Are we discussing a symptom as opposed to a root cause when we talk about racism? If individuals have regard for the feelings, wishes or rights of others and treat others as they themselves want to be treated, would they express racist viewpoints?
That would, in all likelihood, be influenced by how deeply embedded in their psyche the wish to be respectful is.
A law court recently heard how a member of a sporting club had become so aggrieved by events that had soured a friendship with a team-mate they had printed leaflets wrongly accusing the teammate of being a paedophile and dropped them in neighbouring letterboxes. Their statement — would not have done it if I'd known it was a criminal offence — suggests a lack of even an ephemeral understanding of what it means to be respectful.
Is discarding of unwanted packaging on to footpaths or thrown from car windows indicative of respect for the local community? Or tourists not only trespassing on private rural property but also disposing of their campervan toilet waste before leaving?
Denigrating those who hold contrary opinions is not the action of someone respecting everyone's rights to partake in the planning for the future of their society. In our modernity, words and actions of some are globally carried to many millions.
Disrespectful behaviour is manifestly present in our daily lives, displaying itself in many guises.
Being respectful has nothing to do with obeying some deity's laws or being PC. It is, though, a mandatory component for allowing citizens to enjoy the multitude of benefits when living in a multicultural society.
Having respectful behaviour as an internationally recognised normalcy in Aotearoa would address several of the issues our society struggles with.
Attaining such a monumentally challenging goal could only be achieved by strong cross-party political will. Some countries, having taken up the challenge, are at varying stages of achieving deeply embedded respectful behaviour within their cultures. With their assistance, our own journey might be hastened.
MAX WARBURTON
Brunswick
Spirited rebuke
My congratulations to Mark Ward, CEO of Whanganui & Partners, for his spirited rebuke of the uninformed editorialist who wrote "Flights of fancy in zombie towns" (Dominion Post, July 11). This sort of diatribe cannot go unanswered.
STEVE BARON
Whanganui
b
I wonder how serious we are in our efforts to control climate change? On one hand a Marton company is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by moving barley to Timaru (Chronicle, July 2). On the other hand a powerful polluter, a coastal ship, is to move the barley and leaves a large carbon footprint.
There continues to be media portrayal of the devastating effects of climate change with melting ice and high temperatures (Chronicle, July 2). It was noted that the previous high temperature in France was in 1947. Was that caused by climate change? If not what caused this record temperature. If it was caused by climate change then why has it taken so long for that record to be broken?
Thankfully, the consensus says that climate change does not cause extreme weather events. The consensus cannot be wrong. It is just the weather, like the melting ice?
ROB THOMSON
Parapara
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