Britain wants our backing, but remember the past

I THOUGHT Graham Blair’s letter to the editor (ODT, 24.3.18) was very good.

Where was Britain during the Rainbow Warrior incident? No cry from them at the time for the rest of the world to take up sanctions against France.

But now they want us to join with them to expel Russian agents from our country. Pity they didn’t get in behind us after the Rainbow Warrior bombing.

We have a completely different relationship with Russia than does Britain or the United States.

The US has a paranoia with anything Russian. Britain seems to be developing a neurosis which they are trying to turn into a global policy (find some Russians, pin the badge of ‘‘spy’’ on them, then kick them out. And you are not part of The League of The Righteous unless you do, judging from Boris Johnson’s diatribe on this).

Stick to your guns, Jacinda. Don’t be swayed. Winston — and I am not a Winston man by the way — has been the only voice of reason around this issue so far.

I didn’t vote for any of the parties in the coalition but if I’m to be fair, I think Winston is leading the way on this issue. Paul Cotter

Invercargill

New Zealand cultures

I WRITE to comment briefly on the idea of cultures within New Zealand.

Some seem worried about manifestations of ‘‘culture’’ here, and the academic, ballet, dance, foods, environmental and conservation cultures all seem to be well and truly in existence.

Even the ‘‘writing to the editor of the ODT culture’’ remains a viable means of expressing opinion in these digital times.

What seems strange is the possibility of certain cultures carrying a vaguely pejorative tone, when their existence cannot be questioned.

They are as much a part of New Zealand, for better or worse, as the arts, theatre and musical cultures.

So all praise to the editor of the ODT

for continuing this particular means of public expression in these days of tweets, facebook and emails.

Chaz Forsyth

Opoho