It’s been a couple of weeks since the horrible events in Christchurch.
We have all had time to calm down, we have all had time to reflect and there are certain things about the aftermath of the tragedy that I feel need to be said.
There is no doubt that what Senator Fraser Anning said after the tragedy was wrong. He used an act of terror to score political points against the very people who were victims of the atrocity—that is a definition of a grub. With those comments he is not fit to be a Senator, he is the first politician who is too right-wing for One Nation.
However, two wrongs don’t make a right. The solution to this brand of hate is not to smash eggs into the back of his head.
I am sure 17-year old Will Connolly was not trying to do any harm.
Perhaps he just wanted 15 minutes of fame.
But I fear the consequences of his actions have done little to bring people together and I fear the ramifications in our society are worse than the non-sensical ramblings of a Senator who probably won’t have a job much longer.
A violent response from the left plays into his hands
A classic conservative argument is they are the victims speaking up for the silent majority against a violent and vocal minority, whose debate is being shut down by crazy-politically correct left-wing extremists.
Well, Eggboy has done little to dispel that fear; in fact, he has a Go Fund Me page that has raised around $71,000 that would go to his legal fees should he be charged, and to buy more eggs.
Connolly was released without charge by Police.
To the boy’s credit it has to be said, that he would donate the money to the victims of the Christchurch massacre; he clearly has a moral compass.
But the fact is, all this fame he is generating only increases the siege mentality that these people are trying to create around them. When our aim as citizens should be to bring people together not create more divisions.
It creates a horrible example to kids
What if Eggboy had a Cricket bat instead of an egg?
Where do you draw the line?
Who draws the line?
What message does that send to other kids?
If you attack a Politician you don’t like, or someone the left despises “we will put you on TV”, “we will make you famous”, “We will make you out to be a hero.”
In the United States attacking a Congressman regardless of their persuasion is a federal offence. Are we now saying it’s ok in Australia to do the same if it’s someone you don’t agree with?
It also gives Anning and the far right the publicity they crave
There is no doubt Anning and the far right are an insignificantly small minority. Anning only got 18 votes at the last election.
They crave publicity at any cost.
Eggboy gave them the publicity they craved.
As I have said, I am sure Eggboy is not a bad kid, he clearly knows what he did was wrong and he is not going to press charges against Anning for over reacting in his response, he is happy to move on and put it behind him.
But he is no hero. To call him a national hero is at best, and at worst, an insult to the families of 50 dead Muslims whose suffering is unlikely to be soothed by a teenager smacking a right-wing nut in the back of the head.
This action only fuels the far-right extremist’s sense of victimhood.
Instead they are now riding high on a wave of publicity thanks to this dumb stunt and now increasing their belief that it is ‘them’ that is under attack.
More to the point, is this how we solve debates now? By which side can throw the most food?
If egging Fraser Anning is now the act of a hero, who’s another right wing politician to attack? Tony Abbott? (he has already been head butted).
Bill Shorten criticised Eggboy—is he next?
Michael Daley was accused of making racist comments—should he be egged in the back of the head?
Are BB Guns, potatoes or tomatoes now permissible to attack any politician who is not flavour of the month?
Democracy will do its job on Fraser Anning. His only hope of surviving the next election is this sort of publicity that paints him as a victim in this war against free speech.
As long as people who claim to be the saviours of humanity keep casting anyone they don’t agree with as a neo-Nazi, we don’t have to worry about the terrorists winning—they already have.
When we reduce ourselves to stupid acts of violence no matter how small they might be, the principle is the same. We reduce ourselves to the level of the terrorist.
Eggboy is no hero, his action was misguided and has made a terrible situation worse.
Ben Kruzins is the Campus Pastor of The Hub Baptist Church in Ocean Shores on the North Coast of New South Wales. He is also a Journalism graduate who has written articles in The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald.
Ben Kruzins is the Campus Pastor of The Hub Baptist Church in Ocean Shores on the North Coast of New South Wales. He is also a Journalism graduate who has written articles in The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald.
