Purchasing power
Doing nothing in the face of abuse is complicity. Just as Russia has been isolated economically, so can the United States.
Every family could do their bit to censure this rogue US by eschewing all US produce. There are plenty of alternatives.
Supermarkets could start the ball rolling by clearly showing the source of the goods on their shelves. If demand dropped significantly they might consider stopping importing US goods.
Juliet Leigh, Auckland.
President can’t be trusted
President Trump’s mind-blowing and seemingly personal introduction of vast tariffs across the globe has sent a message to all to bring manufacturing back to the US.
What board in their right mind would plan to do this and spend vast amounts of capital to have him change his mind, as he has a penchant for doing so without warning or consultation?
He has created so much uncertainty that it will be a very troubling period for anyone trying to plan for the future, which I think will be very harmful to productivity worldwide.
Paul Jarvis, Ōrewa.
Problem with curriculum
The new English curriculum for schools reminds me of those good old days of the private and grammar schools of the 19th and early 20th century.
Their primary purpose was to ensure the young men who attended them were instilled with sufficient “Britishness” so that they would be adequately equipped to lead the nation, church, and army, and administer the far-flung corners of the British Empire.
In today’s very different world, the more the state tries to declare precisely what should be learned, how and when it should be taught, and how and when it should be assessed, the more likely our brightest young people will not want to become teachers.
That’s because professionalism will be taken out of the job, and more young people will be turned off schooling because of its lack of relevance and meaning.
David Hood, Hamilton.
Discovery and deaths
The photograph of the incredible find in southern Israel of an ancient amulet dominates page A21 of Saturday’s Weekend Herald. Not mentioned in the Washington Post text is the fact that it dates from the Canaanite era, which predates the later Biblical era of David and Goliath, which is referred to.
That later battle is thought to have been fought in the area where the discovery was made.
A small text column next to the dramatic photograph is headed “War crimes”.
It ends with Israel’s claim that the recent attack on 15 aid workers in clearly marked ambulances was on “terrorists”. Investigations reveal these humanitarian workers were killed by Israeli forces.
Jagan Chapagain, secretary-general of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies responds: “I am ... tired of being outraged. For the sake, quite simply, of humanity.”
Elizabeth Eastmond, Waiheke.
Battles for representation
Your correspondent Bernard Walker (Weekend Herald, March 29) would like to see every student given the same chance. So would I.
Until quite recently, women were banned from many areas of life. Look at Parliament in the early 20th century. All white men. No Māori, no women.
We are beginning to see people of different cultures, gender and ethnicity sprinkled in most areas of life, but this has not happened by chance. It has been resisted every step of the way.
Decades of effort have boosted the numbers of Māori and Pacific doctors, but without that effort we’d be back to white male doctors.
It’s only because of quotas and affirmative action policies that we began to have female doctors and now half the graduates are female. Unlock the doors and people will enter.
Remove the keys – DEI, affirmative action – and the doors will close up again.
We have always had selection based on gender and ethnicity. The difference now is that we are deliberately giving women and Māori and other ethnicities a chance.
Susan Grimsdell, Auckland Central.
Another sporting display
A wonderful second half of rugby again from Moana Pasifika showed just how spirited and skilful their men are.
Then after the match, these same burly men showed their empathy and kindness by spending so much time after the game signing balls, jerseys and the rest of it for all of their fans, young and old.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
