Over the past two years in particular, hatred and anti-Semitism has become normalised in Australia. We have witnessed that on our streets and heard that in our parliament. And experienced that on reading our news services.
When hatred of any sort but particularly that based on religion becomes normalised, several predictable and serious things tend follow; socially, politically, and psychologically.
Dehumanisation becomes acceptable. People stop being seen as individuals and are reduced to a religious label. Or any other label that those who hate you decide to label you with. Once a group or a person is framed as “the problem”, mistreatment feels justified rather than shameful.
Violence becomes easier to excuse or ignore. And hate speech lowers the threshold for hate crimes. Even if most people don’t become violent, those who do, feel validated, emboldened, or invisible to moral restraint. And those who don’t become violent take to social media to spread their bile.
Collective punishment replaces individual responsibility. The actions of one person are blamed on an entire faith community or a group. Innocent people are treated as suspects simply because of belief, appearance, or name.
Extremism feeds on itself (on all sides). Religious and political hatred strengthens extremist narratives: extremist point to discrimination as proof that coexistence is impossible. This fuels radicalisation, which then “confirms” the original prejudice. It becomes a self-reinforcing loop.
The rule of law erodes into selective justice. Laws may remain neutral on paper, but enforcement becomes biased. And have witnessed that far too often in recent years.
Social trust collapses. People withdraw into in-groups for safety. Moral standards shift without people noticing. What once would have been recognised as bigotry and hatred gets reframed as “concern,” “realism,” or “free speech.” Society doesn’t suddenly become hateful, a gradual shift takes us there.
And history shows where this leads. From sectarian violence, idealogical political violence to ethnic cleansing and normalised religious hatred. These things preceded mass harm. It never stays rhetorical.
Normalising hatred doesn’t protect society it corrodes it. It replaces moral clarity with fear, justice with prejudice, and security with permanent tension.
This is where we now find ourselves in Australia
