THESE are strange times we live in, where even our world leaders use social media platforms to spew out threats and hatred.
It breeds a society where people feel entitled to belittle or bully others whose opinions or beliefs they disagree with. It’s the new form of debate and it’s anything but healthy.
Here in Australia, we are sadly no different.
Take the issue of climate change.
The very same people who preach inclusiveness, no matter your race, sexuality or religion, then hypocritically condemn anyone who doesn’t believe climate change is real.
They point at these people, label them “deniers”, and join in the chorus of haters with their vicious words and emojis.
Publicity-seeking television hosts are now doing the same. “You’re a climate change denier” they say, spitting out the words with venom like some Renaissance priest calling out a Protestant in a HBO television series.
It’s as if these climate sceptics are somehow evil and should be ostracised for their beliefs.
And the “deniers” are just as bad, dismissing the science and the “believers” for their views.
For the record, I believe climate change is real, and that our country could do more to reduce our emission levels in a measured way that doesn’t compromise our immediate energy supplies — but that’s my view. Others are entitled to theirs, aren’t they?
The bushfire crisis that is devastating our country has served to both unite and divide us.
There has been the outpouring of generosity and support in terms of donations, a typically Australian way of pulling together in times of need, but then there has been the vicious blame game that has been playing out while the country burns.
Politicians have been just as bad, with the left blaming the right and the right blaming the left as the reasons this disaster is unfolding.
While disasters always demand answers, those answers are rarely evident in the immediate aftermath, let alone while they are still occurring.
But there seems a desperate demand to blame someone or some thing for the current bushfire crisis before any smoke has cleared.
So who or what is to blame?
Are parts of our nation burning the result of some of the hottest and driest years on record, and therefore the fault of those in government who have not taken enough action on climate change?
Is it that we are failing to manage fuel loads on the ground through cool burns, and therefore these out-of-control fires are the fault of greenies who have let our bush run wild?
Is it that we have had a spring and summer of really high winds that have not just blown up dust off our drought-stricken crops in the Mallee, but fanned flames in every state?
Do we not have enough firefighters on the ground or water bombers in the air? Is it firebugs?
Or is it, maybe, a combination of all of the above?
What we now need to see is our country come together to learn from this disaster.
All sides need to accept fault where it lies, put politics aside, and ensure better management practices are put in place.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been pummelled for his response to the nation’s bushfire crisis.
But the disaster presents an opportunity for the government to pursue lasting reform.
When the politicians get back to Canberra in February, let’s hope they take the opportunity to talk about what unites us and create a new plan that helps us avoid the mistakes of the past.
Our PM may be labelled a climate change denier by many, but as a leader, his job is to listen to all sides of the debate, and then act accordingly.
If he fails to do that, voters will turf him out.
That’s democracy.
That’s an inclusive society to believe in.
