Military PR disgusts
I'm an ecologist. I draw links between things. That's what I do. So when the front page of the Stratford Press (November 19) informed me the maternity hospital I had only just signed up to is now closed until further notice, it naturally reminded me of the complaints going around about our DHBs across the country suffering funding cuts. Down the road I noticed new corporate advertising on our local primary school's fence. Meanwhile my child's school has just had funding cut and lost one teacher.
So it is with disgust that after reading a heartbreaking story about children having to deal with domestic violence on page 5 that I turn to page 6 (and 3 and 10) to see gratuitous pictures of posturing soldiers putting gigantic guns into the hands of our local kids.
Come on, what decade are we in? New Zealand is not being threatened. We don't have a defence force. We have a well funded PR machine of 'professional' soldiers who go to secure trade deals for our government.
It is disgusting to see the millions Government is spending on the Anzac PR spectacle for next year. It's offensive seeing army cadets and soldiers at the local pool, sports fields, shopping centres, and posturing on our streets. They should not be allowed in schools full stop.