Flagging Interest

Up until today, I thought when I filled out my voting form for the New Zealand flag change, I was going to strike through the whole paper and write 'Red Peak' out to the side.

Like many New Zealanders, I was quite upset when the four finalists were selected and the laser kiwi didn't top the list. What sort of flag referenda can you possibly run without a kiwi shooting green lasers from its eyes?

The laser eye trope has a long history, if you're into comic books and scifi television. Surely, there's no better way to demonstrate the sometimes churlish kiwi attitude but to represent it with burning lasers.

Alas, it was not to be.

Then, out of the disgruntled wilderness, there was a rallying cry 'What about Red Peak?'

I didn't know what about Red Peak as it didn't contain lasers therefore had escaped my attention during the whole process. I looked at Red Peak, and it seemed nice enough.

It was simple, it had a peak, and some colours. It looked very similar to a company's trademark so it had obvious commercial appeal.

Now, however, it looks like it may make it through to the ballot paper and I've gone off it again.

It's one thing to strike through the options on a voting paper and writing down a choice clearly not allowed. That's civil disobedience and should be encouraged even though it's been a long time since I was a teenager.

It's another to select a popular option from a presented choice. Yuck. Not really the point, people.

So, I now have the option of striking through the five new presented options and writing 'Laser Kiwi' next to it (thus invalidating my vote and making a mockery of Kate Shepherd's fight and being part of a civil disobedience unit of one) or just voting to retain the flag we've already got.

Just in case you wanted to fully understand my conundrum I have sourced the flag options available:

The first four choices:

The latest addition:

Our current flag:

And the flag of my dreams:

In other exciting news my latest short story, 'The Breaking Wave', has gone live for pre-order on Amazon. You can find it right HERE - BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY

And, of course, you can still access any other of my books on Amazon HERE - BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY

Phew, marketing obligations for the day met.