Silence is not enough

It would be impossible – and wrong – for political parties to control what their officials and representatives post on social media and other online forums in an effort to prevent the kind of impulsive statements and claims that so often thrive on the internet.

What the leadership of political parties can do, however, is disown the extreme voices within their ranks that drip poison into the public’s ear and spread hate.

Toxic speech should not be permitted to hide behind the party flag and silence toward this phenomenon is not enough – it needs forthright and vocal condemnation.