Anzac Day no time for prejudice

Surely the upcoming Anzac Day is a time to commemorate all war dead, without prejudice to victors and vanquished. Wouldn’t it be the time for all creeds to stand shoulder to shoulder and be one of us? Let me hear the clarion call for all New Zealand Muslims, inclusive of men and women, to gather at all commemoration sites in defiance of covert threats.

Mark Holms, Piha.

Leave Anzac day alone

Haven’t we grieved enough and given so much sympathy and support to the Muslim community after the horrendous massacre? Please do not dilute Anzac Day. To me and many others it is special and no one I have spoken to thinks we should change the meaning of this day. Please remember and respect Anzac Day for what it always was and should always be.

Lynda Maddock, RD Warkworth.

Day to stand up

Is cancelling many Anzac Day services because of a potential threat truly the way to honour those who charged a beach under murderous machine-gun fire? These men had a high chance of being killed, yet charged regardless.

More than 100 years later, we cower at the thought someone might attack one of these services. Hardly a fitting way to honour those who died for our right to remember their sacrifice.

Kent Millar, Blockhouse Bay.

Anti-car

A recent article about the Quay St Crawl and a letter about the proposed changes in St Heliers seem to have completely missed the point. Auckland Transport’s sole criteria for change are: does it (a) increase congestion or (b) remove car parks or (c) both. When will Aucklanders finally stand up to AT and demand an end to this behaviour?

Dr. M. B. Spencer, Auckland Central.

Assange’s accusers

Julian Assange was hosted by two women in Sweden. Neither complained about him until they met and compared notes. Both had continued to entertain him after the alleged misconduct. Assange delayed his return to Britain while their complaints were investigated and dismissed.

Some time later an “out-of-town” prosecutor started another investigation. She issued a European arrest warrant to interview him again. He was arrested but skipped bail and took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy. He offered to meet the Swedish authorities in London but they insisted he return to Sweden.

He refused, and the police spent $20 million guarding the embassy to “uphold the law”. Not the same law that allowed Baby Bush to start an illegal war that killed thousands and destroyed a country?

Dennis N. Horne, Howick.

Folau’s list

Steve Braunias’ Secret Dairy on Saturday was hilarious. My ears pricked up that Israel’s list of Hell recipients may not include me. They then drooped like a dog whose mistress sees he’s ripped up a family heirloom. On Folau’s list of those destined to eternal fire, I think I have committed six of the seven “transgressions”. Thieving? I think a chocolate bar as a kid?

I am very anxious. Could Israel, the arbitrator of all things regarding our final destination, inform me because I clearly won’t be joining him at the Pearly Gates, are there levels of Hell because of my six heinous faults before the Almighty?

Justine Adams, Ohope Beach.

Re-examine prejudices

Rather than talk about Islamophobia which is currently a headline, let us talk about prejudice which is preconceived opinion not based on reason or actual experience. Prejudice has raised its ugly head on numerous occasions in this country and has a very wide scope including all levels of society. Some are fairly obvious, like being poor is of your own making, racism or intolerance of someone who does not conform to your beliefs. One’s upbringing makes a huge difference to the way we think and deep seated prejudices can remain for our lives.

The media covers a huge spectrum of good and bad behaviour but it is our choice of how we want to use that information. The Christchurch tragedy is a reminder that we could all have a prejudice gained not by experience but by the influence of others’ opinions. Now could be a good time to re-examine these prejudices and consider their justification.

Reg Dempster, Albany.

Dubious survey

One evening I received a telephone call inviting me to take part in a survey on “social issues”. I soon became aware the questions were designed to elicit views opposing voluntary euthanasia and bore no relation to the criteria necessary before seeking physician-assisted death under David Seymour’s End of Life Choice bill.

No doubt the aim is to report findings of substantial opposition to the bill. I was caught unawares and omitted to ask for the name of the organisation behind the “survey”. No reputable and professional market research organisation would use these tactics.

I hope your readers will be fore-armed should they receive a similar call. Also, any media releases claiming widespread opposition to the EOLC bill will be taken with the proverbial pinch of salt.

Patricia Butler, RD Nelson.

Eden Park

Simon Wilson’s analysis of the stadium situation was looking on track in Saturday’s paper when he said that Eden Park “. . . will never be a great venue . . . a cobbled together collection of stands”. This is a vital point, often missed by John Tamihere and other politicians and bureaucrats who tend to sit in the best seats. The fact is, it is an awful stadium for watching football, with most of the seats too far from the action, and the lack of atmosphere has reduced Blues crowds to filling just 20 per cent of the seats.

But then in Sunday’s edition Wilson went off track and said the Warriors should move to Eden Park, citing the poor state of Mt Smart as the reason. Warriors fans are just fine with Mt Smart, a rectangular footy stadium that keeps us all close to the players, and the fans let the club know a couple of years ago they did not want to move to Eden Park. Don’t sentence the Warriors to the same slow Eden Park death as the Blues. Tony Waring, Grey Lynn.

Concert transports

I was surprised to read William Dart’s review of Bach Musica’s magnificent performance of Bach’s Bm Mass, which chose to focus on the omission of the Credo, a fact well-advertised in advance. I attended the concert with musically knowledgeable friends and we were all transported by the virtuosity of the Mass, the impressively blended choir, the instrumental and vocal soloists and, in particular, by conductor Rita Paczian, who seamlessly moved between conducting and playing the harpsichord, an extraordinary feat in itself. It was breathtakingly good. The Auckland Town Hall was packed, surely as much a testament to Paczian’s reputation as to the rare opportunity of hearing this monumental work; a stunning achievement.

Julianne Evans, Waiheke Island.

Fair tax

If the Government is serious about reducing poverty and actually fixing the housing crisis, it needs to implement a major change to the entire tax system and not just tinker timidly around the edges. To create fairness across the board there needs to be a comprehensive capital gains tax where each person declares all income, irrespective of source, and pays tax the same as everyone else.

There needs to be a land tax to discourage land banking and an inheritance tax on estates valued over $1 million. GST should be replaced with a financial transactions tax and income tax levels should be binded to multiples of the medium income, with the first $20,000 income tax free.

Doing this will help address property speculation and put more money in the hands of those who need it most, directly stimulating the local economy, creating more jobs and ultimately leading to more revenue for the Government.

Isaac Broome, Pukekohe.

Signs shifted

Why have all the sign-bearing metal poles on footpaths been shifted in from the kerb? In some cases these poles are in the middle of the footpath. Who decided this? Has this “disease” spread all across Auckland or is it confined to the Mt Albert/ Mt Eden Local Board area?

Is there a new bylaw that says that all electric scooters keep to the outer edge of these poles? Perhaps one is coming.

Street rubbish bins have been hit with the same “disease”.

Gillian Dance, Mount Albert.