Israel Folau never said he hated gay people, says a reader. Photo / File
Two of the most misrepresented terms these days is hate speech on one hand and racism on the other.
We are all racist to some extent preferring our own people whether that is defined by race itself, religion, locality, etc.
Even New Zealand preferring the All Blacks to the Wallabies is racist.
As a Pākeha New Zealander I have endured racist comments for decades. So what? It is part of life.
If one speaks good of a different race that's okay but to talk about their failings becomes racism.
Hate speech is similar. The persecution of Israel Folau is a good example. Nowhere has he said that he hated homosexuals.
The referenced sins have a way out – repentance. The teaching is love the sinner, not the sin.
Most of the referenced are nice people. Folau is accused of being insensitive to young people who may wish to engage in homosexual behaviour.
Surely those people have the right to know about biblical sin? They can then make an informed choice.
Eternal life is a very long time. The Bible teaches that there is a Judgment Day. God alone knows how that will apply to each one of us.
Bill Capamagian
Tauranga
The mayor says rates are going up because councils were asked for more services.
Wrong. We didn't ask for Phoenix car park muck-up; we didn't ask for the Greerton roading muck-up.
We didn't ask for the muck-up cycleway in Welcome Bay, The council's, and only the council's, decisions are to blame for our rates increase.
So why do the ratepayers have to suffer?
Janet Drake
Bethlehem
We at the Katikati-Waihi Beach Residents and Ratepayers Association had put forward the plan some time ago for a Katikati bypass road to be constructed from purely a "health and safety" point of view.
When the river floods over the bridge on the main road through Katikati, particularly in the winter, there is absolutely no way any emergency services can get to the north side of Katikati or district at all.
There is only the one road through the village - SH2.
It's amazing that this situation has not had some major incident occur before now.
The very least is that Henry Rd should be at least connected to Busby Rd by a bridge or better still the planned bypass route built.
Henry Rd is a side road so therefore under the Western Bay of Plenty Council's jurisdiction.
If the council is going down the bypass road, then I have said for years a large roading company should be approached from Australia to build a toll road. That's what they do, and they do it well.
Many of us still believe a road with a small tunnel should be built through Thompsons track as that is one of the lowest points of the Kaimai Range, particularly to alleviate the Katikati Village of the large number of trucks that trundle through the village every day.
Once again, a big Australian company could be brought in to build a professional toll road, (at the very least research this option) and then let that company manage it, that way it may not cost us much at all.
C Humphreys
Katikati
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