A quick word

Posie Parker claims to speak for women. I can and do speak for myself. I do not need right-wing violence and Nazis backing me up.

Paula Wagstaff, Pt Wells.

W M Fletcher (WH, March 18) sadly notes the “misapplication” of the word “woke”. I hope the writer finds something gay to enjoy this week. Stewart Hawkins, St Heliers.

I’m elderly and wobble when I walk on our footpaths. It would be nice if bike and scooter jockeys slowed down and announced, “on your left” or “on your right” when approaching from behind. Robert Myers, Auckland Central.

For the sake of the planet, a genuine “green” party would pledge to work constructively with whichever other parties are in office.

Mike Wagg, Freemans Bay.

After careful scrutiny of the pic of the week (WH, March 18) it is safe to say there were no spelling errors in any of the placards being held by striking teachers. Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.

I don’t think teachers should be waving signs around that include crude messages such as, “WTF.” It shows a troubling lack of decorum and bad taste; hardly conducive to their cause. Colleen Wright, Botany Downs.

Richard Telford’s summary (NZH, Mar. 20) of Bruce Cotterill’s article (“no society ever thrived because it had a large and growing class of parasites living off those that produce”) isn’t really that original. In the 19th Century, Karl Marx reached the same conclusion — with legendary results. Morgan L. Owens, Manurewa.

Congratulations on Saturday’s paper (WH, Mar. 18). Four pieces full of common sense by Bruce Cotterill, John Roughan, Jane Phare and Fran O’Sullivan. Anthony Turner, Pakuranga Heights.

I assume John Roughan (WH, Mar. 18) has private medical insurance and would forgo that in the interests of social equity and curbing inflation. Gavin Kay, Remuera.

Even if Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was to be shown a video of the actual collision between the Russian fighter and the US drone, the minister would no doubt claim it was the drone that backed into the fighter.

Lloyd McIntosh, West Harbour.

Kerry Reeves, Air New Zealand’s head of aircraft programmes, was quoted by CNN as saying that NZ “being a small country at the bottom of the world, long-haul travel is vital to keeping us connected”. Apart from reflecting a colonial mindset, I’d have thought that someone in the aviation industry would understand that there’s no bottom on a globe.

David Nicholson, Karori.

So it’s official, the Grand Poobah has spoken. The Chinese people won’t get to see Winnie the Pooh now, not for all the Xi in China.

Dean Donoghue, Pa¯pa¯moa Beach.