Celebrate spirit of Christmas

AS Christmas is about to arrive, I think of the powerless refugees on Manus Island and am reminded of the story of Mary and Joseph on Christmas Eve. They arrived in Bethlehem to find there was no room in the inn, as have these refugees who are fleeing trauma and persecution. However, a place in a stable was found for them, and Jesus was born there. It would be appropriate to celebrate this Christmas in the true spirit of Christianity or humanity, and allow these refugees who have been incarcerated for far too long to find somewhere to live safely in Australia.

A heavenly spot

I WISH to express my disappointment and concern at the proposed hotel development at Kangaroo Bay. I grew up at Bellerive, as did my father, and his father. We lived at 6 Clarence St. My father, Lieutenant Ron O’May, as a member of the Naval Reserve, was called up early in World War II. He served on an Australian warship as a navigator and in charge of a gun turret in the Battles of the Coral Sea and Leyte Gulf. In his photo album, there is a picture of Kangaroo Bay with the caption “A Heavenly Spot”. It is likely that this photo of home helped lift his spirits in the middle of the war, as he told me — “I saw grown men turn and run”. fright as the noise was tremendous. I thought someone may have lobbed a bomb near our house. Our pets were very upset and I developed a blinding migraine. Thanks for scaring elderly, ill residents and no doubt many children for whom sleep is a precious commodity. start a family. It is at this time of the year more than any other, we cherish our right to live in peace, care for our children and live free from danger. Surely people fleeing violence and persecution have these rights too. Do we have the goodwill to do the right thing and provide a safe place?