Covid-19 Antivaxxers, extremism and the Coalition

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HurleyHepsHird

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The term typically reserved for some of the behaviour we are seeing is stochastic terrorism.

For months elements of the party have been fanning the flames online.

Now we've had both Federal and State MPs attend and speak at antivaxxer protests attended by known neo-Nazis, where threats and death chants were leveled at public figures, while gallows were erected and nooses hung.

Inflammatory rhetoric, comparing mandates to apartheid and pandemic legislation to Nazis.

Just today the Australian Primeminister sympathised with these elements, yet a state premier in Mark McGowan had to shut down his office due to death and rape threats levelled at staff. Likewise, violent and armed rightwing extremists were arrested in Victoria for making credible threats against the lives of politicians.

It seems that they are hellbent on encouraging a Joe Cox or Jan 6th style event, the question is, will the media call them out for it and will the public punish them at the polls.

Screenshot_20211118-170038_Guardian.jpg


At what point does courting extremists or encouraging extremists, make you the party of extremism? Cynicism isn't an excuse.
 

HurleyHepsHird

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I think it is worth cataloguing the connection between the LNP, neo-Nazis, rightwing and anti-vaxx extremists so I'm going to start doing it in this thread.


Later on Sunday Victoria state lawmaker Bernie Finn of the Liberal Party posted a doctored image depicting Andrews as Nazi wartime leader Adolf Hitler. The image was later taken down.
 

HurleyHepsHird

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The Liberal MP Craig Kelly is standing by unsubstantiated claims antifa may have been present in the US Capitol mob, even though the article on which they were based has been corrected.

As the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, declined to repudiate misinformation about the US election from within his government on Thursday, both Kelly and the Nationals MP George Christensen shared an article from the Washington Times claiming facial recognition had identified far-left protesters in the mob.
 

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People should be able to oppose a bill granting extreme powers to politicians without being labelled the worst possible or blamed for the actions of others.

Otherwise opposition groups would just send agents to all protests with obscene content or displays so the entire process can be shoved under the carpet.

But that would never happen.
 

HurleyHepsHird

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Neither Matthew Guy nor Morrison have explicitly condemned this man, nor far right organisers.

Three state Liberal MPs were in attendance at a protest where a gallows was erected, nooses were hung and known extremist groups were present.

The names of those MPs were David Davis, Craig Ondarchie and Bernie Finn. None hsve been censured or criticised by opposition leader Matthew Guy.
 

HurleyHepsHird

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HurleyHepsHird

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From just today, Morrison embracing Trump style rhetoric to defend the people who have threatened the lives of both Labor and Independent members of parliament.

Scott Morrison accused of Trump-like remarks on Victoria protests
Labor frontbencher Ed Husic says he is ‘alarmed’ by the prime minister’s empathy with community frustrations at a time of rising extremism

 

HurleyHepsHird

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HurleyHepsHird

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Here we have opposition leader Matthew Guy's close ally, someone he promoted to the backbench encouraging the party to directly engage with protesters behind closed doors.

He had previously addressed the protest.

Now to advocate working with extremist elements despite weeks of news of death and rape threats, serious arrests, open neo-Nazi participation, shows that senior LNP members view extemism not as s threat but an opportunity.


"Shadow spokesman for housing and planning Ryan Smith, who was elevated to the frontbench by Mr Guy, encouraged his colleagues at Tuesday’s party room meeting to engage with the crowd, according to two MPs speaking confidentially because such meetings are private.

Mr Smith addressed the protest last week and claimed the Premier had “broken” the state’s children through school lockdowns amid cries of “vaccines don’t work” from the crowd, according to audio heard by The Age."
 
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Neither Matthew Guy nor Morrison have explicitly condemned this man, nor far right organisers.

Three state Liberal MPs were in attendance at a protest where a gallows was erected, nooses were hung and known extremist groups were present.

The names of those MPs were David Davis, Craig Ondarchie and Bernie Finn. None hsve been censured or criticised by opposition leader Matthew Guy.
You know Morrison is a liar and a piece of s**t human, don't you.
Why would you expect him to do anything to wedge his own supporters?
 

