More readers have responded to the Herald's coverage of the impact of foreign language schools on Auckland's Queen St. Many agree that they are ruining the central city - but others say this attitude is racist and narrow-minded.
I am appalled at the racist and narrow-minded views of the respondents regarding Queen St.
I am a European 50-year-old woman and I shopped there from 11am to 5pm yesterday.
I enjoyed the range of shopping and people were courteous and helpful.
I did not notice any dirt or graffiti.
But I DID notice bad traffic fumes.
I noticed a wonderful cosmopolitan mix of cultures, including many young immaculately groomed Asian people. It is part of what makes Auckland an interesting place to live! - Anne Lester
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As a child in the 60s, the school holiday pilgrimages on the grey and green "Eastern" buses into Queen St with mum, dad, grandad and friends were much anticipated. We were all dressed in our best clothes to see the best and brightest street in the country with its crush of similarly dressed people, the large department stores, the picture theatres, the Monarch Lion, the Keanes cowboy and the general atmosphere of buzz and purpose.
Today I take my children by car rarely to Queen St just to show them where it is. Perhaps the many reasons for this can be best summed by my witnessing a large group of young men spitting on the pavement while waiting to cross the Queen St and Customs St intersection and further on, seeing a group brawling with skateboarders outside the old town hall oblivious to the people trying to avoid them.
Queen St - Queen no longer. - Andrew Adams
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I applaud the effort to revitalise and beautify Queen St. As a second-time tourist to your beautiful country, I agree some improvement is needed to bring it to its full potential.
However, I am shocked by your readers' response to your article regarding the impact of the language schools, and your own headline reference to Queen St being "overrun with Asian students".
The feelings toward the language students are revealed by comments from your readers as follows: "a sea of Asians"; "If I wanted to live in China, I would emigrate there"; "caught in gunfire from Asian gangs"; "tacky Asian crap"; "a mini-Asia with crap clothing ... "; and, "an insult on the Government's behalf and (I) decided to move to Perth".
Is New Zealand a racist country?
I was born and raised in Hong Kong, educated as a lawyer in the United States, and became a naturalised US citizen in early 2001. I find the comments not only disturbing, but also offensive. Such feelings illustrate a deep sense of resentment toward your country's guests who come to New Zealand to learn your language as well as your beautiful culture.
Can it really be a surprise then that students are choosing countries other than New Zealand?
I suggest that New Zealand and school officials look to adding programmes to help integrate Asian students into New Zealand's world famous hospitality and culture. These foreign students must be protected from prejudice. They must also be taught what is and what is not appropriate etiquette in a culture new to them.
For hostile "locals", perhaps a class or two would help them accept the reality that New Zealand is part of an international economy.
This mutual education should be a vital part of any plan to beautify Queen St. - Waiyee "Carmen" Wong
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