New Zealand

No, this is not about vacation. It’s about the terrible terrorist act in Christchurch and its consequences.

A couple of remarkable things:

1. Jacinda Ardern’s reaction, the empathy she has showed. Great leadership, great inspiration. Almost all other world leaders should learn from this. But never will unfortunately. Just looking at our AKK here in Germany, I shudder to imagine how she would have handled this.
So respect to Ardern for the great and small gestures. Sticking to a clean legal procedure, not giving the terrorist any more exposure, highlighting the victims instead. Showing solidarity with them and their culture, also by wearing a headscarf. And at the same time taking decisive action, legislation against gun ownership plus delegating the security and intelligence issues to the experts. That is true leadership. Hats off.

2. The people of New Zealand. Many of them, mostly farmers, have handed over their weapons to the police, even though these weapons are legal and would remain legal under the new law. But they realized that gun ownership is a bad idea for most people.

3. Even the organized crime, two of NZ’s most notorious Street gangs, have shown sympathy and solidarity. It’s strange times when street gangs show more reflection than most heads of state.

4. It’s sad that it took an event like this and likely NZ will be too weak to force this. But finally finally finally we hear it from a head of state that she will hold the silicon valley companies, especially Facebook, responsible. I wish you the best of luck in taking on these giants, it is actually one of the most important struggles of our times. Their position that they are only providing the platform is a cheap and cowardly excuse. You are responsible for what happens on your platform and if you cannot ensure and enforce lawful behavior, you have to shut it down. Period.

Kia Ora, peace out.