“Fuck you” was the sexually explicit obscenity that Joe Cordina directed at an 18-year-old activist, my son. The teenager had been campaigning for respect for human dignity, protection of human life and adherence to international law.
Joe Cordina represented the Labour Party as mayor of Xagħra local council for years. He served as the party’s financial administrator. For this he was rewarded with the chairmanship of the Gozo Channel Company. He was appointed president of the Maltese delegation at the European Union’s Committee of the Regions.
The power disequilibrium between Cordina and the teenage activist exposes the mindless insult for what it is – a violent aggressive blow aimed at stopping others from expressing themselves freely. The harassment and the fear of further abuse is meant to silence voices of objection – a truly “chilling effect”.
The Labour Party has nurtured a culture of retribution and intimidation against private citizens- Kevin Cassar
It was also an invitation for others to follow suit. And follow suit they did. The threats of “cracking his skull with a baseball bat” and “gang-raping” the female activists who accompanied him came thick and fast.
Muller and Schranz (2018) in a recent study demonstrated the link between exposure to hate speech in social media and real-life violence. We have witnessed the demonisation of a journalist through hate speech that led to her assassination.
When faced with outrage at his post, Cordina defended himself stating “he could have chosen better words to describe his feelings”. “Fuck you” does not describe feelings. It is an intimidating threat made by a seasoned politician representing his country at the European level.
Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri defended him. “While everyone has the right to voice his own opinions, opinions of others should be respected” he declared. This was not an opinion. These were “fighting words” which are punishable at law.
In the landmark case ‘Chaplinsky v New Hampshire’, the American Supreme Court concluded that “resort to personal abuse is not in any proper sense communication of information or opinion safeguarded by the Constitution, and its punishment as a criminal act would raise no question under that instrument”. The minister’s defence is uninformed, indefensible and dishonest.
Prime Minister Robert Abela when asked to comment about Cordina’s post “dissociated himself from hate speech”. “It is up to the police to take action,” he stated.
No prime minister. It is up to you to take action. Cordina is a member of your party. As party leader you should expel him and show that your words are not hollow sounds. And set an example. If you are serious about tackling hate speech, you should instruct Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri to sack him as chairperson of Gozo Channel Company.
If you are to redeem some credibility, you should instruct Local Government Minister José Herrera to remove him as president of the Maltese delegation at the EU’s Committee of the Regions. He is clearly unfit to represent us.
This won’t happen. The Labour Party has nurtured a culture of retribution and intimidation against private citizens and populated its ranks with foot soldiers who instil fear in those who dare voice dissent. Karl Stagno Navarra named those who dared voice their objections against the party. Abela dissociated himself from Stagno Navarra’s comments – but failed to take any real action.
Stagno Navarra continues to churn out hate and rake in thousands of euros from his plum job at Air Malta while its pilots are sacked. Rosianne Cutajar, Robert Musumeci, Tony Zarb, Neville Gafà, Chris Cardona, Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and Joseph Muscat were all exposed as members of Facebook groups which distributed the personal details of anti-corruption activists and calls for them to be physically attacked, sexually assaulted and stalked.
If Labour had to expel all those in its ranks who engage in hate speech, it would be decimated. If it is serious about hate speech, it would shut down its TV and radio station. If it were serious about hate speech, it would be a democratic political party.
Kevin Cassar is consultant vascular surgeon and professor of surgery.