In Mid-March as Covid-19 was imminent, our Minster of Justice, Andrew Little, stated that the ‘hate speech’ legislation was to be brought forward.

Amongst all the Engines of Dissention, there hath been none more powerful in all Times, than the fixing Names upon one another of, Contumely and Reproach, and the reason is plain, in respect of the People, who tho' generally they are incapable of making a Syllogism or forming an Argument, yet they can pronounce a word; and that serveth their turn to throw it with their dull malice at the Head of those they do not like; such things ever begin in Jest, and end in Blood, and the same word which at first maketh the Company merry, groweth in time to a Military Signal to cut one another's’ Throats.

These Mistakes are to be lamented, tho' not easily cured, being suitable enough to the corrupted Nature of Mankind; but 'tis hard, that Men will not only invent ill Naims but they will wrest and misinterpret good ones; so afraid some are even of a reconciling sound, that they raise another noise to keep it from being heard, lest it should set up and encourage a dangerous sort of Men, who prefer Peace and Agreement, before Violence and Confusion.
George Saville, First Marquess of Halifax (1633 -1695) Preface to The Character of a Trimmer

I read an opinion piece on Stuff yesterday (24/4/2020) that was a typical anti-Trump complete with the writer’s own emotional biography on points. Being critical of Trump is fine and a different thing from an implacable bias of Trump is wrong on everything.

As has been pointed out in the Spectator online today there is a difference between taking Trump literally as opposed to taking seriously. It has been said that 'supporters take him seriously but not literally’ as they can see the "tradie" like humour and ironical bathos: The MSM 'media take him literally' and each word fundamentally, because ideologically they are puritan like fundamentalists in a word game that has become detached from practical reality. But they do not take him seriously.