The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
TODAY'S LETTERS:
Gamble on fast buck in twins' death a bad move
Re: Rightful outrage at Kahui book
It astounds me that Mr Wishart feels justified in talking about the death of free speech - just because the great NZ public reject his claims/opinions/reasons to justify publication of this book.
The public are using their right of free speech to condemn his entrepreneurial attempt to benefit financially from the death of innocents. He backed himself, and he lost.
Thank you to Facebook, Trade Me, Twitter and all those retailers who are now reflecting the feelings of the people by rejecting Wishart, King, Kahui et al.
Janice Lee, Invercargill
Try reading first
If Friday's Our View had been that of one person, and if the writer had begun by stating that he/she had read Breaking Silence, I could have given it more respect, but to be Our View (presumably representing the Bay of Plenty Times) and pour such judgmental wrath on one of New Zealand's most outstanding, investigative authors - before bothering to read his latest book - is more than I can take.
Tauranga is home to a number of authors and the Bay of Plenty Times must know how much effort goes into the research required to publish anything of a really serious nature.
To admire the shops that are ganging up on Ian Wishart is incredible ... has the Our View writer checked recently on some of the ghastly fiction they are happy to stock? Ah - but Breaking Silence is fact, not fiction.
Is that the real reason for climbing on their high and mighty bandwagon? I'm glad that libraries have the sense and the liberty to purchase items that the sheep-like members of the public so quickly condemn.
Joy Z Marks, Greerton
Boycott, not ban
Re: Dame Susan Devoy: Kahui case
Kudos for a terrific article, Dame Susan. Can I just make one point, as this is being falsely reported in the media over and over again. The Facebook group does not want the book banned, we are choosing to boycott it, there is a world of difference between the two.
Thank you
.Jenny Burgess, Kaiwaka
Too much reality?
Excuse me, but aren't the threats and calls for a boycott on the publication of Ian Wishart's Kahui book somewhat hypocritical given the negative aspects of society that the media (especially TV) feeds us every day to sell their own products or what NZ subscribes to by choosing to watch (choose your interpretation) as commercial entertainment - from a plethora of murder series, medical disaster, reality crime, prison, gang and dysfunctional family shows, to adulterous soap operas and even abusively belittling cooking?
Isn't freedom of speech or the written word a principle of democracy and investigative journalism an invaluable tool in exposing what cannot be solved by our institutional systems, if it is not for the offender's profit? You can choose not to read this book but if you attempt to control what others choose to do you tread a path to what half the world is fighting against - autocracy and censorship. Further, if you haven't even read it how can you condemn it?
Devoy's Opinion (BOP Times, July 2), smacks of a snobbish discomfiture of the actual fact of real reality life that sadly should not be happening in "nice" NZ - unless it would seem if it's a TV show?
Simon Butler, Otumoetai
Electing no one
Re: Winston Peters: Voters need facts, not bigotry
The bottom line for me is that MMP gave me a vote that actually elects people every time ... and not just one person: several from the list of the party I support. I don't understand people who think list MPs aren't elected. It's the party vote which elects them - and not just one either. Lots of them. A whole team. Under FPP we were lucky to elect even one MP. I managed that only once in 20 years of voting under FPP. The rest of my votes elected no one.
I don't vote for Mr Peters or NZ First, but MMP does let me vote for - and elect - people from the party I do support. Why anyone would want to give that up is unclear to me.
The last MMP referendum was about giving all of us a vote that elects people. This referendum is about keeping that meaningful vote and not letting anyone take it away. By going back to FPP or to any other non-proportional system like PV or SM ... which would give 100 per cent of the power to one minority party most people didn't vote for - the way FPP used to do every election.
Keep MMP. Keep your vote that counts.
Steve Withers, Auckland
With a little love
Re: Sadists get away with this horror
That is just sad, and pitiful. That cute little puppy was yelping in pain.
Whoever did it should have their ears cut off with a pair of scissors. It would hurt, wouldn't it? Extreme maybe, but that is cruel.
The really sad part are the witnesses who refuse to get involved.
Animals can't speak, we're their voice.
A stray dog showed up at my house about a month ago. She was so skinny, you could see her ribs and hipbones.With food and love she is now a healthy dog. I named her Lucy. She's red in colour.
She's part pitbull and boxer. She minds and listens to my commands. She is a very good dog. When she sees me, she wags her little stubtail.When she wants food or affection, she does what I call her "army crawl". Love and affection, that's it.
Eric B Hutchison, Canada
Text Views
* Re proposed election sign ban surely the printers will pick up other work like pamphlets!! As 4 the Regional councillors comments butt out of a tga city issue
* All cty counclrs must b accountnts ! Spend 10 mill on da hot pools bump up da e fee an hope it, ll pay 4 ITSELF IN A 100 YEARS - WELL DONE !
* Signs on Public property is an appropriate way to inform the public about candidates and ensures a level playing field for candidates to promote selves. K Graeme
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