As the United States grapples with the shocking attempt on Donald Trump’s life, there is a need for moderation in our own political discourse.
While all that was going on in the USA, back in New Zealand Te Pati Maori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer made inflammatory statements on Q+A, claiming:
“We’ve got a Government that is genocidal, ecocide, we know that they are white supremacists… There’s no if, they are.”
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
Such extremist rhetoric is dangerous and should be scrutinised by the media. (To his credit, Jack Tame did challenge this outrageous claim.) If a centre-right party leader had accused the previous Government of genocide against whites, it would dominate headlines for days with widespread condemnation demanded.
This is the kind of extremism that incites violence. It even has a technical name: stochastic terrorism:
Stochastic terrorism is targeted political violence that has been instigated by hostile public rhetoric directed at a group or individual. Unlike incitement to terrorism, this is accomplished by using indirect, vague, or coded language that allows the instigator to plausibly disclaim responsibility for the resulting violence. A key element is the use of social media and other distributed forms of communications where the person who carries out the violence has no direct connection to the users of violent rhetoric.
Wikipedia
Repeatedly telling a segment of the population that the government seeks to commit genocide against them will inevitably lead to extremism and violence. Such statements are unacceptable from any MP, let alone a party co-leader. They surpass even the most extreme remarks made by political figures in the US.
Remember too that Te Pati Maori use imagery of guns and talk of revolution and burning in their social media posts as well.
Labour and the Greens must take a stand against this.
It’s not enough to merely distance themselves with tepid disapproval. They should unequivocally exclude Te Pati Maori from any future coalition unless the party renounces its violent extremist language and stops using stochastic terrorism to get their way.
If they fail to act, New Zealand risks following the US down a perilous path. Encouraging politicians, whether left or right, to use such inflammatory language will only lead to more violence and tragedy.
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