by B. R. GOWANI
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern meets members of the Muslim community / PHOTO/BORIS JANCIC/AAP/PA Images/Female First
white nationalist/terrorist
an Australian living in New Zealand went on a killing spree, killing 50
Brenton Harrison Tarrant is a white nationalist/extremist/terrorist
17-minute video of the 36-minute attack Tarrant also live-streamed
Friday the 15th of March 2019 became a black day for New Zealand
.
power of words
words can be used as weapons to hurt, to harm, and to kill
words can also be used as balm to soothe, to heal, and to console
words can be used to mislead, to incite, and to violate
words can also be used to guide, to calm, and to respect
words exude love when uttered at the right time and with deep sincerity
there are grim situations that crop up suddenly
those are times when true leadership must rise above the mundane
rare are leaders with guts, and common sense who exercise just logic
and who also display empathy while facing the grave crisis at hand
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Jacinda Ardern
Ardern is that rare leader who showed her mettle in facing local terrorism
true progressive giant among communal, racist, sexist/homophobic pygmies
with courage and conviction she criticized a white nationalist explicitly
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said:
“He is a terrorist. He is a criminal. He is an extremist.
“But he will, when I speak, be nameless.”
Ardern clearly demonstrated her greatness when she declared:
“That quiet Friday afternoon has become our darkest of days.
But for the families, it was more than that. It was the day that the simple act of prayer – of practising their Muslim faith and religion – led to the loss of their loved ones lives.
Those loved ones, were brothers, daughters, fathers and children.
They were New Zealanders. They are us.
And because they are us, we, as a nation, we mourn them.”
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they are us
“they are us”
three simple words of English
neither difficult to pronounce nor hard to remember
but very tough words to utter for politicians who thrive on divisiveness
as they presume sincerity, humanitarian outlook, and freedom from hate,
Arden has it all
she is the yardstick for judging an honest politician
even though an agnostic, Ardern covered her head when she met Muslims
it was her way of comforting them; making them feel she was one of them
Ardern’s rejection of Tarrant was wholehearted and unequivocal
“You may have chosen us – we utterly reject and condemn you.”
Ardern also took swift action to announce “every semi-automatic weapon…”
the Australian terrorist “…used in the terrorist attack … will be banned.”
a true first, indeed …
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B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com