In praise of Cook

To a sceptical reader there is an intrinsic unclarity with ‘‘inclusiveness’’ (‘Inclusive’ breast screening needed, Oct 12).

Pushed with so much hope, fervour and enthusiasm one would expect it to be crystal clear, particularly required when making new law or regulations setting societal and individual behaviours.

On inspection, inclusiveness often rapidly mutates into exclusion. Inclusiveness becomes illusory when exclusion is the reality.

For example, Massey University excluded a certain feminist from speaking, foiling her appearance at the university, justified by anticipated harm she represents to the university’s inclusive-natured community.

Another example is the desired exclusion of certain mammogram radiographers, justified for achieving inclusiveness of female adherents of a major world religion.

On the surface the exclusion is for ‘‘cultural’’ reasons, as that sells well, as does ‘‘health and safety’’, but deep down it

may be about a believer’s aversion to being touched by a non-believer, when a co-religionist radiographer would be acceptable.

One would expect a doctrine exists on inclusiveness. Importantly, on its limits.

The pertinent question is: What constitutes ‘‘just exclusion’’?

A volcanic amount of debate will erupt, one that might yield clarity on what currently is a nebulous doctrine, tribally exploited in justifying certain actions and in steering wanted end results.

Auke Smaal, Paraparaumu

I must protest against the continuing rants against a great sailor, namely Captain James Cook (Monuments, memories, men of action, Oct 21).

I would ask that your reporter Phillip Mathews first goes back to history 101: never judge yesterday’s events by today’s values; and secondly think, would there be an All Blacks team doing a haka at the Rugby World Cup if it had not been for Captain James Cook?

Finally, respect our culture, Mr

Mathews – your rant was published on Trafalgar Day! So let’s raise a glass (of rum) to our naval heroes, including Captain James Cook.

Don Budge, Turangi

Three good reasons

I for one would be very sorry to see TV channel Three no longer available. It is good having a choice of news programmes.

Personally I prefer Three news. Their news is not so Auckland-based. There is a lot going on south of the Bombay Hills and it’s good to know about it.

I also prefer Three’s weather reports. It is clearer to read and generally better presented.

Please keep our options open. Competition is a good thing.

Heather Bray, Tawa

One man’s idiocy . . .

So Colin McCahon was a failed signwriter and I’m a New Zealander drooling over some form of idiocy (Letters, Oct 21).

Well thank God we have people like Eamon Sloan in New Zealand who feel it is their place to point out the clear and obvious failings of anyone who might dare take up the cudgel on McCahon’s behalf.

Mind you, in a way, good art has always been divisive, and extraordinarily good art has always been extraordinarily divisive.

Take Van Gogh’s works for example. Now there was a man right out of Eamon’s book of idiots – no-one bought his work, all those wiggly brush marks spoke of some deep-seated psychological impairment, one bad day he cut his ear off – yet I believe much of his work these days sells in the tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars.

Perhaps there’s a lesson there for all of us – if you don’t know what you’re talking about, shut up, otherwise people won’t just suspect you’re an idiot, they’ll know it.

John Rush, Mamaku

Deeper into the data

Ian Billing and Geoff Cole (Letters, Oct 21) both seem to be comforting themselves that the data do not show that the seas are warming or that sea level rise in New Zealand will be much to worry about.

Although Billing shows that Environment Ministry numbers on NZ surface waters are contradictory, the data for the world’s oceans overall are very clear: they are warming and all the warmest monthly ocean temperatures have occurred in the last 10 years (Global Climate Report, August 2019, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

Sea level rise might only have been 2.44mm per year up to now, but Cole must understand that, with the seas warming, sea levels will also rise more rapidly. The latest IPCC report projects sea levels to rise between 0.29 and 1.1 metres by 2100 — 0.29m might be just about manageable, 1.1m will be an unimaginable worldwide catastrophe displacing hundreds of millions of people around the world. Laurence Harger, Seatoun

Sponsors for change

Sea level rise is killing our surf life saving clubs (Dominion Post, Oct 21).

It surely begs the question: as major partners of Surf Life Saving New Zealand, will BP and Toyota be covering the costs of relocating and rebuilding the surf club houses lost to sea level rise?

James Brown, Karori

A bugger getting old

As an octogenarian I wonder if I am being picked on.

Life is supposed to be easier in the sunset of our years yet:

■ We cannot find a convenient postbox.

■ Driving is harder because road designs are trying to make us walk or cycle.

■ I will not go for a trip on an e-cycle but would be more likely to trip over one. They are now costing ACC a $1 million a year, so ask yourself if they are worth it.

■ We used to have doctors visit us at home, now we have to fight rain and hail to get to an appointment at the doctor’s office.

■ My skin is shrinking like the interest rate on my bank savings. Once there was a Post Office Savings Bank with a government guarantee of four per cent and I would propose we use some of the $7.5 billion surplus to restart this scheme for SuperGold Card holders.

Come on, Winston, help bring back some of the gold to our golden years!

Stan Chun, Newlands