume.
How would Mr. Alexander feel if I were to enact legislation prohibiting him from consuming alcohol to send a message to others about healthy choices? He would feel violated, and quite rightly too."
Berry goes on to outline the Libertarianz party's position on methamphetamine use. "Each individual is the owner of their own life and therefore has the right to live their life in any way they see fit, on the condition that they take responsibility for their actions, including that of not initiating force against others.
As a result, we absolutely oppose laws prohibiting methamphetamine use and condemn any legislator whom thinks they have the right to do otherwise. "If Mr. Alexander is opposed to the use of methamphetamine," concludes Berry, "then I strongly recommend he simply refrains from using the substance."
ENDS
Stephen Berry Libertarianz spokesman 21 Glenarm Ave Mt Roskill, Auckland 0210375720

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