Preach Comrade…
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi has hit out at the Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon and the media over commentary around the death of a gang leader in Ōpōtiki.
…he’s 100% right!
Gang presence in Ōpōtiki after murder ‘unacceptable’ – Luxon
Labour’s “inaction” around the gang presence in Ōpōtiki after a gang leader’s murder is “unacceptable”, according to National Party leader Christopher Luxon.
…listening to middle class media freak out about the Opotiki Gang Funeral and scream ‘something must be done’ shows how feckless they are – what the media want is a Police State that shoots every gang member because they are as ACT claim ‘Subhuman’.
I am no apologist for the crime and violence generated by gangs, but I’m smart enough to appreciate how they formed and why.
You get that the creators of these gangs were the kids abused by the State in State care right?
You get that for those on the bottom of society, these gangs form the only family they’ve known?
You get that the drivers of poverty manifest in these types of gangs right?
Their leader has been killed and they mourn him in their fashion and manner.
The hysteria this has generated by politicians seeking to manipulate your fear into anger that votes is obvious, yet you all take it hook, line and sinker.
Part of me wishes that ACT and National were actually in power, because what are they seriously suggesting here?
That armed Police (with the backing of the NZ Military) would suspend all civil rights and declare a state of emergency using martial law to open fire on Gang members who refuse to stop their funeral procession?
Because let’s be very clear, that’s what it would take to stop them from burying their President, armed Police (with the backing of the NZ Army) would need to open fire on them to stop them.
“Oh that’s ridiculous Bomber’, you squeal, “Just arrest them all”.
Ok.
How many Police would you draft in to arrest them all?
Even if you brought every Police Officer from around the country to arrest every gang member in Opotiki, you think that won’t immediately deteriorate into shots fired?
The problem is that these gangs are enormous and they are enormous because the generational pain and damage caused by intense poverty and societal alienation have made them enormous, suddenly wanting to shoot them all because they mourn angrily is possibly the dumbest social policy I’ve ever heard, and I was alive for Roger Douglas!
This argument that Labour cuddle crims and are soft on crime and that’s why this is happening utterly misunderstands the problem, the local Police are allowing this because they know this is the best approach to take in terms of community policing!
They know that if you attempt to stop this, there will be violence that spins out of control.
That’s why David Seymour’s ‘subhuman’ comment is so disgraceful and in fact far more terrifying than angry gang mourners because once someone is determined ‘subhuman’ by the State, the State legitimises any response.
To have the leader of the 3rd largest political party in NZ start the ‘subhuman’ game is a dangerous escalation.
We are a liberal progressive democracy, not a fucking Police State.
There are better ways to bring people out of gangs, starting a civil war isn’t really the smartest and most cost effective to do it.
Grow up FFS!
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