Activists fight the system, MPs must work within the law to change it.
Hone Harawira showed by his refusal to read the affirmation at his swearing in yesterday, as required by law, he is still a better activist than an MP.
It has given him publicity and will probably please his supporters.
But an electorate MP is supposed to represent all his/constituents, and it has left them without an MP until parliament sits again on August 2.
In The House has the video of the swearing in here (was his cloak falling off – at about 1:44 – as he walked up, a sign?).
Lockwood Smith’s explanation (starts about 5:10) makes it clear Harawira knew what was requried by law and his decision to not comply with the law as advised was deliberate.
Homepaddock 
Terrorist.
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other mp’s have been allowed to adjust their pledge and Hone was going to make it at the end of his anyway – lots of people struggle with that pledge for all sorts of reasons and it is fair that the issue is highlighted so that it can be discussed and hopefully brought into the 21st century and reflective of the modern nature of our society
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Easy. Both.
Sinner’s comment is idiotic in the extreme.
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