In the wake of the Christchurch massacres New Zealand’s Prime Minister has shown us what true leadership is.
Compassion, eloquence and action have marked her out as a truly extraordinary politician.
Her instinctive response to the tragedy brought the solace that her grieving nation needed.
And the 38-year-old mother of a nine-month-old baby showed how raw emotion can be forged into steel.
The terrorist who murdered 50 people at prayer had tried to sow hatred and division among peace-loving Kiwis.
She threw her arms around them and insisted “We are one.”
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And, as the Muslim call to prayer was broadcast live on national TV on Friday, she joined them in worship saying: “We cannot know your grief, but we can walk with you at every stage.”
The name of Jacinda Ardern, above, wasn’t widely known outside Australasia nine days ago. Now it is spoken with respect and admiration around the world.
But I’m saddened that she has vowed never to utter publicly the name of the gunman, Brenton Tarrant. She says the white supremacist was trying to “lift his profile” and she will “absolutely deny him that notoriety”.
Ms Ardern did not say whether she believes publicity fuels copycat attacks.
But her words reminded me of Margaret Thatcher vowing to deny IRA terrorists “the oxygen of publicity” in the 1980s and the farcical voice broadcast ban that followed.
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Of course, we must continue to speak the names of the innocent people who died.
Like Khaled Mustafa, 44, and his son Hamza, 16, three-year old Mucad Ibrahim, Sayyad Milne, 14, Linda Armstrong, 65, and Daoud Nabi, 71. They must not merge into one body of nameless “victims” of the atrocity.
But if Tarrant becomes “He Who Must Not Be Named” we risk mythologising him – treating him like a demon and not the inadequate little man he is.
We have to highlight his pathetic humanity to challenge the idea that he’s any kind of warrior, to counter his sick “manifesto” and murderous video and deny him a voice.
We need to speak the criminal’s name as we utterly condemn his unspeakable crime.
And Jacinda Ardern has the eloquence and steel to do that better than anyone.
