On May Day 2002, libertarians will be quietly reflecting on the around 100 million lives lost in the 20th century to socialism, announced Libertarianz Leader and Tauranga Candidate Russell Watkins today.

"The philosophy that has been gleefully espoused by such MPs as Keith Locke, Laila Harre, Sue Bradford, Matt Robson and Marian Hobbs - amongst countless others - has caused 65 million Chinese to be slaughtered and starved, 20 million people in the former Soviet Union to be murdered and starved, and millions more in Eastern Europe, Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia and North Korea," reminds Watkins.

Watkins says socialism is "this philosophy that an individual's life belongs to the tribe, to society, to the community, to the state that is espoused vehemently by the so- called peaceful protestors today. The anti-globalisation, anti-capitalist mob, with the tacit support of the Labour/Alliance coalition and its Green comrades believe that you exist for the mob."

This philosophy, he says, is explicitly anti-individual rights and freedom. "It is a complete denial of the right for people to live in peace, in privacy and without violence. The way that some of the protestors have complete disregard for property and the rights of others to have freedom of speech or movement is a shadow of how they worship the collectivist brutality of regimes such as North Korea, Cuba, Iraq, Syria and Zimbabwe".

"Today we remember those who paid in rivers of blood for "the good of society" and ask that New Zealanders bear this in mind at this year's election," concludes Watkins. "At this election, the number one question for all New Zealanders is surely: 'Do you want to own your life or do you want Helen and Jim to?'"

It's enough to make you vote Libertarianz!

ENDS

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