Letters: Impressionable young boys, truancy and the submersible tragedy

Controversial internet influencer Andrew Tate. Photo / AP

Letter of the week: Wake-up call for young boys’ parents

Shaneel Lal’s opinion ‘Schoolboys are parroting toxic views’ (HoS, June 18) was a sobering piece of writing, a wake-up call for parents of young boys. The following of Andrew Tate, a self-proclaimed misogynist influencer, can only cause harm to impressionable young boys. Lal states: “Tate offers his naive, afraid and impressionable fanbase a method to preserve the anti-queer, racist and sexist status quo and boys have leapt at it. Society hasn’t offered boys any alternatives.” They also state: “Tate’s fans need role models that make them believe they belong in a society that treats everyone equally. The responsibility of providing that falls on men.” Everyone needs to take heed and ensure Tate’s messages don’t become ingrained in young boys’ thinking.

Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth

Emails feedback for reps

The Mayor’s comms manager Kate Gourdie has nothing to apologise for in sending councillors critical emails from the public. If these elected reps can’t take authentic negative feedback from the people they’re supposed to represent, they shouldn’t be in politics.

Rick Mirkin, Muriwai

Selling the family silver

Mayor Wayne Brown reminds me of Messrs Douglas, Prebble, Palmer and Lange whose primary goal in life was to sell the family silver for next to nothing at the expense of future generations.

Bruce Tubb, Devonport

Minor matter for the courts

In New Zealand a person is considered a child or “minor” until the age of 20. Parents are minor’s legal guardians. Logic would seem to demand that parents should be required to appear in courts in New Zealand to take responsibility for their minors’ actions, legal fees and fines. The law should have the power to redirect guardianship of minors whose parents do not appear in court, do not take responsibility, or who have otherwise abandoned guardianship. This would go a very long way to effectively manage and reduce youth reoffending and provide guidance for better future opportunities for youth.

Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour

Proof of collapse

Jeff Hayward (Letters, June 19) asks where is the collapsing society I rail against in my letter dated June 18th. With regards to education, he only needs to read Dr Andrew Rogers’ (Head of the Chemistry Department at St Peter’s College in Auckland) article on the page opposite his letter, headlined Science education is dying, system fails students. Towards the end of his article he states, “The public needs to understand that its education system is in decline”. As for the failing health system I have been waiting over two years for knee replacements and when I asked my local GP and accompanying nurse if I am likely to get this operation any time soon they bent over and collapsed on the floor in hysterical laughter. Then there is the failing infrastructure which is always evident on my way to work in the morning as I must negotiate innumerable orange road cones and potholes the size of tank traps that threaten to swallow up my car. Finally, there is the malaise that is slowly enveloping this country because of the very real possibility of the All Blacks not winning the World Cup Rugby in October along with the prospect that Labour, the Greens and the Māori Party might actually win the election about the same time by forming the Coalition of the Constantly Inept. Who wouldn’t feel depressed?

Bernard Walker, Pāpāmoa

Waititi too erratic

I don’t recall the last time I agreed with Paula Bennett. However I have to say that her column calling out Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi is spot on. This man’s conduct is outrageous and has been from day one of his career in Parliament. His grandstanding and complete lack of respect for the rules and responsibilities of holding office are unconscionable. I am not exaggerating when I say that I believe him to be the most dangerous person in our Parliament. Between National ruling Te Pāti Māori out as a coalition partner, and myself being a lifelong Labour supporter, I am terrified of what this erratic and obstructive man might try and achieve if he were at the coalition negotiating table. In order to keep him and his party out of power, I will be hoping for enough votes across the Labour/Greens ticket that Te Pāti Māori will be rendered unnecessary to govern.

John Deyell, Ellerslie

Government wrong on vaping

How can a government that has banned smacking of children allow those same children/teenagers to partake in vaping which will go on to cause life-long injuries both to their brain and lethargy when they promote family values?

Ross Harvey, Remuera

US goading China

Interesting to see there are no Chinese bases around the United States and no Chinese warships in the Gulf of Mexico or cruising off the New York or California coast with middle finger raised. America has bases and warships all around the world, many with nuclear weapons constantly goading China to react. Also we have a fantastic free trade deal with China, something the United States will never give us due to their selfish farming lobby. We should be very careful who we side with in the inevitable upcoming war.

Vince West, Milford

Rugby’s PA craziness

Read Steve Hansen’s interview on what’s wrong with rugby and was amazed that he didn’t mention the latest craze for playing loud music and nutcases screaming over the PA might be driving people away. I have been to several games with all this noise and the idiots shouting over the PA and I will never go back. Whose decision was this to start this craziness? If I want to go to a disco I will go to a disco, not a rugby game. You don’t hear loud blaring noise at football games, the world’s biggest sport.

Jock MacVicar, Hauraki

Truancy has lifetime effect

The extremely high school truancy numbers are ensuring that poverty will not improve in the current generation, nor the one after that, nor the one after that. Truants are unlikely to get to a leaving age of 15 or 16 and be able to read well enough to get a driving license, a job, or contribute to society. Such failures are more serious than problems with the cost of living, health and crime. These will come right rather quickly, whereas truancy has a much longer effect. It has a lifetime effect. Nobody else can be blamed for this dramatic increase and not having a tangible plan to correct the situation is a disgrace that will haunt the Labour Party for generations. Talk is cheap. Strong action is essential. Being woke won’t fix it.

Brent Marshall, Whangaparāoa

Sub cost enormous

Tragic as it is, I find it incredible that any company can operate such a vessel that is of a one-off design with an experimental category and can then carry passengers to such a hostile environment. The cost, as in a case like this when it fails, is simply enormous and that cost no doubt has to be carried by those countries involved in the rescue effort. In addition, it also now leaves further wreckage around what should be a sacred site.

Paul Beck, West Harbour