Ele Ludemann: Stop tolerating intolerance

The sign outside the airport lounge implored people to treat staff with good manners and respect.

I’ve seen similar signs in hotels, restaurants and shops.

A man in front of me at the supermarket checkout was very rude to the woman serving her. I asked her how often that happened, she said, “too often’.

First responders are attacked by people they’re trying to help and hospitals need security guards.

Cancel culture and the thugs’ veto are used by people who take aggressive exception to ideas they don’t like and can’t agree to disagree.

Road workers are verbally abused and sometimes physically attacked.

Survey results released this week show the alarming amount of abuse, threats and violence directed at New Zealand’s roading and traffic control workforce, with a high percentage of respondents reporting threats of physical assault in the past year and many feeling ‘at risk’. . .

Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard said road work sites posed some of the highest risks for road workers and road users, and better public understanding was needed. . .

“It’s outrageous that around 30 per cent of traffic controllers do not feel safe in their work. This would not be normal in any other workplace, and it should not be normal in temporary traffic management. It’s something we must address as an industry, and as a society.” . .

Frustrations that bubbled during covid and struggles with the cost of living are being blamed but those are excuses, not reasons.

Too many people have too little respect for other people, too little self control and too little tolerance.

We’ve got to stop tolerating intolerance.

Ele Ludemann is a North Otago farmer and journalist, who blogs HERE - where this article was sourced.