Summary
Candace Owens, a U.S. conservative commentator, has been denied a visa to enter New Zealand for a speaking tour after being banned from Australia.
Australian officials barred her in October, citing her Holocaust denial remarks and potential to incite discord, following calls from Jewish groups.
New Zealand immigration laws prohibit entry to individuals banned from other countries.
Owens, known for controversial statements on topics like Black Lives Matter and vaccines, had planned to discuss free speech and Christianity at events in both countries. Tickets for her tour remain on sale.
I don’t know that the relatively anodyne descriptor “conservative commentator” and simply “visa” are strong enough to provide an accurate portrayal of the situation. (The article goes more into it; I’m referring to the lede.) She wasn’t going scuba diving and visiting the Sydney Opera House on a tourist visa. She was applying for a work visa and she’s apparently frequently crossed the line into holocaust denial. A lot of countries wouldn’t grant that visa.
I don’t really know much about her — I just read bits of her Wikipedia article — but to me, this sounds more like denying Alex Jones a work visa than something like banning a random “conservative commentator” like Megyn Kelly from visiting Aukland on holiday.
No one should let that trash in to their country
It’s nice that some countries are willing to institute consequences for fascist influencers. I’m eager to see how the social media ban affects things down the line for Australian young people, too.
It’s illegal in many countries to falsify historic facts.
USA is not a “golden” standard in that regard, but more like a low end developing country with no real rules.Russia has done good work in that area too. They make it a strict crime to spread false information.
I think you mean true information can be a crime in Russia.
Good move by New Zealand.
Genuine question, so if I can’t enter China for… reasons…, does that mean the Kiwis won’t let me vacation in the Shire?
Depends what those reasons are. Conspicuously bad-mouthing the Chinese government in a way that can be traced back to your real world identity might get you banned from China, but nowhere else, for example.
If it’s something to do with drugs, illegal shipping of goods, a criminal record or visa shenanigans, any country would reserve their right to send you packing. That doesn’t mean that would happen, but it might be in your interests to contact your country’s New Zealand embassy, (or one of their consulates if there’s one nearer to you), be really, really pleasant with whoever you talk to, and put your question to them, and ask if you can get their response in writing… and then stay the heck out of trouble until you try to go there.
It could save you a couple of long, unnecessary journeys and a heap of expense.
None of this guarantees you still won’t be sent home even if the embassy gives you the all-clear in writing, by the way. But if you get a firm “no” from the embassy, you’ll know not to go.
Good
This might make her more influential. Some people may wonder why the government is trying to silence her by banning her and decide follow her as a means of rebellion.
Elon Musk letting all the neo-Nazis and racists back on Twitter certainly didn’t have the effect of making people more dismissive of those viewpoints
I’m willing to risk it by deplatforming her and her cronies.
The only people she could influence are people that were already predisposed to fascist leanings in the first place. She’s merely one rotten influencer, there are scores more of them out there–many of whom will easily fill the space she left with their own brand of bullshit
