Our View: Rude locals do all good Bay people a disservice

The Christchurch earthquake is back in the headlines for a number of reasons.
On Friday, people across the Western Bay and throughout the country were glued to the television as they watched the earthquake memorial service held in memory of those who lost their lives.
It was a moving ceremony. It was a chance to reflect on the horror of the disaster and how so many lives were cut short.
The earthquake continues to make headlines in the Bay today for that and other reasons.
On pages C1 & C2 of the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, we carry the amazing story of how hundreds of Tauranga people have opened their homes to Christchurch residents needing short-term accommodation, and many more have offered help in other ways.
At least 233 individuals, couples or families from the crippled city have registered with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council as part of the exodus here.
These cases include family staying with family and with kind strangers.
Our features writer Carly Udy talks to some of these Christchurch people and tells their powerful stories.
It is impossible for anyone to know how they are truly feeling, unless you have been through such a tragedy yourself.
The sense of having their world broken apart must be appalling. For those who have lost loved ones, the pain must be unbearable. For those who have lost property, it must be tough being displaced from home and city and left with few possessions.
Thankfully, there are generous Bay people helping out.
They deserve our highest respect and praise. They are showing compassion and humanity. They are making a difference. And they will form bonds and friendships that will hopefully endure through this terrible time.
Unfortunately there is an ugly flip side to this coin.
Our lead story on page one this weekend tells how one Christchurch earthquake victim, who lost her home and is now staying in the Bay, was given such a hard time in a local shop she was reduced to tears.
The woman, Jody Cowper-James, was with her 2-year-old son at a Tauranga Post Shop when she was first refused a 10cm piece of sticky tape for a postage box containing a gift for friends who had helped the family since the disaster.
But then she was abused by other customers when she tried explaining her plight.
One customer told her lots of people had lost their homes and she should "get over it".
The other customer told her: "Just buy some Sellotape, for goodness' sake."
A senior New Zealand Post manager has personally apologised to her and bought her a bottle of wine.
This case defies belief.
The sticky tape incident is just bizarre. Why would any normal person working in any business refuse such a small thing? Good on New Zealand Post for apologising.
As for the two horrible customers, they have done the rest of us in the Bay a huge disservice.
Why so bitter? They are nothing short of rude individuals who deserve nothing but contempt.
God forbid a terrible disaster should ever strike them.