UK Hate Crime Police
You know you're in the UK when police officers greet you at a supermarket, handing out pamphlets about combating hate crimes!
This nation was once a global leader in the fight against tyranny and authoritarianism.
The UK is now known for the thousands of people arrested in recent years over their online communications. A clamp down on free expression.
This is a tragic reality to witness from a distance.
How much more tragic for the citizens of the UK…
In a twisted way, this campaign is labelled using the acronym HOPE:
H – Hate Crime Awareness
O – Operational Responses
P – Prevent Hate Crime
E – Engage Communities
Contact First Name, there is nothing ‘hopeful’ about this.
Frankly, it is a manipulative strategy, designed to market draconian measures in a positive light.
When legal definitions are vague or left open to shifting societal interpretations, the enforcement of hate crime laws becomes arbitrary and prone to abuse for political ends.
Laws built on vague and subjective terms risk becoming weapons in the hands of the ideologically motivated, used to silence those with whom they disagree.
Often at the cost of truth, freedom and human flourishing.
This is not theory, it’s a reality in much of the world… including in the UK…
Why am I telling you this?
How does this relate to us in New Zealand??
This encounter at the supermarket was a stark reminder that freedom in New Zealand is not guaranteed.
The nation from which we inherited our democratic institutions, liberal culture and system of government is facing a crisis that was not inevitable, but allowed to emerge through the slow abdication of responsible citizenship and a failure to take a courageous stand for liberty.
At PILLAR, we often say that eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.
Each generation must realise freedom for itself, learn to love it and have the courage to preserve it.
A failure to do so invites the slow but steady advance of authoritarianism and tyranny.
This old maxim remains as relevant today because it is true.
The work we are doing at PILLAR matters, Contact First Name, because the appetite for censorship and control is ever-present.
New Zealand is not immune to the same sickness afflicting the UK.
Last week, we released our Annual Report to you.
Over the past year, we have stood up for the values that promote human flourishing, challenged bad ideas, defended fundamental freedoms and helped shape our country's future.
This fight is about protecting Kiwis' freedoms for the sake of a free and flourishing New Zealand.
Thank you for standing with us.
