Rodeos are a form of bullying

Affirmative action Nothing trivial

In one week’s time, animals will be subjected to fear, stress and torment in the name of so-called ‘‘entertainment’’ at the Omahu Valley Bullride.

Rodeo events such as the bullride are nothing more than a form of bullying. Ordinarily docile bulls are painfully forced into aggressive behaviour, through irritating flank straps that cause them to buck.

These practices not only cause tremendous stress but can cause serious injuries to the animals, including torn ligaments, broken bones and severe bruising. A bull was killed in the 2017-18 rodeo season after his leg was broken during the Pukemanu Bullride in Martinborough.

Rodeo is condemned by vets, welfare experts and animal protection organisations worldwide, and Horizon research shows two out of three Kiwis agree that rodeo causes suffering to animals.

The rodeo season has already had its first casualty, when a horse was killed during a horrific incident at the Methven Rodeo last month. This was only weeks after the New Zealand Rodeo Cowboys Association introduced new ‘‘suggested practices’’ in response to growing welfare concerns at rodeo events.

If those in the Omahu Valley area care about animals and disagree with animal abuse, I urge them to avoid the bullride. Will Appelbe, SAFE campaigns manager

Ban head shots

What a shame it is to have a person die in a charity boxing match from a blow to the head.

This type of ‘‘accident’’ will happen more often as the public seek more body contact action on TV.

I started to learn martial arts in 1964 and at first thought it great to be able to punch or kick an opponent in the head but later realised the stupidity of such an action.

The martial arts were first developed as a form of selfdefence and a philosophy of “first avoid conflict, evade blows, deflect if not possible and finally disable if necessary”.

This does not mean to kill with kicks or punches to the head, which is now common in “sports” such as MMA.

The old masters would cry to see what began as a health and self-defence practice with a strong Taoist philosophy descend into blood sport.

A punch that can shatter a concrete drainpipe could kill with a punch to the head, so that makes me afraid to fight.

At my age I still think I am dangerous, and all contact sports that have head shots should be banned by others even more powerful.

Stan Chun, Newlands I disagree with Rob Paterson (Letters, Nov 16) that the last thing Kiwis need is judicial activism. Of course judges, especially Supreme Court justices make law; it’s called common law. It was decades before our legal profession decided to cut the umbilical cord from the Judicial Committee of the Privy council in London, but most practising lawyers in New Zealand thought it was high time.

Referenda, whether binding or not, have no place in New Zealand judicial appointments.

Some Cabinet ministers have muttered about Sian-proof legislation, but Dame Sian Elias was one of the most notable models for affirmative action for women, and she has earned her retirement in March 2019.

Lord Denning was one of Britain’s most controversial activist judges, but he was regarded as one of the greatest. He frequently remade law, and spoke to us Victoria University law students in about 1965. Brian Collins, Aro Valley Some of the products of 13 years of our education system are complaining that they didn’t know the meaning of the word “trivial” when it arose in an examination question. What is our education system coming to?

A bit of thought about the question may have revealed that the word was a contrast to “important”, thus suggesting its meaning. I would have thought that, rather than openly displaying their ignorance, the complainants would have been much better keeping quiet.

Let’s hope the international oganisations that carry out evaluations of our education system don’t get to hear about this.

Tony Davidson, Aotea