Blasphemy laws in New Zealand?! (Copy)
This week, while at university, I had a contentious debate with someone who suggested that the work PILLAR was doing was futile at best and irresponsible at worst!
This person could not fathom why my colleagues and I saw such value in promoting a political system that cherishes liberty, democracy, and individual rights.
To him, these values were... trivial and unimportant 🤯
So, why do we do this work here at PILLAR?
Well, take this headline from yesterday!
A long-standing proponent of hate speech laws has once again decided to use his voice to call for ‘hate speech’ legislation to be introduced in New Zealand.
The Federation of Islamic Associations New Zealand (FIANZ) who are strong proponents for such laws, chaired by Abdul Razzaq, would like to see definitions of hate speech that include, “religious hate speech: speech that vilifies or promotes hostility towards individuals or communities based on their religious beliefs or practices”.
Let’s be very clear, Friend, this what we call ‘blasphemy laws’!
We have these laws in Iran where I am from... it not worked out too well to say the least!
Attempts to pass such legislation come about despite the fact that since 2021 these proposals have been seriously rejected by the New Zealand public on multiple occasions.
Freedom of speech an essential pillar of our democratic heritage and we only toy with it to our own demise.
This story is just one recent example from the last week which reminds me why our work is so important - if we don’t call these things out, who will?
When asked, ‘why PILLAR?’, the answer is simple for us: If PILLAR and others like us do not fill the political space with ideas that promote individual rights, human dignity, liberty and a flourishing individual life, those who despise each of those values will take charge and begin the slow destruction of our inheritance of liberty and democracy.
This is not trivial, the bad ideas that fill the political space have severe consequences, often producing destruction and victims on mass.
Good ideas have the opposite effect, and we are here to promote them.
This is partly why we spent most of this past week speaking to students at university, debating and encouraging them to engage with our democracy.
This is why next week we are going to court to support a Kiwi citizen who has been wrongfully arrested and unnecessarily dragged through the courts!
This is why this month you will see us at a foreign interference event discussing the threats to our national sovereignty.
None of this is trivial, Friend, as the old adage goes, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Friend, your support enables this battle in resisting the ‘triumph of evil’, this is bigger than just PILLAR and is all made possible with your commitment – thank you.
