National Business Review
Auckland, New Zealand
July 25, 2003

Straight Thinking -
‘Wimmin’ of today move from sexual to eco abuse
by Owen McShane

A City Possessed is the title of Lynley Hood's book on the Christchurch Civic Creche case. Every New Zealander should read it.

You might think you have heard all you need to know about the Peter Ellis case. However, only the last half of the book is directly concerned with the trial. The first, and more interesting half, provides a short history of witch-hunts in particular and hysteria in general.

We can take some comfort that the worldwide hysteria over child abuse has passed its peak - although the odour lingers on.

But as I read these horrifying stories from the recent past two thoughts kept coming to mind.

First, I used to think those who talked about "the lesbian-radical feminist conspiracy" were going somewhat over the top. It's a shock to find that the grand plan to minimise the role of males in general, and fathers in particular, was so real and has been so successful. I wonder how many men have been working in creches and pre-schools since the Ellis case?

Second, could it be that the like minded "wimmin" of today are more likely to gravitate to the "environmental abuse" industry, where it is just about as easy to whip up a good dose of hysteria and find just as many scapegoats.

Certainly, there are now a host of university courses within the tertiary education sector proposing that radical feminist wimmin should take control of the "eco" movement because only they can undo the damage done to the Earth Mother.

Ms Hood documents the witch-hunts, scapegoats and general hysteria that fed the cause of the sexual abuse campaigners.

A similar mindset now promotes environmental hysteria based on the fear of chemicals, genetic engineering, cellphones, radiation, herbicides and pesticides of all manner of fears and frights culminating in Global Warming, the grandest fear of all.

These all kept coming to mind as Ms Hood documents the story of perverted science, ideologically driven functionaries, bureaucratic abuse, helpless victims and dedicated gravy trainers fired up by false statistics and media driven myths.

I suspect one day another Lynley Hood will write a similar book called A Nation Possessed: The Story of New Zealand and the Kyoto Protocol. Readers will nod wisely and look back at those foolish people who were wound up by so little and who left so much damage in their wake.