Ian Blair Hamilton, Byron Bay
Andrew P Street’s editorial last issue, admirable in its summation of the lack of achievements of the Morrison regime, contained one phrase that gave me immediate shudders: ‘… an increased risk of domestic terrorism from antivax movements…’
In a week where we saw the US playing games with the Ukraine, telling the world what Russia might do, where we saw the government trying to tell us what the Chinese might be doing to the Labour party, and what the Labour party might do if elected, I see a pattern emerging.
When feeling insecure about your political future, blame someone or something or some event, then tell all-and-sundry the ‘danger’ posed by your claimed aggravation. I’ve seen it again, and again, and again in world politics. All to preserve power.
But to see it in print in what I did accept as a paper that has always allowed a wider spectrum of political, social and environmental viewpoints, was, frankly, disheartening.
To link terrorism with people who choose – for whatever reason – to not vaccinate, in print, forces me to consider [why it is] that Andrew, who is obviously political adept, wants this association of terrorism and antivax sentiment to be linked.
To what end?
I can only see his statement as an escalation of the divisional thinking already evident in our community, all based on, and propagating fear. Perversely, it appears that his statement actually may even support Scomo’s desire to keep us in a state of fear, always diverted to the latest ‘crisis’, never getting the chance of some mental breathing space.
I am reminded of a Nietsche quote: ‘Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.’
Ed: There’s obviously nothing wrong with ‘antivax sentiment’ or peaceful protest, but there is something worrying about the far-right extremists who are also part of the ‘freedom’ movement rallies.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
