President’s warning against the ‘republic of hate’

Never had a Republic Day speech assumed upon itself the role of taking to task those detractors whose actions undermined the health of a country’s democracy, through actions and words that were perverting democratic debate and civility.

But for President of the Republic Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, yesterday’s celebration of Malta’s forty-second year as a republic demanding mapping out the island’s malaise: indeed, an illness of untruths, political fictions, social media bullying and psychological violence. If 2016 was the year of post-truth, fake news and the political lies of Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, Coleiro Preca was sending out a stark warning to the Maltese: politicians and their media acolytes are driving followers into a battle of hatred.

Nothing could ring louder than her admonition of the way journalists and bloggers were paving the way to this degenerative debate.

“It is morally and ethically unacceptable, that sections of the traditional media, as well as bloggers and individuals, make use of social media, to attack the private lives of persons, and their family, even those in public life, to appease some people and generate hate amongst us. This is done to favour a few, while sowing hate amongst us. However, this is psychological violence aimed at the individual, not at the argument or belief,” Coleiro Preca said.

“Freedom of expression does not give the right to threaten anyone’s human rights, including respect for family life, and to privacy. As a nation, we cannot accept such obscenity. It is disgraceful for any person doing it.”

The authors if that psychological violence, from “bloggers and individuals”, is hardly an open secret: from the Archbishop’s personal dislike of the Prime Minister’s mandarin Glenn Bedingfield, to the Nationalist Party’s unofficial poison-pen muckraker Daphne Caruana Galizia, these two vultures were singling out critics of either party in search for carrion.

“I reiterate my appeal to all political parties, public entities and all people of goodwill, to disassociate themselves publicly from these individuals,” Coleiro Preca told Joseph Muscat and Simon Busuttil – but of their tweets, usually employed as missiles of political rebuke, little or nothing to show reflection on the President's powerful message.

Coleiro Preca showed even more intuition in calling on the general public to be critical of what the mainstream media publishes.

“I also wish that everyone would think about and reflect before believing every word that is reported on the media. We need to invest much more in media education, not only for children and young people, but also for adults.”

She was clear about the way politicians and party candidates were milking the hatred machine to deliver soundbites and foment allegations aimed at undermining the civility of the democratic process.

 “This year, the political scene has witnessed many undermining tactics.  Whatever achievements politicians managed to attain, through long hours of committee meetings, whatever laws they strove to enact for the benefit of all and sundry, were soon shot down through a smear campaign of accusations and counter-accusations, calling of names, insinuations, digging into personal lives and mudslinging.

“As a result of this, people are now overlooking the fact that politics are there to enhance the quality of personal and collective lives and to ensure a better future for all of us.”

She also warned that unrestrained partisanship and populism had lowered the esteem that should be shown towards politics.

“Unrestrained partisanship and populism cause rifts among people, instead of being an instrument of unity and respect towards diversity.

“I must say that I am sincerely concerned about the behaviour of politicians in our country. Children and youths are voicing their disappointment at the way our politicians are behaving towards each other, setting bad examples when they should be role models.”

Coleiro Preca warned that this worrying situation would keep people away from public service.

“I am taking this opportunity to appeal to and encourage children and young people in Malta and Gozo, to come forward and proclaim that they expect politicians to behave in a way to inspire positivity in politics.

 “I appeal to young people to be activist for the truth and to participate in politics, so as to ensure that, in future, our country will have leaders who portray, truthfully and honestly, the voices of the people they represent.

“The way in which the politician acts has a strong educational impact. Therefore, political debate should always be informative, humane and should show dignity, integrity, composure and, above all, respect.”