My brothers and I have served in many parts of the world, mostly in peacekeeping roles. Like many other families, we know enough of conflict and PTSD to ask for the commemoration of service towards achieving sustainable peace.
At the Anzac services last year, none of our local leaders and speakers mentioned the origins of armed conflict and how they might be prevented.
Madeline Albright's recent book on fascism and totalitarianism argues that the principles of democracy and critical citizenship are the best antidotes.
Since militancy, in my view, is politics by immoral means, I will be listening carefully this year for ideas on how responsible politics and other methods should build the capacity in our community to solve our problems peacefully.
REYNOLD MACPHERSON
NZ308990 and UK495027
Editorial spot on
Well done Kim Gillespie (Editorial, April 20) for speaking out unequivocally against Israel Folau and his homophobic comments.
I wholeheartedly endorse Gillespie's comments. Sports stars are in the public eye and are likely to influence thinking and opinion forming in their young fans.
More importantly I feel and as Gillespie observes, the media seems to be focused of late on the struggles of our youth in terms of mental health and clearly views such as Folau's will not be at all helpful.
Folau should use his position to promote empathy and understanding or keep quiet.
WILLIAM WRIGHT
Glenholme
Council losses
Profit is the surplus remaining after total costs are deducted from total revenue. It is the best known measure of success in enterprise.
Profit furnishes resources for investing in future operations, and its absence may
result in the extinction of a company.
The word "profit" seems to elude this council as continual examples of losses emerge.
The latest being the parking meters with increased operating costs and declining revenue, and the Night and Farmers markets with a loss of $123,000, which are joining a long, growing list of non-profitable ventures.
Instead of resolving these loss issues, Rotorua Lakes Council seems intent on giving away the profit with outsourcing - pity we couldn't outsource council management to successful business people.
The answer may lie in a saying from Henry Ford: "The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to succeed."
Perhaps it is time for the ratepayers to employ a successor to the council.
TRACEY McLEOD
Lake Tarawera
