The 7th of November marked one month since an attack on Israel reignited bloody conflict in Gaza. This ongoing and devastating situation has continued to fuel intense emotions overseas and in New Zealand.
The cause is complex, and so is knowing the appropriate response.
We do not pretend to have the perfect answer.
But no matter which side we are on, if we strike at the basic democratic principles in our outrage, we will all be poorer.
One side can’t have the right to have their say without the other receiving the same. The opportunity to listen and provide counter-speech must exist, otherwise this wouldn’t be a democracy.
Would you sign this public letter, regardless of which side you come from on this issue, working with us to preserve open debate and civil discourse?
Together, we sign this letter whilst disagreeing on many things.
We disagree about a way forward in the Middle East, and we disagree about much to do with the Arab-Israeli conflict.
We all agree, however, on the basic principles of democracy and are united against violence.
We are appalled that a Member of Parliament required Police protection to leave a protest in Auckland Domain because he expressed an unpopular opinion. We condemn intimidation, violence, and intolerance.
We are saddened by the unprecedented levels of both antisemitic and Islamophobic actions occurring around New Zealand associated with events overseas. Our common desire is that New Zealand would be a peaceful and free nation, where all people can speak freely and share their story.
We encourage all New Zealanders to use their voices to call out intolerance and hate, and to speak up for peace.
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Andrea Plumpton signed 2024-02-27 17:20:59 +1300 -
Carol Watkins signed 2024-02-27 15:33:03 +1300Everyone has a right to state their opinions, without which we would be like Russia or Hitler’s Germany. Let the people speak, they have that right.
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Carol Brooks signed 2024-02-27 14:26:29 +1300
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Graeme Frethey signed 2024-02-27 14:22:24 +1300
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Scott Payne signed 2024-02-27 13:08:17 +1300Open fare discussions are the only way to try and understand where this conflict sits.
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Chas Thorburn signed 2024-02-27 12:43:08 +1300
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Wendy Cooper signed 2024-02-27 12:01:00 +1300
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Mark David Williamson signed 2024-02-27 11:27:08 +1300
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Leonie Ireland signed 2024-02-27 11:08:00 +1300
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Peter Haward signed 2024-02-22 08:54:57 +1300
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Deborah Henderson signed 2024-02-19 15:44:49 +1300
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Richard Eltringham signed 2024-02-17 23:44:34 +1300
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Matt Davey signed 2024-02-17 12:04:40 +1300
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Chris Penniall signed 2024-02-15 19:32:50 +1300
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Aaron Dixon signed 2024-02-15 18:01:38 +1300
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Willem Bosman signed 2024-02-15 13:52:47 +1300
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Ross McPherson signed 2024-02-14 15:51:11 +1300
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Catherine Palmer signed 2024-02-14 15:44:36 +1300
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Jacqueline Green signed 2024-02-12 05:53:02 +1300
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Paul Rennie signed 2024-02-11 08:07:41 +1300
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Sophia Smeele signed 2024-02-08 09:13:33 +1300
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Liz McKenzie signed 2024-02-08 08:12:02 +1300
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Christopher Jones signed 2024-02-07 11:39:03 +1300Islamophobia is ‘a word created by fascists, and used by cowards, to manipulate morons.’ Islam is a system of beliefs, not an ethnicity or a nationality. The term you should use that is analogous to antisemitism is anti-muslim bigotry.
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Cori Sanders signed 2024-02-07 11:04:57 +1300
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Sara Worth signed 2024-02-03 15:28:43 +1300
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Yvonne Priest signed 2024-02-03 13:47:47 +1300
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Peter Keech signed 2024-02-03 11:38:49 +1300
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Deborah Hall signed 2024-02-02 21:38:00 +1300Speech that actually incites x violence upon x group is not protected- all other speech is protected. If an opinion is voiced that another vehemently disagrees with, then rebut it with your vehement salient points of disagreement. Silencing speech you disagree with is the best step towards totalitarianism and is unacceptable in New Zealand- a country that used to practice democratic freedoms and individual rights and responsibilities.
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Lorraine Evans signed 2024-02-02 19:58:17 +1300
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Kathleen Griffin signed 2024-02-02 17:10:26 +1300