Letter to the Editor, Thursday November 26, 2015

Choose by chance

I disagree slightly or I'd proclaim "Frank Edwards for President!" after his astoundingly sensible, decent letter about our Flag decision (Chance to choose, November 24). A difficulty for me is I don't feel like a stakeholder in it.

For someone in 2015 to write Edwards' "The flag change is a mind change" paragraph takes presidential courage. It's worthy of repetition here: We no longer charge up hills in Turkey, mud slopes in France, mountain monasteries in Italy or defend Greek Islands with no air cover, under incompetent British command.

My 94-year-old World War II veteran father said something very similar recently.

Hopefully we might no longer charge across desert expanses or clamber through jungles, disregarding national sovereignty, fighting insurgent and civilian alike because we can't distinguish them apart, under equally incompetent US leadership?

United Nations leadership is another thing altogether. I'm a card-carrying pacifist and I'd accept that!

Give me a stake in a written constitution combining Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the UN declaration of human rights and I'm there, fully enrolled, all aboard 150 per cent.

When we have this essential conversation, a discourse only Aotearoans can possibly have; as we must; then is the time to consider a flag change. Why? Because the profound depth of our bi-cultural and multi-cultural spirit shall be revealed and it will generate flag designs the likes of which we have yet to imagine.

If we have the guts to hold something akin to "truth and reconciliation", our resultant flag shall be the envy of the world.

There is no doubt in my mind our eventual ensign will contain Maori iconography - although not alone - absent from all but one of the current options, Black Koru.

I'm Pakeha and I'd choose the "Tino Rangitiratanga" flag hands-down over any token koru, absurdly quasi-justified red peak or silver fern sports and free trade logo.

I'll argue black and red we must wait Frank. I hope you're still around to take up that presidency when the time comes?

WALLY HICKS
Kohukohu