EDITORIAL: Let festive cheer be an act of defiance in dark times
The end of the year is supposed to be a time of joy.
But it’s hard to remember a time of more profound national sadness than we are currently experiencing.
The massacre of 15 people at Bondi Beach was a desecration of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, the most joyful, light-hearted celebration on the religion’s calendar.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The grief has spilled over into Christmas too. West Australians’ joy at spending time with family and friends is tainted by the knowledge that in Sydney, there are families mourning the fact that they will never see their loved ones again.
How can we delight in our summer rituals of prawns and cricket and bad Christmas cracker jokes when our countrymen are suffering so great a loss?
The past nine days have been deeply frightening and profoundly sad. They have altered our perception of Australia as a place of peace and safety, where people can be free to be themselves without fear, regardless of race or creed.
They have made us question our very national identity and shaken our faith in our institutions.
In this atmosphere of tension and sorrow, let Christmas be a circuit breaker.
Reflect on the tragedy of what has occurred, but do not allow the anguish to engulf you.
Celebrate the season as an act of defiance against those who hate our way of life.
Gather with family and friends. Eat too much, and revel in the beauty of being alive. Rejoice in our many blessings as Australians.
Show the forces of evil that we will not cower in the face of their terror.
It’s a cliche, but that is what the terrorists and hatemongers want. They want to destroy our way of life and curtail our freedoms.
We shouldn’t give them an inch.
While last Sunday’s attack at Bondi exposed deep faultlines in Australian society, it also shone a spotlight on the best of us.
Many more lives could have been lost that dreadful day were it not for the heroic actions of ordinary Australians including Ahmed Al Ahmed, who disarmed one of the killers.
Others, including Reuven Morrison and Boris and Sofia Gurman, stood up to the evil and paid with their lives.
Then there were the lifeguards and beachgoers who provided first aid to victims, the tens of thousands who queued at blood donation centres in the summer heat and the millions who have reacted with horror to this tragedy and rallied together in support of Australia’s Jewish community.
The best way we can honour the dead is by reflecting on, and valuing, the promise of Australia to those of us who are blessed to call it home.
Equality of opportunity. Democracy. Fairness. Respect for the rule of law.
No one should ever have to die standing up for those values. But every one of us can do our part by living for them.
