Wednesday night's meeting at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre was advertised as an information evening about the End Of Life Choice bill that is before Parliament.
It was not an information evening - it was more like a kick-it-to-death evening.
At age nearly 90, I feel I have a legitimate interest in patient choice.
If we are to talk of manners, I suggest designating patient choice as "pro-assisted suicide" leaves a lot to be desired.
But there - I was blessed with a forgiving nature.
My submission is now off to the select committee where I have offered to appear in person.
F.G. ROSE (aka Father Fred), Whanganui
To bee or not to bee
As spring had sprung it brought me glee,
To spot a multitude of busy bees,
I felt thankful for this abundance,
Perhaps nature might have a chance,
But no, I read epistles to the Chronicle,
These little critters were loaded with poos,
Mid-air released missiles in the local news.
The penny dropped as I studied my panes,
My dear wee car was also defaced,
Dammit, says I, naught but larrikins they be,
Wondering if they can also mid-air pee,
What a conundrum we all face,
Nature pooing on us - an utter disgrace.
Ban those bees, then ban the birds,
Cos they also cover my glass with turds,
Into the future, where will it end,
If we rid ourselves of our hard-working friends,
Perhaps a rethink is the wisest course,
Considering nature and what should come first.
We are surrounded by species dying,
Shade your washing whilst it is drying,
A roof for your windows in the flight path,
Might protect them from a crappy bath,
Haven't we damaged our world far too long,
Rejoice that in our city nature is strong,
Or do you think God got it wrong?
D LOCKETT, Whanganui
Baron barren of belief
Here is hoping Steve Baron has no political ambitions. His article of the Chronicle (February 8) appears to attempt to please an imagined majority in the Whanganui region though I suggest he pleased nobody.
Did anybody else note his careless dismissal of killing Whanganui boys and girls in the womb?
"There will be many - mostly religious zealots - who see the above changes (a child born outside marriage, abortion, homosexuality) as a blight on society," he wrote.
This man has no values except political expediency, a political timebomb that belongs to a group who believe in nothing and accept anything.
Compared with Steve Baron, the Jews have superb code of conduct from 3000 years ago that has led to some remarkable civilisations. Marriage is crucial, execute those who abort their children.
Mr Baron is repeating the mistakes the Romans did with their multiple gods - except he puts forward multiple secular views that might be crowd-pleasers.
F R HALPIN, Gonville
Mental states
In the wake of yet another horrifying mass shooting in the United States, there are many questions to be asked, yet many just glue themselves to one side of the gun control argument or the other.
It is a pity to see the Wanganui Chronicle apparently choosing to do the same in its editorial.
You focus on the fact that guns are made and sold, and that people make money from it, and put aside issues like the mental state of the shooter. There are other civilised countries with high gun ownership, like Switzerland, which do not have such mass shootings, so perhaps the mental state of the shooter and the cultural situation he was living in are more important than an attack on American gun ownership organisation, the National Rifle Association.
The AR-15 rifle is not an "automatic rifle", as you said, but a semi-automatic.
Automatic rifles are illegal for private citizens in the US - part of the gun control laws they already have.
In shootings like this one we have seen the failure to implement those controls by those tasked to do so. Part of what is funny about the reaction to these tragedies is the demand for more gun control laws for the same agencies who have been failing to implement the many they already have.
K A BENFELL, Gonville
Riders and spectators in Whanganui are anticipating the start of the last race.