Politicians and the police are remarkably tolerant of people spreading dangerous misinformation and bullying kids, teachers and vaccinators in ways that cost lives and livelihoods. We have to act.
Are we looking at a mental health issue? The past two years have not been good on people with vulnerable mental health. My feeling is that we should slowly but surely take some of the oxygen out of the room, dial it all back . basically let it pass. Keeping people calm is a really important function of government. PS am personally triple vaxed. Have no axe to grind, just wonder if the Health issue is wider than simply Covid
Feb 9, 2022·edited Feb 9, 2022Liked by Bernard Hickey
Well said, Bernard - thank you for crystallising stuff that has been worrying and baffling me. To look at it through a smaller lens, keep wondering why the police/legal response keeps focusing on minor offences against good order or very place- or time-specific regulations, usually in a way that involves picking off a few representative offenders in what is largely crowd behaviour. They don’t have the numbers to deal decisively with crowds, nor do they want to be seen to hamper legitimate protest. Fair enough, but the result is that they often seem passive then intermittently petty.
But, as you describe, violence and intimidation are happening blatantly. Are assault (eg with eggs) and intimidation not offences? What about threatening to kill, which is disturbingly common. And why, to draw a long bow for sure, would you charge the worst breakers of anti-infection rules with petty infractions rather than with reckless endangerment?
Brilliant as usual Bernard. The nonsense has to stop. Why should 4% or less of the population I call the “closet Nutters” hold us to ransom. The 96% of the relatively sane remainder need to show some Guts and close them down.
I have thought about Jan 6th Capitol riot, genuinely interested how those rioters are actually able to 'seize' power? Such a relatively small group compared to the size of the US, let alone any proper law enforcement response. I get that Congress may not have been able to ratify the election results (or something along those lines I'm not sure of due process), but surely police / army could move them on (even forcefully) and Congress come back tomorrow and ratify?
Well said Bernard. I also find it extremely frustrating that these people can get away with what they are doing. Even if the Police charge them ,for example , the offence of trespassing the penalty is likely to be a whack on the wrist with a wet bus ticket.
I think that one of the problems of these people is that they are completely brainwashed but I bet if any of them got COVID-19 they would be demanding their entitlement to oxygen.
That is the most succinct explanation of what's happening here. There's a kind of post modern spiritual bypassing going on where bring kind has attained the heights of idiot compassion. Be kind, sure, but in order to do that & stay safe strong boundaries are needed, personally & socially. Especially as the extreme anti camp seem to be devolving into a kind of delayed development where only me matters. It's so bad they're even fighting amongst themselves. Rights are important; so are responsibilities & when someone fails to be responsible they need a consequence. And not the wet bus ticket kind.
Absolutely agree with you. Thanks so much for putting into words the ideas that have been in my head. These people and their toxic irrationality are indeed an existential threat to Civil Society. They’ve taken the opportunity to expose themselves to be dispersed or arrested immediately.
I have been thinking the exact same for quite some time. The most hideous of comments directed often at woman politicians and activists plus the belief that anyone can say anything online that is hateful and hurtful. And actually they can, because time and time again, these haters get away with it. Watching the verbal submission on The Gay Conversion Bill, I realised that there are 2 groups within our supposedly kindly little nation. Those who are opposed to human rights (who believe that being a parent allows you to punish your child if they sway from an old testament style of belief system) and those who mean well for our society. The ugliness that we have seen at this protest is a huge threat to all of us. I think Johann Hari has dealt with this in his book Stolen Focus and I believe he thinks that FB should be completely changed from its current form and made into a platform for meeting old friends and not used for propaganda. Thanks Bernard: this needs to be dealt with.
When authorities are intimidated into inaction by a ill informed noisy few it is time for authority to bring consequences to those the groups concerned and vigorously act to stem the flow of garbage on the antisocial platforms.
Your point of mass vaccinations in schools is telling - tolerating bad behaviour just encourages more extreme behaviour and removes perfectly workable options to the detrement of our community.
Our community has a responsibility to sustain itself, including cutting the garbage on the antisocial platforms. Beyond that who gives a stuff what the crazy fringe think, get out of the way or face the consequences determined by the community.
A final point around the "they mean well", trying to save the children or whatever: motivation and intent are irrelevant, the road to hell...
Misinformation is prevalent at both ends of the Covid debate. Both the anti-vax and the ultra-safety folk come at the issue twisting “evidence” to support their already established views. The self-serving talking heads further exacerbate the divide. Neither side is willing or able to hear the other, and both sides are advocating degrees of harm to others outside of their group –this is the societal threat.
Agreed Bernard - many of those against public health measures now occupy a space of 'unsafe certainty', often spurred through exposure to mis- and disinformation. I've written more about this here this morning: https://sarbjohal.com/blog/2022/02/10/navigating-omicron-safe-uncertainty/
Are we looking at a mental health issue? The past two years have not been good on people with vulnerable mental health. My feeling is that we should slowly but surely take some of the oxygen out of the room, dial it all back . basically let it pass. Keeping people calm is a really important function of government. PS am personally triple vaxed. Have no axe to grind, just wonder if the Health issue is wider than simply Covid
Don't make Bernard angry...you wouldn't like him when he's angry...
