Hatred and violence: Greens' selective rejection

Posted on 18 September 2012 by Robert Borsak

The Shooters and Fishers Party challenges The Greens to prove they really do reject messages of hatred and violence in our community by condemning the dangerous and antisocial behaviour of forestry protesters.

Will The Greens also rail against the threats made to hunters, including death threats to families and Olympic athletes?

"If we are to have a successful and engaged multicultural community we cannot tolerate intolerant and violent behaviour by any group," Greens MP David Shoebridge in the wake of the weekend's violent protests in Sydney.

Surely this goes for any community, not just a multicultural one, yet Shoebridge remained notably silent when an anti-hunting protester last year was found guilty of making death threats to a man and his family in Victoria. He said nothing when US Olympic athlete Corey Codgell had all kinds of violence wished upon her during the London Olympics. 

The Greens have not condemned violence, sabotage and highly risking activities by protesters in NSW state forests. 

"The Greens join with those members of the community who support restraint and dialogue and reject intolerant messages and violent behaviour," Shoebridge said.

Restraint and dialogue? These are hollow words from a supposedly democratic political party that consistently refuses to engage in real dialogue on issues including forestry, recreational hunting, recreational fishing and the many other sustainable and legitimate activities they reject out of hand. 

And The Greens show no hint of restraint when it comes to telling lies and spreading fear about those issues.

Robert Borsak MLC