When the ‘unthinkable’ happened at two mosques in Christchurch two weeks ago, it was a tragedy which shattered our beautiful Pacific paradise. Our antipodean haven of harmony and unity. That was the narrative, anyway, at least for the first few days. But harmony and unity?
A poem by Anu Kaloti
I think of Parihaka, I can’t sleep
Half the prison population,
And yet only 15% of general population,
I can’t sleep
The morning of March 15 was incredible. Thousands of young people were on strike from school, marching in the streets of Aotearoa, demanding action on climate change; demanding a better future. For many of them, it was their first ever experience of politics, and their first ever feeling of people power.
Love Aotearoa Hate Racism Press Release
After a beautiful day in which thousands of young people across Aotearoa marched for a better future, a chill has descended across this country. Far-right murderers have shot innocent Muslims in their holy mosques, and livestreamed it on Facebook and 4Chan.
People around the world are being hit with an avalanche of propaganda about Venezuela and the government of President Nicolás Maduro. This happens in the run up to every US-led war. The tactic is to psychologically prepare people to accept the coming aggression, by connecting it to a noble cause. We only need to remember the claims that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which were used to justify sanctions and war being imposed on that country. The information war always precedes the real war.
A shrill screeching sound has been echoing around Aotearoa in the last couple of weeks. From Cape Reinga to Stewart Island, the deafening screams of the rich — terrified at the idea that they might have to pay a little more tax — have been reverberating across the country, reaching every corner of the land.