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HurleyHepsHird

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mok

Cancelled
Nov 14, 2021
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The term typically reserved for some of the behaviour we are seeing is stochastic terrorism.

For months elements of the party have been fanning the flames online.

Now we've had both Federal and State MPs attend and speak at antivaxxer protests attended by known neo-Nazis, where threats and death chants were leveled at public figures, while gallows were erected and nooses hung.

Inflammatory rhetoric, comparing mandates to apartheid and pandemic legislation to Nazis.

Just today the Australian Primeminister sympathised with these elements, yet a state premier in Mark McGowan had to shut down his office due to death and rape threats levelled at staff. Likewise, violent and armed rightwing extremists were arrested in Victoria for making credible threats against the lives of politicians.

It seems that they are hellbent on encouraging a Joe Cox or Jan 6th style event, the question is, will the media call them out for it and will the public punish them at the polls.

View attachment 1282774

At what point does courting extremists or encouraging extremists, make you the party of extremism? Cynicism isn't an excuse.

Whilst I agree with everything you say, I would prefer this type of conversation to be conducted on more appropriate social media platforms. It will only attract extremists and end up becoming a free-for-all slanging match.
 
People should be able to oppose a bill granting extreme powers to politicians without being labelled the worst possible or blamed for the actions of others.

Otherwise opposition groups would just send agents to all protests with obscene content or displays so the entire process can be shoved under the carpet.

But that would never happen.
Sure but the protests have been organised by white supremacists, heavily attended by them and are being used as recruiting tools by them

So like maybe in this case the nazis are getting called nazis because they are actually nazis
 
Sure but the protests have been organised by white supremacists, heavily attended by them and are being used as recruiting tools by them

So like maybe in this case the nazis are getting called nazis because they are actually nazis
I agree but if we are being completely objective - to almost every single person bar a very particular handful observing - it's actually:

Nazis getting called nazis because they are actually nazis, because we have been told they are.
 
I agree but if we are being completely objective - to almost every single person bar a very particular handful observing - it's actually:

Nazis getting called nazis because they are actually nazis, because we have been told they are.
Are you complaining that people who can't identify nazis directly are agreeing with the people that can identify nazis?
 
Apr 23, 2016
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People should be able to oppose a bill granting extreme powers to politicians without being labelled the worst possible or blamed for the actions of others.

True.

They should also probably not threaten rape, death, bombs, build a gallows or very loudly shout through a microphone that they want to see Daniel Andrews at the end of a rope if they want to be taken seriously or not be labelled the worst possible.
 
Are you complaining that people who can't identify nazis directly are agreeing with the people that can identify nazis?
No I'm suggesting that it wouldn't take much to identify someone as a nazi and then propagate that around enough repeating places for ti to be fact, when it may never have been the case.

I am trusting that when I read someone is a nazi that they are, when it's in the interests of the people who oppose their specific political position on this bill and vaccines for me to believe they are so I dismiss the discussion they wish to have entirely and don't cause a fuss.
 
True.

They should also probably not threaten rape, death, bombs, build a gallows or very loudly shout through a microphone that they want to see Daniel Andrews at the end of a rope if they want to be taken seriously or not be labelled the worst possible.
You're right.

Given that it's such an effective way for us to move on from discussion of the protest's objectives, why wouldn't someone "false flag" a protest they disagree with in such a fashion in order to end the discussion on the protest's message and make it about how the protesters themselves are bad, therefore their message is bad?

I would. It's exactly the sort of guerrilla politics that would work. People don't want to have a big discussion on issues. They want to think their government is all about their benefit. Just give them a reason to turn off the tv or mentally and they will.

Watch for climate activists to be violent in the future. Same thing.
 
Apr 23, 2016
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You're right.

Given that it's such an effective way for us to move on from discussion of the protest's objectives, why wouldn't someone "false flag" a protest they disagree with in such a fashion in order to end the discussion on the protest's message and make it about how the protesters themselves are bad, therefore their message is bad?

I'm sure the relevant politicians, or protest organisers could strenuously distance themselves from such people, ask the police to remove them, or do any manner of things to inform the public that those people in no way represent them.

It's telling that they don't seem particularly motivated to do so.
 

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