Bruce Cotterill: When language is used to divide

There’s a nasty theme emerging in New Zealand politics. It’s come on gradually, particularly over the last year or so, but has become somewhat exaggerated recently, particularly in the months since the new government was sworn in.

I refer to the use of highly emotive and divisive language. We usually learn about the use of language through our own mistakes. And we now live in an age where it is easier to offend than it once was. As the saying goes, we have to “mind our p’s and q’s” more than we once did.