Seriously though - I'm p....ed off too.
Well said, Bernard - thank you for crystallising stuff that has been worrying and baffling me. To look at it through a smaller lens, keep wondering why the police/legal response keeps focusing on minor offences against good order or very place- or time-specific regulations, usually in a way that involves picking off a few representative offenders in what is largely crowd behaviour. They don’t have the numbers to deal decisively with crowds, nor do they want to be seen to hamper legitimate protest. Fair enough, but the result is that they often seem passive then intermittently petty.
But, as you describe, violence and intimidation are happening blatantly. Are assault (eg with eggs) and intimidation not offences? What about threatening to kill, which is disturbingly common. And why, to draw a long bow for sure, would you charge the worst breakers of anti-infection rules with petty infractions rather than with reckless endangerment?
You are right that we're living in dangerous times.
Our government are paid good salaries to govern, and they kick the can down the road on the hard stuff.
It's dangerous for Jacinda to spout "be kind" rhetoric while our families are getting poorer and our kids have no future.
Hear Hear.
Just got down to the bottom - schools as targets? These people are terrorists and must be treated as such.
Brilliant as usual Bernard. The nonsense has to stop. Why should 4% or less of the population I call the “closet Nutters” hold us to ransom. The 96% of the relatively sane remainder need to show some Guts and close them down.
Patrick Medlicott
Agree with the sentiment Bernhard, well written.
I have thought about Jan 6th Capitol riot, genuinely interested how those rioters are actually able to 'seize' power? Such a relatively small group compared to the size of the US, let alone any proper law enforcement response. I get that Congress may not have been able to ratify the election results (or something along those lines I'm not sure of due process), but surely police / army could move them on (even forcefully) and Congress come back tomorrow and ratify?
Gary Dyall
Well said Bernard. I also find it extremely frustrating that these people can get away with what they are doing. Even if the Police charge them ,for example , the offence of trespassing the penalty is likely to be a whack on the wrist with a wet bus ticket.
I think that one of the problems of these people is that they are completely brainwashed but I bet if any of them got COVID-19 they would be demanding their entitlement to oxygen.
That is the most succinct explanation of what's happening here. There's a kind of post modern spiritual bypassing going on where bring kind has attained the heights of idiot compassion. Be kind, sure, but in order to do that & stay safe strong boundaries are needed, personally & socially. Especially as the extreme anti camp seem to be devolving into a kind of delayed development where only me matters. It's so bad they're even fighting amongst themselves. Rights are important; so are responsibilities & when someone fails to be responsible they need a consequence. And not the wet bus ticket kind.
Absolutely agree with you. Thanks so much for putting into words the ideas that have been in my head. These people and their toxic irrationality are indeed an existential threat to Civil Society. They’ve taken the opportunity to expose themselves to be dispersed or arrested immediately.
I have been thinking the exact same for quite some time. The most hideous of comments directed often at woman politicians and activists plus the belief that anyone can say anything online that is hateful and hurtful. And actually they can, because time and time again, these haters get away with it. Watching the verbal submission on The Gay Conversion Bill, I realised that there are 2 groups within our supposedly kindly little nation. Those who are opposed to human rights (who believe that being a parent allows you to punish your child if they sway from an old testament style of belief system) and those who mean well for our society. The ugliness that we have seen at this protest is a huge threat to all of us. I think Johann Hari has dealt with this in his book Stolen Focus and I believe he thinks that FB should be completely changed from its current form and made into a platform for meeting old friends and not used for propaganda. Thanks Bernard: this needs to be dealt with.
You are right it is time to say stop.
When authorities are intimidated into inaction by a ill informed noisy few it is time for authority to bring consequences to those the groups concerned and vigorously act to stem the flow of garbage on the antisocial platforms.
Your point of mass vaccinations in schools is telling - tolerating bad behaviour just encourages more extreme behaviour and removes perfectly workable options to the detrement of our community.
Our community has a responsibility to sustain itself, including cutting the garbage on the antisocial platforms. Beyond that who gives a stuff what the crazy fringe think, get out of the way or face the consequences determined by the community.
A final point around the "they mean well", trying to save the children or whatever: motivation and intent are irrelevant, the road to hell...
Scary echo chamber effects.
Misinformation is prevalent at both ends of the Covid debate. Both the anti-vax and the ultra-safety folk come at the issue twisting “evidence” to support their already established views. The self-serving talking heads further exacerbate the divide. Neither side is willing or able to hear the other, and both sides are advocating degrees of harm to others outside of their group –this is the societal threat.
Please stop and reflect.
Surely the PM using Facebook for communication is crazy? By her use, she is validating that platform.