Letters: Promise of chaos too risky, Do not attack the person, Too much hate speech

Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux - banned from using Auckland

Promise of chaos too risky
William Partridge is horrified that Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux can't hire the Auckland hall they want.

I would remind him that, despite being banned from entering England for promoting religious hatred, Southern is still free to enter New Zealand and speak here in our multi-cultural democracy, where we are protected by the rights to freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and freedom of belief.

However, our citizens are also protected by occupational health and safety laws. Previous riots and her promise to "cause chaos" downunder meant there would be a high probability of injury to Auckland Council hall staff and damage to council property.

Consequently, Southern was unable to hire any Auckland Council hall (and charge very high ticket prices). But she still has the freedom to assemble with others in any safe place and speak her mind - maybe Mr Partridge would like to hire Hunterville town hall for her.

Southern makes money from lectures proclaiming the right of white people like Afrikaaners to migrate to Canada (and Australia), while attacking the right of white Muslims and coloured people, like Maori, to do the same.

She also attacks the democratic rights of feminists, gays and transgender people.

Molyneux makes money from YouTube broadcasts urging disturbed young people to alienate themselves from all family bonds and state safety nets, and become "anarcho-capitalists".

Both Southern and Molyneux are supporters of the fascist US politician Donald Trump. Just like Trump, they have discovered they can make lots of money by undermining the democratic foundations of Western society.
John Archer
Ohakune

Do not attack the person
Simon Wilson in his editorial (Chronicle, July 16) describes the problems with free speech well.

Guidelines for speaking have been around at least from classical Greece. One of them was picked up by the Romans - "Argumentum ad hominem", basically saying do not attack the person, only his ideas.

Since all of us are imperfect, one of the useful sounding boards is to listen to others. If a person is not prepared to listen, his hearers stop listening, recognising a fellow not interested in the truth.

Free speech is a gift where all recognised that the betterment of mankind needed to be sort and one of the best ways was through discussion.

Simon Wilson tacitly mourns the absence of authority. The Greeks had their gods; the Romans had their gods, the Jews and Christians have their commandments. We have none.

Through communism, socialism and the Labour movement, the world has been subject to a battle between the poor and wealthy. In that political conflict, restraint seems to have completely dissolved to every man for himself.

To get back to a more even keel, let's return to a basic of charity for all from conception to death. If there is no courtesy for the individual, there is no courtesy for all.
F.R. Halpin
Gonville

Too much hate speech
Isn't it disturbing how much hate speech has been directed at Lauren Southern via mainstream media over the last week or so?
Leo Leitch
Houhora

Easy to label 'hate speech'
I agree with Simon Wilson (Chronicle, July 16) that there has to be some delineation as to what is allowable and what can be discribed as "hate speech".

It appears, as Simon says, if you don't agree, it's not allowed. We have people who, if they don't agree with someone else's opinion, they find hate in it or that time-honoured fallback for a weak argument - racism.

If we go too far down the path of censorship, we send the messengers of what is deemed hate speech underground, and no one knows what they are preaching. This has happened in many Western countries where people have been radicalised to commit atrocities.

I am not allowed to say this, of course, because any of this kind of criticism is deemed hate speech so my opinion is scuttled.

Muslims say theirs is a peaceful religion - yet history tells us there has never been a peaceful or non-controlling religion.

The Christians over the last centuary have cleaned up their act and, from what we can gather, there is a growing feeling in Muslim countries that if they don't clean up their act they are doomed to destroy themselves.
G.R. Scown
Whanganui

Eat, drink and be positive
Listening to the news and people telling you what you should eat and drink ... well, I tell them to go to hell.

We are all born to die and we are not around long - so while you are breathing, enjoy every minute.

I am 73 and keep myself fit by not sitting around a heater as I am a very active person, being a past sportsman, and enjoy the outdoor life. I drink my share of alcohol and can handle it - and, no, I don't smoke. All I can say is eat well, visit your GP four times a year and have a positive mind.

If you do get sick, phone Dr Gazza, as I have the cure and will not disclose it but I will help at no cost.
Gary Stewart
Foxton Beach