Double deckers an absurdity

I’m not a transport planner but I thought it would be patently obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence that introducing double-decker buses would present issues with loading times (Timetables reworked, Aug 23).

How the regional council accepted this state of affairs and introduced its transport revamp is beyond belief.

The article goes on to suggest that passengers move downstairs one stop before getting off. This, despite instructions on the bus not to stand in the stairwell while the bus is moving. If people start moving downstairs at the stop before they want to alight then they will be faced by those trying to get upstairs and get on and get off.

What planet do some of these people live on?

Alan Wickens, Porirua

Marriage won’t help

The argument by Karl du Fresne (Allowing priests to marry would help purge the Catholic Church of dysfunctional men, Aug 23) is absurdly wrongheaded and would not remotely help the church in its current (massive) difficulties. Of course, it is always difficult to be a Catholic. Nothing new here.

Second, the writer conflates a whole range of different cases in different jurisdictions as if there are all of a piece. They are not. The case again Philip Wilson, the archbishop of Adelaide, was always absurd and the magistrate’s decision is now the subject of an appeal.

The pursuit of targets like Wilson is all about getting even. The Pell witch-hunt is a direct outcome of appalling collusion between the royal commission, the bungling Victorian police and the Australian Broadcasting Commission.

Third, the US abuse cases are mostly about homosexuality and related hebephilia. Allowing priests to marry would not remotely help.

What does the writer make, I wonder, of all those many, many cases of (married, of course) fathers and stepfathers abusing their children? We don’t talk about that though.

Perhaps there is barrow pushing going on here. Name the problem for what it is, then act. And yes, the stables do need to be well and truly hosed out. Paul Collits, Waipukurau

Abuse widespread

Ex-Catholic Marek Plesner calls for the end of religion (especially the Catholic Church) because of child abuse, the church’s wealth, forgiveness of sins and the success of secular countries (Letters, Aug 23).

All institutions that care for kids have abuse – especially decades back, when less was known about paedophilia and the harm it causes – and they all try to cover it up.

If the church sold its assets, the needy who rely on it would get a short-term boost and then perish. Modern secular countries are beginning to teeter, and of course atheist Communism has produced nothing but slaughterhouses.

In response, I call for the end of political correctness because of its infantile belief in goodies and baddies, its belief that inverted oppression is not oppression, its veneration of narcissism and pride, its annihilation of the family, its suppression of dissent, and its total lack of mercy and forgiveness.

Gavan O’Farrell, Waterloo

No cultural failure

Don Brash (Aug 23) suggests that some cultures are superior to others and as evidence points to the lack of people attempting to move to the Middle East or Africa.

I feel he is conflating culture with governance. During the Cold War both West and East Germany had Germanic culture, but the migration between the two went in one direction only, and it was the system of government that made one unliveable.

Most people wouldn’t argue about the Middle East and a lot of Africa having poor governance, but considering our role in imposing and supporting despots and dictators that can hardly be considered a failure of culture.

Duncan Wright, Te Marua

Not smart at all

I can now see why so many people get run over by buses and cars at crossings. Why is it that, when crossing the road, all of those with phones think that it is a good time to look at their phones or ring people.

The phones may well be smart, but you can definitely see that the human factor is not smart at all. Perhaps we should take a leaf out of Hawaii’s book and fine those using a device while crossing the road. Trevor Tofts, Island Bay

No different to having cancer

I suffer from depression. I was consumed with the thought of taking my own life, when it became unbearably overwhelming I went to my doctor for help.

Why, you may ask, why was I not like Greg Boyed? I see my depression as being no different to having cancer. It takes medication to control it. For most people the medication works and life is good, but for some it doesn’t work.

Dying from suicide is no different to dying from cancer. It is an illness, there is no difference. Name withheld, Putaruru

Dairy closures

It’s true the local dairy is a threatened species (Dairy ‘victim’ of cycleway, Aug 23). I’m aware of two dairies that have closed recently (124 Hamilton Rd, Kilbirnie; and 292 Willis St, Te Aro). But neither of these was near a cycleway.

Alastair Smith, Aro Valley

Shoppers will stay away

Re the possibly end of free parking at weekends (Aug 22), I don’t think the city council has thought it through. I personally won’t be paying to park in the Wellington CBD at the weekends. Therefore if others copy my example and go to shopping malls, where will the council get the extra revenue to offset rates increases?

There will also be a dropoff in trade to businesses in the Golden Mile. You only have to read Dairy ‘victim’ of cycleway (Aug 23), about a couple who will have to close their dairy due to the removal of parking in front of their shop. Charging for parking won’t bring in the customers, when they can get free parking at malls.

It appears to me that the council doesn’t give a damn about the ratepayers. It has this half-cocked idea that it is going to make a mint charging for weekend parking. Time will tell.

Bob Grinling, Johnsonville

Casting judgment

May I ask why Marek Plesner (Letters, Aug 23) would judge the Catholic Church using as examples those who hold positions of trust who have committed child abuse? Do we judge our police by the few members who do not? Do we judge our schooling system by the few who occasionally disgrace their profession?

Of course not.

One makes a judgment of those who fail to uphold community values by comparing them with those who do, and against the best in their field, not the lowest. If we are to cast judgment on the Catholic Church it is only fair we use a similar template as we might use for police and teachers.

Yes, it is true there is in the Catholic Church those who have failed in their duty. But it would be wrong to measure the church as a whole against these. The greater number of our priests, clergy and laity have remained loyal to the teaching of the church.

As an institution the church teaches against all forms of child abuse, and members such as me are as dismayed as it appears Plesner is by the actions of those who have erred.

Michael Vanderpump, Palmerston North