h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I appreciated this excellent, article. However, while not a Kiwi (i.e. a New Zealander), I have some additional information.

First, according to the article here, the US government did not conduct any reprisals against New Zealand. In actuality, the US rescinded its commitment to defend NZ in the event of a hostile attack. (Who would attack NZ, I do not know...)

Second, NZ's anti-nuclear stance not only deals with nuclear weapons. At one time, a nuclear power facility was planned to be built (somewhere North of Aukland, but I could be wrong...). While the NZ government gave permission for the facility to be built, the public outcry kept it from being built.

Thirdly, NZ's anti-nuclear committment is supported by (I believe) all political parties in New Zealand, not only the Labour party. (I may be wrong on this, though.)

Finally, a few years ago, NZ's anti-nuclear stance received some publicity from an (apparently) unlikely ally....Xena. Near the end of 1998, then-US Secretary of State Madeline Albright made a visit to New Zealand. In her speech, she stated that one of her role models was Xena. (I am not making this up.) After the speech, in the Q&A session with reporters, NZ's nuclear stance was brought up. One of the questions asked of Albright was, if Xena was anti-nuclear, would it change your views on NZ's anti-nuclear policy? Albright said that it would not, and in her opinion, Xena wasn't anti-nuclear. However, shortly thereafter, Lucy Lawless (star of Xena) made a statement, saying that she disagreed with Albright's position. Lawless said that she would be "a traitor to my conscience if I did not, when asked, declare myself to be anti-nuclear. It should be understood that NZ's shunning of such [nuclear-armed or powered] vessels is not isolationist.... It is not hostile atavism but an act of courage, hope for the future and love for our children's children."
(This quote was taken from the Wellington (NZ) Dominion, on August 5, 1998)

All grammatical and factual errors are mine.
I hope this info can be of use to someone...

wow!

i knew there was a (rational) reason i liked Xena!


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