Letter of the Week

Have strong opinions, write in an engaging way?

You could win our Letter of the Week, and with it a book from our friends and sponsors, the publishers HarperCollins. This month’s book prize is The

Chocolate Maker’s Wife by Karen Brooks. Rosamund Tomkins magically rose from poverty to be the darling of the rich and famous, but she must make a choice: walk away from all she knows and has grown to love with her soul intact, or make a deal with the devil?

Rules: Entries close each Thursday at 5pm AEST. The winner is selected by 2pm AEST each Friday. Book of the month valued up to $49 (incl. of GST). Entrants agree to the Competition Terms and Conditions located at www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/entertainment/competitions, and our privacy policy. Entrants consent to their information being shared with HarperCollins for the express purpose of delivering prizes. Best letter competition runs until January 23 next year. View our privacy policy at https://preferences.news.com.au

WE have just returned from watching the movie Hotel Mumbai at the HOTA.

Whilst it was a brilliantly directed, acted and spine chilling film we think that maybe it could have been “pulled” for a couple of weeks to let the memories of Christchurch diminish.

FRANK TEWKESBURY, SOUTHPORT

MAYOR Tom Tate may have been speaking euphemistically with his fable of the “Bees and Flowers” but if we are considering only aesthetics then the causality is reversed.

The lack of plants and flowers means that the Gold Coast city streets are devoid of bees. Certainly, the appearance of central Surfers could be greatly improved by boulevards of trees rather than broken dreams.

If pavements must be protected; I would suggest potted plants and garden beds which could be cycled on a periodic basis for maintenance.

As for the shortage of honey, this is problem for the capitalist West in general not just the Gold Coast. The huge productive capacity of Western capitalism means the traditional role of worker and business owner are breaking down. The business owner has need of fewer workers to run their business but needs more consumers (aka workers) to buy their products. What is the solution?

The problem demands that more democratic and collective methods are chosen to decide what is produced and how it is distributed rather than the traditional private gain mechanisms.

The burgeoning of luxury and bespoke goods markets may only help relieve the problem in the short term.

ED DONOVAN, LABRADOR MY Jewish teachings are similar to those expressed by D Roseby, a Muslim [ibid]: “God created humanity in a state of purity and innocence, with an innate inclination towards faith, compassion, and beauty. Evil is an aberration, and we should always see it as such.”

And M Shaikh so rightly asserts: “I will not glorify this as Christian terrorism because this defies the teachings and message of Jesus Christ.”

Words – written, spoken, sung, tweeted – can and do kill, as we’ve seen most recently in Christchurch.

Words may not take lives directly, but behind horrific deeds like those of Christchurch, there are words. Sharp and hate-filled words. Blaming, accusing, judging words.

We have the right to free speech AND the concomitant responsibility to use that right honourably and respectfully. We who write letters must begin right here, in this space.

We must set a new tone, because people read what we write; we bear responsibility for the seeds of love ... or hatred ... we plant unknowingly in others.

The Jewish sage Hillel advises, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.” Let’s vow that which is hurtful to us to read when written about us, we must not write about others – neither words nor tone. Let’s lead by our example.

JUDY BAMBERGER

SURELY Gold Coast Council have noticed there is a newly constructed, taxpayer supported, world’s best facility in nearby Brisbane.

What is council doing about encouraging visitation via this?

The philosophy that our public land, such as Phillip Park on The Spit, is up for grabs for any claimant , appears to be Council’s policy.

Wildlife Queensland, Gold Coast and Hinterland concerns are on record.

Not only is there ongoing irreplaceable loss of our Australian fauna and bushland on enormous private sites, particularly in the north of the city, but there is also a pervasive disregard for the care, preservation and addition to our own community held areas.

Valuable open space, visual amenity and habitat exist at Phillip Park, just as they did in the koala habitat lost at Numinabah, donated by the Andrews family.

That was lately part of the quiet sell-off of many public land holdings in our city, by this council.

Carey Park, eyed off for an unwanted casino, the Bruce Bishop Carpark fiasco (also original donation), parkland at Evandale and the wholesale Black Swan Lake destruction on a publicly owned site, form part of this Sheriff of Nottingham-type venture.

A Robin Hood hoodwink some might say and they would perceptibly be correct. Community continues to pay rates to fund council and officer time to contemplate and cogitate, for the seven-and-ahalf long years of the Tate term of office, a cruise ship ... terminal.

SALLY SPAIN, PRESIDENT, WILDLIFE QUEENSLAND GOLD COAST BRANCH

SUGGESTIONS that NZ is overreacting to the Christchurch tragedy by following John Howard’s lead post-Port Arthur of removing semi-automatic weapons from circulation are laughable.

One wonders if those squealing the loudest are the “responsible gun owners” they claim to be. There are no circumstances in Australia or New Zealand for members of the public, be they farmers or gun enthusiasts, to be in the possession of automatic weapons.

There are haters and lunatics flying under the radar in both our countries. I for one are more comfortable if our police are the only ones carrying automatic weapons.

REG DAVID, MUDGEERABA