There's one part of Nicky Hager's piece I think we can all endorse:
"I hope all this will blow over. I hope that few years from now it will be hard to find any normal person who wants to admit they took part in this madness. But in the meantime, something ugly and dangerous is occurring and you should not be part of it."
This is an incredible, surgical analysis. Thank you. It has prompted many thoughts.
These people of the Left are my people - my friends and workmates. The journos on Twitter, the public servants at the pub, the academics in the op-ed pages - we studied together, we lived together, we eat together, we talk together, and we vote together (at least until now).
I have spent months in dismay, and incomprehension, at how readily they have turned into bystanders. At how readily they discarded the fine words of equality and rights and justice that always adorned their identities.
My friends can now hear a mum say "I stood outside my daughter's club in the rain to catch a glimpse from the outside of her end of year performance and prize giving" and it leaves them cold. My friends in Melbourne saw a pregnant woman pulled from her house for sharing a post on Facebook, and watched police shooting fleeing protestors in the back. They felt no compulsion to say a single thing.
It has been baffling, and disturbing. I keep asking myself: when they spoke and behaved and seemed to think like me before, were they ever really there? Or were their principles just a costume all along? Were they simply people who couldn't be trusted to take the serious things seriously?
It has been the oddest thing. A polar inversion in the location of rights and authoritarianism on the political spectrum. And a loss of faith in people I unquestioningly trusted.
It’s very interesting for me to observe how down here in the south this issue doesn’t really seem to be one we come across much. It seems the lack of feeling comfortable in the streets is mainly due to a general avoidance of speaking out, or Tall-poppy syndrome - as explained to me by our friend Lavinia. Much love to y’all! Xx
With all my heart thank you for capturing in words what I have felt but been unable to fully understand and express, beaming gratitude, solidarity and Aroha your way
There's one part of Nicky Hager's piece I think we can all endorse:
"I hope all this will blow over. I hope that few years from now it will be hard to find any normal person who wants to admit they took part in this madness. But in the meantime, something ugly and dangerous is occurring and you should not be part of it."
This is an incredible, surgical analysis. Thank you. It has prompted many thoughts.
These people of the Left are my people - my friends and workmates. The journos on Twitter, the public servants at the pub, the academics in the op-ed pages - we studied together, we lived together, we eat together, we talk together, and we vote together (at least until now).
I have spent months in dismay, and incomprehension, at how readily they have turned into bystanders. At how readily they discarded the fine words of equality and rights and justice that always adorned their identities.
My friends can now hear a mum say "I stood outside my daughter's club in the rain to catch a glimpse from the outside of her end of year performance and prize giving" and it leaves them cold. My friends in Melbourne saw a pregnant woman pulled from her house for sharing a post on Facebook, and watched police shooting fleeing protestors in the back. They felt no compulsion to say a single thing.
It has been baffling, and disturbing. I keep asking myself: when they spoke and behaved and seemed to think like me before, were they ever really there? Or were their principles just a costume all along? Were they simply people who couldn't be trusted to take the serious things seriously?
It has been the oddest thing. A polar inversion in the location of rights and authoritarianism on the political spectrum. And a loss of faith in people I unquestioningly trusted.
Great read, thank you ladies!!
It’s very interesting for me to observe how down here in the south this issue doesn’t really seem to be one we come across much. It seems the lack of feeling comfortable in the streets is mainly due to a general avoidance of speaking out, or Tall-poppy syndrome - as explained to me by our friend Lavinia. Much love to y’all! Xx
Great read, thank you!
Wow. This is the most amazing post. Thank you for articulating the things that I have been feeling deep inside.
With all my heart thank you for capturing in words what I have felt but been unable to fully understand and express, beaming gratitude, solidarity and Aroha your way