Naive and isolated? Despite the rhetoric we have failed at a fundamental level.
The 100,000 Muslims in New Zealand, out of the 1.5 billion Shiite/Sunni in the world, are not enough to "tip the Ark".
So what drives the hatred? It is fear! Fear of losing our identity, our religion, our way of life and everything that makes us Kiwi. A haka will not stop an AK47. Identity is what Maori have fought for over 200 years, yet our child murders are the highest in the world and there is a statistical bias as to ethnicity (Whanganui Chronicle, March 29).
Our youth suicide rate is also the highest per capita and our mental health services are "below a baseline standard".
Oranga Tamariki (CYF) announced its latest failures for 220 children in its care for 2018 before the Christchurch massacre. It is submerged without trace. And I say massacre, not a terrorist attack. One deranged individual from Australia is not a tsunami.
Our politicians use name changes to fool us into thinking they have done something.They appear driven by party ideology, not solutions. Maybe we need better.
KEN CRAFAR
Durie Hill
Hijab and assault rifle
In today's Wanganui Chronicle(March 29) we see the front page headline with Chester Borrows saying, "Why we shouldn't give police more guns". I follow his argument and mostly agree with Chester.
It is the picture of police officer Michelle Hewson standing guard "with hijab" that I am writing about. I feel there is something wrong with me. It appears that, like most people, it should have given me a warm, fuzzy feel. It did not. Indeed, I found it a little unsettling.
Why? I thought for a while and came up with this explanation: For years now we have seen hog-tied, Western culture, victims, kneeling beside their Isis captors. OK, Isis is now in collapse (America no longer supporting it financially and Putin allowed to destroy the tanker fleet that exported the stolen Syrian oil through Turkey for $45 million a week) but those pictures are still etched in my mind.
I do not care what religion a New Zealand police officer is. When on duty they should be in New Zealand Police uniform, and especially at this time when nerves are so raw.
The combination of a police officer wearing Muslim attire and carrying an assault rifle is just wrong. Over the top.
Well, that is my reaction. I must clearly be a bad person. Am I the only person to think like this?
WILLIAM PARTRIDGE
Hunterville
Hyperbole is lies
Disappointing to see more inaccurate reporting in the Whanganui Chronicle.
Today (April 1) I was almost fooled into thinking there had been another mass killing in New Zealand.
"A day of carnage on the water" was nothing of the sort. There was no great slaughter, thank God, but a number of crashes on the water at the Jetsprint Championships. A few people hurt but no one killed.
Why do Chronicle reporters exaggerate? Recently we had rabbits running "amok" at Taihape cemetery. Another example of hyperbole. Another lie from your reporters.
Please decide whether you are reporting facts or trying to be funny. We pay for truthful and responsible reporting.
RICHARD PEIRCE
Marton
Splash Centre praised
Due to an unexpected emergency medical event on March 26 involving a member of the public, the Splash Centre quickly organised an evacuation procedure for all those in the building while medics attended to the patient.
I would like to publicly praise the staff of the Splash Centre for their calm, efficient and professional handling of the situation.
It was one of those situations that you hope will never happen to you but, if it does, you need people around you who are trained for the unexpected and act accordingly.
Common sense and speed are the key ingredients here and the Splash Centre came up trumps. A life was saved that morning.
Well done, Whanganui Splash Centre management and staff.
MARY-ANN EWING
Whanganui
Send your letters to: The Editor, Whanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, PO Box 433, Whanganui 4500; or email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz
