From: "David McInerney" <borderlands-AT-optusnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: AUT: Jaywalking (Was voting ... A Reply to Noam Chomsky)
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2004 17:40:52 +0930


What Lautre calls 'jaywalking' happens in some cities more than others.  It
is very common - it happens en masse - in Canberra, but is rare in Adelaide,
where it tends to be people running to catch the light while the red 'don't
walk' is flashing.  I was very surprised about it when I moved to Canberra
in the mid 1990s.  Similarly I found it odd that maybe people thought
compulsory voting to be such a burden.  Perhaps in Adelaide - where two of
the most important streets are named after Grote and Wakefield - it is a
hangover from its 19th century utilitarian heritage? ;)  The same might be
the case with compulsory voting.  Maybe it was deemed to produce "the
greatest happiness of the greatest number"?
One of the good things about compulsory voting is that the bosses have to
give you leave to vote.  I can imagine in some countries that might be
difficult.  It also makes numbers of 'voter turnout' a non-issue. If you
choose not to vote it can be a real political issue, not just be dismissed
as apathy, so I guess in states where there is compulsory voting not voting
can be seen as resistance.
DM

----- Original Message -----
From: <auskadi-AT-tvcabo.co.mz>
To: <aut-op-sy-AT-lists.village.Virginia.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 1:59 PM
Subject: Re: AUT: Jaywalking (Was voting ... A Reply to Noam Chomsky)


> Lautre
> Now, Now
> In Australia there is no such word as "jaywalking". I have been to the
> US a few times. There I found people very constrained by rules when they
> cross the street. The only place in Australia that may be a bit
> constrained in this respect was Brisbane - a left over fromt he days of
> Joh Bjelke Petersens peculiar form of dee north politics.
> But really about voting ... I havent been following the conversation
> much but I actually like the idea of compulsary voting inAustralia. You
> can always vote informal, or you can if you dont you can become a
> matyr/hero to the cause in the courts ... in the US you just slide off
> into oblivion never to be heard of again.
> Martin
>
> >In Australia, I hear they have a bylaw against
> >jaywalking.  My cousin there tells me that last month
> >she was at an interesection and even though there were
> >no cars, she had to two minutes for the light to
> >change because a beat-cop was nearby and she didn't
> >want to risk getting a fifty dollar ticket.  And now
> >you tell me they have mandatory voting there too!
> >Fascism it is.
> >
> >Josh
> >
> >
> >
> >>In Australia, I am told, not to vote is a criminal
> >>act
> >>
> >>
> >
> >______________________________________________________________________
> >Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
> >
> >
> >     --- from list aut-op-sy-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> http://www.auskadi.tk/
> "the riddle which man must solve, he can only solve in being, in
> being what he is and not something else...."
>
>
>
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