Conspiracy theories pose an increasing threat to society
The Sydney Morning HeraldDec 14, 2022
In Australia, the Queensland Police has stated that Constable Keely Brough was discharged from hospital on Tuesday and Constable Randall Kirk was expected to be released on Wednesday — a "miracle" conclusion to a shooting in remote Wieambilla.
Brough and Kirk were dispatched on Monday to Wieambilla along with two police constables — Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow — as part of the search for missing man Nathaniel Train, who allegedly then staged a deadly ambush with the help of his brother Gareth and his sister-in-law Stacey.
The Queensland shooting is very likely to reveal a worrisome link between extremist violence and fringe conspiracy theories — one of the alleged offenders was even active in so-called "sovereign citizen" forums. Mainstream media and politicians must take action to balance a thin line to prevent anti-establishment violence and curb deranged theories while allowing for safe and legitimate discussions.
Though this deadly ambush was a devastating incident, it's inappropriate to collapse the lens of this tragedy into a simplistic blame game of "conspiracy theories." Often there is a nugget of truth in these theories and complex situations, and silencing diverging opinions only ultimately benefits the powerful. We must stay nuanced and objective when mentally processing how crimes like this can happen.