Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Will Young Labour ever learn?

Turns out the people who want to shut other people up just do not learn from history, do they?

I consider myself to be reasonably well informed, because I have to be for my job. I read the newspapers every day, I listen to the radio, I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on  - and yet even I had completely forgotten Candace Owens was coming to New Zealand.

Until this week - mainly thanks to Young Labour, who are trying to stop her from coming to New Zealand.

They published an open letting urging the Government to ban her, like Australia just did yesterday. Which only reminded me that I should probably go and read up on some of her controversial stuff so I know exactly what the problem is.

So Young Labour can thank themselves for spreading her rhetoric even more widely.

The reason they want to ban her is because we - 'have an obligation to be protecting our communities from that kind of rhetoric that empowers divisive movements.'

Have they heard of the internet? Borders don't keep bad ideas out anymore.
 
Young Labour then went on to say that if the Government doesn't listen and decides to let her in, then can they please at least make sure there's heaps of security at her events to - 'ensure that when those people do choose to counter protest her, they're also not met with violence'.

The bloody cheek of it!

Last time we had someone controversial here, being Posie Parker, it wasn't Parker's supporters in court for violence, was it? It was a young punk who turned up to protest her and punched a grandma in the face and another one who threw the tomato juice on Posie Parker.
 
So let's at least be honest about who poses the greatest threat here.

Here’s some simple advice for the next time someone controversial comes to New Zealand - just don't mention it. Because that way, the only people who will know and go to the event are the people who have already consumed the content.

But now, a lot more people will go and read about Candace Owens. What an own goal. Again.

Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and commentator who hosts Newstalk ZB's Drive show HERE - where this article was sourced.