Disturbingly, the Nazi symbols and Trumpian slogans revealed some of the forces behind the recent protest at Parliament. Undoubtedly, there were many differences in ideas and emphasis amongst the protesters.
However, it seemed clear that the violent and misogynistic tendencies of some are being exploited by overseas organisations with their own
agendas.
It was surprising and worrying to see Māori faces there, seemingly aligned with groups whose racist ideas and actions are well known.
Shane Te Pou (NZ Herald, November 11) expressed it well when he called the co-opting of Māori a "galling local variant ... an appropriation of tino rangatiratanga".
Recently I have had some videos sent to me for my "education". I note an increasing tendency to aim vitriol towards Jacinda Ardern. This undercurrent of pointed misogynistic viciousness should be of concern to all of us whatever our political leanings.
Misinformation and disinformation are creating a scary virus which may be potentially more damaging to New Zealand than the one which has stirred up all this craziness. It has also unleashed a few unpleasant characteristics of some New Zealanders — racism, misogyny and a strong impulse to mistrust and blame. We need more critical thinkers, and bucket-loads more compassion for all in our society and the wider world.
Ruth Palmer, Glen Eden.
Cool down under
Listening to the young in fear for their lives while pleading for their future during the COP26 gathering, is distressing. What is so hard to take is their future sits in the hands of older, self-centred men, who refuse to budge as much as they should. These politicians are digging their toes in, especially when it comes to stopping top polluters, these money-making fossil-fuel ventures, which maintain their political profiles and wealth.
The control these ageing men are reneging on is to what degree the heating of our planet reaches, liveable or not for our next generation. What we can do right now though, while our planet warms, is develop a political force in NZ with a forward-thinking approach to future needs, beginning with transport decisions.
Living underground, for instance, may become the "coolest" place to be, so maybe our transport systems being planned now should take this into account and continue underground systems. At least we'll have begun the process of leaving something decent for future generations.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
Innovation saviour
Saving the planet does not require sacrifice in terms of the trips we take in vehicles. The likely saviour will be innovation in transport technology.
Hundreds of thousands of people across Auckland waiting at bus stops would be backward step in our standard of living. The limitation of buses will always be their point to point inefficiency, rather than the destination to destination utility of discrete vehicles.
The mantra of "getting people out of their cars" is distracting as it smacks of an irrelevant agenda. Instead, if we were urged to cut pollution and traffic congestion our focus would be toward the potential solution. This will likely come in the form of small electric vehicles for city use, carrying one or two people, with extra space for belongings and infants.
Buses have their place, an essential place, though quite small.
Peter Webster, Beachlands.
Typical motorway dawdle
There was an unintentional message The Freedoms and Rights Coalition protest group gave to Aucklanders as they did a loop, driving at 50km/h, around Auckland city roads on Saturday.
The convoy of protesters and the hangers-on, no doubt hoping to see themselves on TV news, reminded us what a normal day on the motorway looks like. Torment.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Responsibility needed
Freedoms are a right and a privilege to which every citizen in this country is entitled but with these freedoms comes responsibilities. How do the organisers of the stunts on Saturday justify the delay of the St John ambulance staff getting a fellow citizen to hospital with the aid of a police escort?
How do they justify stopping their fellow citizens going about their lawful business?
Patricia Guptill, Wattle Downs.
