World sees our love, generosity, humanity

Just like the earthquakes, as Friday’s atrocity unfolded, where we were and what we were doing will be indelibly embedded in our memories, our scar tissue. My mother, who is a criminal lawyer, was locked down in the Law Courts as rumours swirled that the Justice Precinct building was the target of a bomb threat.

My young niece works in the Police Communications Centre and raced to the same building, hastily drafted in to provide more capacity to the overload in caller demand to 111.

I was scheduled to be covering for Newstalk ZB’s Larry Williams on the nationwide drive show, out of Christchurch. As the gates of hell swung open from 1.40pm, I suddenly found myself anchoring the coverage of another home-town national tragedy, as the full horror of the terror attack was laid bare live on air.

Despite the sense of disbelief, despair and revulsion at the unfolding catastrophe, the scars of the earthquakes no doubt helped us steel our nerves and coping instincts.

Just before I finished on air, a vile text was sent through warning of a reprisal attack at a local takeaway shop, which we immediately alerted the police to.

And just like the quake sequence, much of the weekend was spent in a state of post-trauma numbness. My heart hung heavy, my head felt addled and a leaden feeling prevailed in the pit of my stomach. The weekend’s brooding low-slung clouds, like gloomy slabs of granite, seemed to reflect the overwhelming sense of sadness, anger and extreme distress bearing down on the Garden City.

But the unprecedented outpouring of love and compassion for our Muslim brothers and sisters has been swift, strong, constant and unmistakably reaffirming.

The outrageous sense of violation that has so crudely and barbarically shattered their small community is shared by our entire heart-broken community. We are unified in grief. We are more integrated, more closely-threaded, as a cohesive society than some may have chosen to think.

I have always been wary of that small hard-core sub-group of white supremacist sympathisers that have lurked in our city. But this was not a homegrown atrocity.

I refuse to recognise the suspect by name, but this screwed-up self-described ‘‘ethno-nationalist and eco-fascist’’, who despises conservatism and idolises China, should have been triggering red flags based on his recent travels and the stamps in his passport.

Inevitably, this monstrous act of evil will prompt a robust review of our border security, intelligence and surveillance procedures. The swift elevation of our firearm laws onto the Government’s agenda is equally understandable. General arming of front-line police should also be dispassionately considered.

But whatever reforms and responses result from Friday’s atrocity must be focused and effective, unlike the excesses of kneejerkism running riot on social media particularly. Taking aim at the Crusaders’ rugby franchise name is a cheap shot. Yes, the brand wraps itself in the medieval imagery of swords, shields, armoured horsemen and castles, but the demonisation of the rugby brand looks opportunistic and crass.

I’ve seen similar nonsense wheeled out arguing Christchurch should now consider a name change, because ‘‘the name Christchurch projects religious superiority.’’ St John is also being targeted, given its name and symbol derives from the Crusades, a millennium ago. Where would this rudderless purge take us, before those who crave politicising a tragedy are satisfied?

The Prime Minister has acquitted herself with exceptional aplomb. Grace, humanity, clear-eyed resolve and inspirational leadership. Once again, when New Zealand has been struck by the darkest of days, we’ve had the leadership to handle the herculean challenge. Police Commissioner Mike Bush has been another revelation.

As we saw in the earthquakes, once again I have been left in awe of our fearless first responders: particularly the Canterbury Police, St John, the medics, the heroic passersby and the unsung heroes we don’t yet know about.

In the full glare of the global media, I’m proud that the world is seeing Christchurch and New Zealand in its truest light. Our essential goodness, love, generosity and humanity.

A murderous lone invader has monstered our lives and shattered our community.

Our name may be stained, but not our reputation.

We are more integrated, more closely-threaded, asa cohesive society than some may have chosen to think.