Premium Debate and letters to the editor: Police showed restraint during Ōpōtiki gang event

Mongrel Mob members talk to police.

Opinion

The years 1789 to 1799 saw the French Revolution and the establishment of a republic under Napoleon Bonaparte.

The cry of this people’s revolt was “liberty, equality and fraternity”, and these three ideals were incorporated into government as legal equality, religious tolerance and financial freedom.

Today, we see the breakdown of French society, due seemingly to the abandonment of these principles in the everyday lives of its poorest citizens. Violent protests have provoked an extreme response from the police.

We can perhaps draw some comparisons between the sights in French cities and the recent depictions of events in Ōpōtiki during the tangi of the gang president, where the police showed restraint and respect.

Ōpōtiki has reminded me that a violent response almost always elicits further violence. I’d have shouted from the rooftops that “The cops need to get tough on these guys!” - but now I’m not so sure.

John Williams

Ngongotahā

Huge thank you

I recently spent a week as a patient in the older persons rehabilitation services ward at Rotorua Hospital.

I felt well cared for and all the medical personnel and other staff I encountered treated me with professionalism, kindness, respect, patience and good humour.

This is to say a huge thank you to them all.

Keith Garratt

Rotorua

The Premium Debate: Woman off work sick since May urges others to keep up with flu shots

Opinion

A Rotorua woman lost 2.5 kilograms in seven days while battling a nasty flu infection that left her coughing up “cups of thick, green slime” for weeks.

She decided not to get the flu vaccine this year - she says it is a decision she “absolutely regrets” and is urging others to get the jab.

Her plea comes as hospitals, GPs and pharmacies throughout the Bay of Plenty say a growing number of patients are turning up with influenza, Covid-19 and other winter viruses.

Read the full story: ‘Financially devastating’: Woman off work since May, flu left her struggling to breathe.

Have your say by going to dailypost.co.nz and becoming a Premium subscriber.

Someone can chime in and correct me, but I believe flu shots were based on whatever strains had been prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere the previous winter. With borders closed for two years, we also have little immunity to whatever has been circulating overseas.

Keith T

I have been pretty lax with regard to flu vaccines up until the last two years for this very reason. So far, so good.

Stuart B

Republished comments may be edited at the editor’s discretion.

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