Sonya
I think we are legion. Those who are ignored when they protest, body and soul, at any minority, more at risk group being hurled under the bus in the defence of the indefensible.
Which is an issue.
Because while strong arm silencing and ignoring techniques have been very effective in creating wide spread self censorship in times of relative calm... the same techniques tends to act like a tanker of petrol on sparks when tensions run high.
If moderate people (left,right, centre politically) feel censored in the face of an extreme act of sexual violence suffered by hundreds of women and no plan to stop hundreds,mperhaps thousands more joining the ranks of victims...their temperature will increased. If their temp. increases that will green light a temp. increase at the end of the spectrum that tends to debate with fists and boots.
Far from calming things down, those who wish to cover up, make great leaps of mitigation, deflect and deny are acting as tinder being hurled at sparks in the vicinity of a ruddy great keg of black powder. In that respect they are no different from the sections of the media who would employ deliberately inflaming reporting.
And I am not entirely convinced they don't know that. Some will honestly believe they are being helpful and moral. They are the generation who genuinely (but erroneously) believe no platforming and inducing self censorship changes hearts and minds ... with no silent, simmering resentment and outrage left in their wake.
But others, they know. They know their choice of defence style and cover up will inflame and increase the possibility of their opposite extreme blowing up and spilling over into violence on the streets. Without violence on the streets from the right, where is their excuse to go and ruck ?
Meanwhile, the rest of us get to await being collateral damage while two extreme tribes psych each other and themselves up to go to war. Again.
There is a saftey valve on the current pressure cooker. It is the release of moderate voice, who are the majority, having an honest look at events and taking action to reduce the possibility of contagion. Becuase the
last thing we need is for European lads to get the idea that mass sexual assault is now the new normal.
At the moment the extreme right are turning up the gas ring under the pressure cooker and the halo polishers are smirking while they hold down the safety valve. They are working in tandem.
They want this to go pop with the biggest bang possible. Just like they always have. Just like they always will.
So it doesn't really matter how much genuine emotion you, I or anybody else brings to the table. The people determined to get their explosion of violence on the streets of Europe and create political instability that they can exploit....will steadfastly ignore anything we say.