Choose the future: Letters, 20 December

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.

So why shouldn't Iran have nukes?

I totally support Charles Purcell's opinion (Letters, Dec 17) that instead of continually threatening Iran with attacks, because Israel "thinks" Iran may be making a nuclear weapon, that both sides became nuclear free.

In fact there is no reason for any country to stockpile nuclear arms and, if the UN could put forward a mandate that all nuclear weapons be destroyed, we would live in a much stabler environment. Fat chance.

As Purcell says, Israel (courtesy of America) is armed to the teeth with nuclear weapons, why not Iran? Iran has not invaded a country for over 300 years. The last war they fought was 1980-88 when they were invaded by Iraq. Despite the Iraqi use of chemical weapons, denounced by the UN, Iran triumphed.

America has, in recent years, invaded numerous countries including Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and now Afghanistan, causing millions of unnecessary deaths. In 2009, Israel attacked a defenceless Gaza, resulting in over 1000 deaths, including women and children.

If Israel does attack Iran it will be the beginning of a nuclear World War III. Just what will that achieve, apart from agonising deaths and misery? Hasn't enough blood be shed already? What happened to peace and goodwill towards all men?

MARY BROOKS, Tauranga

Missing science

Last week I attended my grandson's primary school prizegiving ceremony in Tauranga and what an uplifting and inspirational experience it was. Congratulations to all concerned.

Many, many certificates for excellence were presented to smiling and obviously very proud recipients.

I write as I have a concern that not one of those certificates was in the field of the sciences. A few were for excellence in PE and one or two were for music. The vast majority of awards were for literacy and numeracy, which no doubt reflects the current Government's emphasis on these disciplines. I would hate to think that the sciences are no longer given a learning block within our schools programmes, considering today's society, which is very much science driven.

Where has the balanced curriculum, once a proud tradition of our state primary schools gone? When is the public going to question this Government's assertion that one in five of school leavers are illiterate? Where is the evidence?

The sooner our schools are left to get on with the job of educating our young without political interference, the better.

PETER MILLER, Te Puke

Cyclist's lament

The path of least resistance

the motorists' decree

our right and noble pathway

to lifestyles of disease.

How dare those pesky cyclists,

pedestrians and scooters

take up their rights for passage

depriving us polluters.

So, Annemarie Quill (Editorial, Dec 16),

choose the future now

Share the roads with all

or take a toxic bow.

That single-person capsule

so insular and "free"

but cars' true costs are adding

up to catastrophe.

PJ McGOVERN, Tauranga