An excerpt: "He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true ... but teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader."
Laws has been beating on the prejudice drum about Down Syndrome. I am pro-choice, both for screening tests and abortion, and have no certainty about what I would have done if my pregnancy test results were different - it's an individual choice.
Laws, however, seemed to be harshly criticising people who chose to raise children with disabilities, even when the two social media exchanges I saw involved people simply advocating for informed choice and wanting to share their personal experiences. More widely, there is the need for debate about human rights and the ethics of testing, but I don't propose Laws to lead it.
Another issue that is often the subject of talkback is poverty in New Zealand.
This week has seen the release of the Children's Commissioner Russell Wills' report into child poverty in NZ. The issue is what's happening to children in our country and how do we turn it around, which relies on measurement - though Wills had to find independent funding to get this first report up.
I'm pleased to see movement towards a WoF for rental housing as the link between damp and crowded housing and preventable diseases and infections is recognised.
Of course, decisions of parents impact their children, but there are wider factors at work that influence the circumstances in which these parents find themselves, not least level of pay. It's great to see signs of progress with Wellington City Council's proposed living wage for its workers, and if that comes at the cost of salaries at the top, that's okay with me.
Other frustrating observations from the week are the injustices we inflict upon nature.
In Western Australia, another tragic shark attack death has led to the government instigating a cull. This doesn't make sense - you would rarely meet a surfer who advocates killing sharks. These creatures roam the oceans and are part of the risk of getting in the water, albeit a lot lower statistically than getting in the car to drive to the beach.
And in Whanganui we've had machinery out on Castlecliff beach moving around sand. For what purpose?
Beaches are often our most accessible experience of nature - and nature can be messy and uncontained and beautiful because of it. Groomed beaches might be the rage in St Tropez, but in Whanganui, no thank you - a rugged west coast beach littered with driftwood is just how I like it.
Finally, finishing on an injustice at the lighter end of the scale - the premature end of TVNZ's Nothing Trivial. Seeing quality NZ drama free-to-air with engaging characters is more than entertainment, it's a reflection of our cultural journey and the Sex-on-a-Stick pub quiz team were part of that.
I'm faintly hopeful TVNZ may find a way for at least one more episode so we can learn Catherine's fate.
RIP Mandela ... and forgive the flippant connections made.
Nicola Young is a former Department of Conservation manager who now works for global consultancy AECOM. Educated at Wanganui Girls' College, she has a science degree and is the mother of two boys.
