Letters: Keeping Christ in Christmas

St Paul's St Mark's float in this year's Whanganui Christmas Parade.

IN THE Chronicle letters (December 10), a reader commented on the fact that Christianity was absent from all but one of the many Christmas parades he had seen over the years.

St Paul's St Mark's entered a float of the Nativity scene in this year's Whanganui Christmas parade, and St Andrew's also had a float, but neither was included in either the newspaper or video photos of the parade.

I rang the Chronicle and commented on this and said that, after all, the Nativity story was the reason for the celebration.

IRIS GRAHAM
Whanganui

Editor's note: The letter referred to was from a reader in Auckland and commented on Christmas parades there.

Thoughtless racism

G R Scown´s opinion (December 8) on racism is questionable in many respects.
While he agrees racism is bad, counter-productive and self-defeating, these are just the negatives for the "abuser". Is he aware that, for the "abused", they can be much more damaging?

Mr Scown explains that because it was thoughtless (the Hawera street parade participants' blackened faces), it was not racist. But racism is often expressed thoughtlessly, as he has variously demonstrated. If it was thoughtlessness, why was this not questioned by any involved?

Perhaps it was unremarkable, because it was congruent with the general community's values and beliefs? If so, the most alarming thing that comes from that "exercise", is that so many still see such passive racist expressions and actions as normal.

However, any doubt as to the participants' intentions could be answered by Mr Scown. If he can tell us what they were not thinking (fifth para), could he now tell us what they were?

H NORTON
Whanganui

Maori Santa

It is astonishing that while all over the world people of all shapes, sizes and colour are dressing up as Santa, a Maori version should raise any comment at all.

It would be good if all the Easily Offended regained a sensible hold on life and concentrated on the message of love, hope, peace and joy which are smothered by commercial Christmas.

ROBIN PEIRCE
Marton

Megamast crisis coming

There is right now an unparalleled crisis facing our native birds, and at least 80 per cent are faced with extinction.

There is a megamast coming, which will which decide if around 25 million eggs and chicks of native birds will live or die.

Our native forests are vital to our wellbeing and our birdlife. The megamast must be properly handled, using 1080 to eliminate pests or we will lose so much wildlife and our forests will suffer severe damage.

DARRELL GRACE
Whanganui

Empty buses

Perhaps someone from Horizons Regional Council can explain why they keep running large, empty (or almost empty) buses in Wanganui?

It would also be interesting to know the use and cost of diesel per passenger kilometre, and the CO2 emissions that result from this largely wasted service.

Is anyone looking for more economic options, or do the ratepayers of Whanganui have to keep on paying some $5 million (the Horizons rates paid by Whanganui ratepayers) for a service that few, if any, ratepayers use?

It's time Whanganui District Council became a Unitary Authority and saved money.

DAVID BENNETT
Whanganui

Another murder

Very sadly in our sweet land of butter, jam and honey, another tourist has been murdered. It is not too many years back that the young Scottish lady was murdered in Taupo.

Why did our PM go on TV nearly in tears? I think she made the situation worse.

Jacinda should have contacted Mr Millane directly, and I trust she has done so.
We must bring back life for life when it is a murder. Enough's enough.

GARY STEWART
Foxton Beach

Send your letters to: The Editor, Whanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, PO Box 433, Whanganui 4500; or email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz