Entry:
On March 15, 2019, two mosques were the targets of a terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand. Fifty people were killed in these attacks, and over fifty more were injured. The article I have shared recounts the actions taken by New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Arden. After the attacks, Arden refused to use the typical war rhetoric that has been associated with terrorist attacks since 9/11. The article compares and contrasts Arden’s post-tragedy actions with the rhetoric used by George W. Bush, French President, Fracoise Hollande and Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoletenberg, all of whom promise retaliation for the various acts of violence. Arden refused to even acknowledge the name of the attacker, a decision that takes the power away from the terrorist and shows that a true leader knows that the opposite of terror is “disregard for the terrorist”. The action was a hate crime, and he will be treated as a criminal, and in lieu, the world has embraced the victims and those affected by the attacks and has come together online to grieve.
Rationale:
Learning about Orientalism in this course and how the stereotypes of the perceived “East” has changed from “exotic” to “dangerous” over the course of the last few decades helped me understand why Jacinda Arden’s decision to resist war rhetoric and Manichean dualism (us v. them) is so novel and powerful. Nations like the United States have gained power on the world stage by participating in wars, therefore, the rhetoric of their leaders have reflected a war-is-the-answer type sentiment for the past century. The US has also had the highest number of mass shootings in recorded history and until this day, remains the country with the loosest gun laws in the world. Jacinda Arden immediately made it clear that New Zealand’s approach would be different. New Zealand is now gun-free and support for the Muslim community has reached a global scale. Gessen’s analysis of the shooting and Arden’s reaction to it was really powerful to me, especially reading the words, “the most efficient way to fight violence is to make violence less efficient”. The focus of Arden’s leadership was support, empathy and grief, not who the killer was and how New Zealand needs to fight back.
Gessen, M. (2019, March 22). Jacinda Ardern Has Rewritten the Script for How a Nation Grieves After a Terrorist Attack. The New Yorker.
Keywords: Terrorism, anti-orientalism, New Zealand
Author: Justine B
I remember hearing about this story in the news when it occurred on March 15/2019. After reading this blog it really shook me as white supremacy has become a recurring event and problem in our society. All around the world it seems that right wing parties have been voted for during elections. There really has been emphasis on right-winged extremists in the world. As someone who studies psychology I cannot help but wonder what happens in someone’s mind before committing such a crime. The person who wrote this blog is right when they describe how race, ethnicity, religion, identity and gender are all key terms to be aware of when learning about such events. I think it is important t…
This article goes to show how powerful political rhetoric is and reminds us that the revenge driven way we have seen the aftermath of terrorism being approached, isn’t the only way. The thoughtful acts and tactful communication of a strong leader can have such an incredible influence on the masses. “Violence begets violence” and what we see in New Zealand is that people are literally handing in their guns as they see the bigger picture being a society that doesn’t need to retaliate against acts of terror with more violence. By not acknowledging the attacker, Ardern places power back in the hands of the victims and the healing of the nation. By taking prompt measurements to change gun laws, sh…