Right-minded people don't make a habit of policing what people say, I don't think it crosses the line at all or incites people into violence, so it's not going to break the law and she can technically say it if she want to.
But she might want to really consider whether she wants to be saying that phrase.
Chlöe, as a New Zealand-based politician, is probably not going to change what's happening in Israel. So heading off to the domain in Auckland and chanting that phrase is probably not going to affect what's happening in the Middle East.
But it does have the power to affect what's happening here in New Zealand.
We have got both Palestinian and Jewish communities in the region who are hurting, and many members of those communities will be quite angry about the situation at the moment.
You don't have to look far to see evidence of that. The graffiti on the fence on the synagogue in Epsom that popped up in the news today? That's some evidence.
The anger at the pro-Palestinian rally on Saturday? That's obvious evidence.
The apparent boycotting of Jewish businesses in New Zealand? That's evidence.
You've got the level of vitriol on social media, which is genuinely surprising to some people when they weigh in on the subject and see what comes back at them.
People are clearly feeling strongly about this, and what they don't need is a political leader in this country with a high profile jumping on stage and whipping up that anger or that fear.
That's exactly what Chlöe did by using that phrase. She might argue she didn't whip up any anger and we can't argue against her because we can't measure it- but I can tell you for certain that she whipped up fear.
The Jewish community, who heard what she said, had members saying that it made them feel scared. That is objectively the opposite of calming things down- which is what Chlöe should be using her position for.
Chlöe doesn't need to apologise if she doesn't want to, doesn't have to back down if she doesn't want to, she can defend the phrase and she can keep saying it- but if she cared about the New Zealand Jewish and Palestinian communities, she shouldn't say it.
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and commentator who hosts Newstalk ZB's Drive show.
5 comments:
It seemed like Hate Speech and whether intended or not it was fuelling hate and division in New Zealand.
Chloe eh!
Supporting a side which is completely intolerant of all the woke gender causes dear to her heart.
Which places women very much in second place to men.
Which does not tolerate homosexuality, including lesbians.
Seem like a massive contradiction? Or maybe Chloe has some other bizarre reason, even though her views are at odds with Hamas and Islam. That's right - colonialism! That must override all her objections...or maybe she's just not put her brain in gear and considered it, instead had the usual woke, groupthink knee-jerk reaction as the rest of her mates.
Don't look for logic from a woke Left-wing hypocrite. It ain't there. It's long gone, along with Chloe's ability to see that the side she supports sure as hell doesn't support her and would happily persecute her for the way she lives her life and her beliefs.
Chloe tried to cover herself by saying that their are jewish people who support free palestine too. Well sorry, but no jewish activist is calling the war museum a disgrace for showing the israeli flag colours. In the video she says the museum should be ashamed of iself. Why? When she chants "from the river to the sea, palestine will be free, i think she neans she wants maori to be free. Free from what?Good luck to her lot with the civil war? Against who though? The settlers of 1840 are no longer here and many ordinary maori don't want a bar of these clowns.
That's ok Chloe, you have joined Marama as a woman to be resisted and opposed in NZ politics. I think she has lost a lot of political capital over this as she was seen as one step removed from the other Green loonies but not so much now. Loonies the lot of them. As Heather said, politicians should use their influence to calm, not inflate situations. Let's see if her preferred PM ratings drop a bit next time.
MC
I would also love to know where little willy and the greens will get their guns from for the civil war, as their boss cindy banned firearms.
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