There's been a gluttony of conversation around proposed, and now passed, "One Punch" laws.
I'd like to present a different skew to the reactionary diatribe.
I think we need to look at this and thank our lucky stars. Not for the laws, but for the action. Critics have called it knee-jerk politics, but given the paraplegic nature of our government(s), the fact that their knee has jerked, let alone taken a step forward should be cause for celebration.
How often do we watch with that all too familiar indifference as progressive ideas come to a shuddering halt in the halls of parliament? Ideas that could positively impact our lives, our culture or our future disappear as our shouts turn to yawns.
It's not just the fault of our politicians. Our own indignation is more likely channeled towards a slow browser loading than social injustice. Changing lanes without indicating gets people's blood hotter than human rights abuse. We're more likely to share a list than an opinion on the environment. Is it any wonder the media is such a flaccid figure when we're never in the mood for hard news?
On the odd occasion that the media, the government and the people converge on a topic with more than lip service, and something actually happens, we should celebrate. Knee jerk politics is not an ideal way to live, but it does give us a glimpse of what a decisive political leadership might feel like. And with enough knee jerks, we might just stumble into a future we're proud of.
(Please excuse the formal language, I've spent the week writing copy for a university)
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