Welcome to democracy

It's unfortunate that in the furor surrounding the Exclusive Brethren's participation in the last NZ election that the resounding success of democracy has been ignored. Whilst it is quite correct that the Brethren should have been open about their involvement in the election right from the beginning (and not to be accused of understatement: I agree that lack of clarity about who was behind their efforts, commissioning private detectives to follow key Labour figures etc. was a serious error, unbecoming (and perhaps illegal)).

However, few seem have noticed the resounding success this story holds. I'm no fan of the Brethren and their views. But I 100% support their right to be involved in our democracy. Last election, saw, for the first time in their history perhaps, the Brethren feeling that they too could participate in NZ democracy, albeit not by voting, but at least by speaking up. I'm delighted to see more recently that it looks as though the Brethren may
even vote in the upcoming election. When groups feel they can express their views through the NZ political system that's a great thing - and it makes NZ a stronger, better country. So I'd just like to point out, in the midst of the shadowy fears being created (including some fairly ill-thought comments by some NZ ministers) that despite the mistakes there's a resounding success story to been see of an small group of strange Kiwi's feeling that they too can participate in our democracy. To the Bethren: "Welcome to representational democracy, what took so long?"

(Disclosure: As I noted in the article I do not agree with the way the Exclusive Brethren choose to live or their religious or political views. I formerly attended an open Brethren church (and have many friends from there) - historically both groups come from the original NZ Brethren church although they are not in any way linked now.)

Update 29Jan08: Corrected mis-spelling of Brethren (thanks mother).