Kate Hawkesby: How much faith do you have that Kiwis can behave themselves respectfully in public?

The Posie Parker kerfuffle at the weekend in Auckland, I see the whole thing as so unnecessary. Her coming here, the publicity and noise around her coming here, the reaction when she got here, the vitriol and protests —from both sides—  when she tried to speak, the fallout after it. 

How on earth did we end up with this much hubbub over a virtual nobody? How have we ended up with JK Rowling involved, MP’s involved, everyone seemingly imploding on each other. All over someone who should never have been given this much oxygen in the first place. 

Like I said last week, how many of us had even heard of her prior to the media advertising her arrival and the impending doom. It all played right into her hands though, the frenzy whipped up resulted in big crowds, big protest, and her high tailing it out of here... all documented for a new and captive audience that she previously would not have had. 

As my colleague, Heather pointed out, what an own goal by the Greens, Auckland Pride and Rainbow Youth. And as triumphant as the rainbow community is about seeing her off, what does it actually say about how New Zealand handles free speech? What does it say about how our country behaves at protests? What does it say about our ability to hear each other out? And where does it leave our international reputation after the chaotic scenes made international headlines - with Posie Parker herself telling the British press she had 'grave fears for NZ',  adding, 'this place is f***ed.'  

So she was drowned out by hysteria before she could even open her mouth. No open dialogue, no sane rational discussion, no traversing of ideas, just hysteria both ways. Mixed messaging, chaotic methodology, insane behavior. And what I worry about given the performance at the weekend, is how we are going to behave on the hustings this election year. What does it say about the mindset of New Zealanders, that we feel we can trample down barriers and verbally attack or throw things at anyone who thinks differently to us. 

MP’s have already said they’re worried about security for this election year and in some cases, some are looking to increase it. We already know there is a general blatant disregard and disrespect for Police among young people, so how out of control is it likely to get? 

What assurances do politicians and their supporters have, that there won’t be clashes or fury unleashed when differing views are aired? When did we lose our radar on what constitutes peaceful protest? How is it protestors are still arguing that what we saw at the weekend in Auckland was peaceful? 

It’s a really ugly side to politics and it’s infiltrating other facets of our community now too. The piles on’s are not just confined to Twitter and Facebook anymore, it seems the anger and bitterness is seeping out into the streets, manifesting itself in a physical manner now too. 

Protesting doesn’t have to involve tomato juice, smashing down barriers, screaming and pushing. It doesn’t have to involve threats of violence. If we can’t seem to contain ourselves in a public forum when someone we disagree with tries to speak in a public place, what does that say about how the election period is likely to unfold? 

How much faith do you have that Kiwis can behave themselves respectfully in public? That they can tolerate free speech? After this weekend, I don’t hold out much hope at all.

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