We have measured, statesman-like responses, and then we have Kim…
“This brutal, indiscriminate, unforgivable attack on innocent people going about their daily lives is a mark of the depraved character of the people who carried it out.” -HoWARd
“What happened today again testifies to the fact that all of us are doing too little to unite our forces effectively in the struggle against terrorism.”-Putin
“It is important, however, that those engaged in terrorism realise that our determination to defend our values and our way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction to innocent people in a desire impose extremism on the world. Whatever they do it is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilised nations throughout the world.”-Blair
“The war on terror goes on. I was most impressed by the resolve of all the leaders in the room. Their resolve is as strong as my resolve. And that is we will not yield to these people, will not yield to the terrorists. We will find them, we will bring them to justice, and at the same time, we will spread an ideology of hope and compassion that will overwhelm their ideology of hate.”-Bush:
“These terrorists are subhuman filth who must be captured and eliminated and we condemn them and their evil.”-Beazley
Yes the terrorist bombings in London are barbaric and yes they are unjust, but Kim’s dehumanising hate speech will not help. Anger is a part of the grieving process, however, hate is not useful.
Hate scares people and Kim’s hate scares me.
Hating has very little hope of resolution. It usually just becomes more entrenched and pervasive.
Hate mixed with power is dangerous. It can create a climate in which the powerful feel they can dehumanise and degrade other humans with impunity. Once a society dehumanises someone it can do anything to them.
If Kim “the-opposition’s-offering-of-candidate-to-oust-HoWARd” Beazley is serious about being Prime Minister of Australia one day then he needs to employ a more measured, statesman-like response.
Image from here