I, for one, am very keen to see this proposal go to the next stage of business case.
I am passionate about my home town. I want us to move forward, and the only way we're going to do that is to fully welcome all ideas for growth -- no matter how big or small -- that make Whanganui the booming community it once was.
Growing up here in the 70s and early 80s, I remember how wonderful it was. Jobs aplenty, people happy, great schools, a safe community, and a bright future. Then the mid-80s came and we lost so much, including the railways and several local industries. We need our people to return here, new people to move here, and all to stay here. We can't do that if we don't create opportunity and community vibrancy.
Whanganui citizens, please stop being so risk-averse. If we don't look at opportunities to step out of our comfort zone, we will never move forward. "There's no gain without risk."
No one is asking us to make a decision now.
Please allow the dreamers and the optimists of our world the opportunity to show us a new way.
Please give those with fire in their bellies about the ferry proposal the opportunity to take their proposal and see if they can prove it's viable.
VICTORIA MORRIS
St John's Hill
Salute the Lions
From us all in New Zealand, we thank you, the British & Irish Lions, for coming to our country and bringing us all so much enjoyment -- you were great ambassadors.
Warren Gatland had one thing in mind, and that was to beat the All Blacks -- and he came very, very close. What a shame the series ended in a draw.
There should have been a winner, not a drawn series and, in my mind, they should have played 15 minutes extra time each way and then, if it was still a draw, have five penalty shots at goal or what it takes to find a winner.
Overall, the tour was a great success and hold your heads high to all teams the Lions played, as they made my lounge a great entertainment place.
I, for one, salute you.
GARY STEWART
Foxton Beach
Honour of SAS
Jay Kuten (June 5) opines on our SAS soldiers' involvement in an incident on the night of Sunday, August 22, 2010 in Afghanistan.
Jay should understand that, along with our All Blacks, our SAS troops are "Kiwi icons" with values beyond reproach, being rugged, manly, brave individuals who define our sense of honour and fair play -- and any suggestion they may have been involved in something unseemly is considered by many as unpatriotic.
The "honour" of our troops must be upheld, criticism of them must be repudiated.
However, honour is not maintained where this relies on obscuration. Honour is upheld by "manning up", admitting mistakes and learning from them openly and honestly.
What we could learn from investigating this incident is how inconsistent with our values are those of our allies and the danger to our troops reliant on them.
Collateral damage caused by blowing up a gathering of unarmed civilians, including women and children, to kill just one or two "bad ones" is not an acceptable price.
To do this repeatedly cannot be excused as accidental -- and therein the danger, that our troops will inculcate the values of this military ethos, one foreign to our celebrated Kiwi values and reputation.
The facts of the August 22, 2010 incident need to be openly addressed to explain our troops' mission and role that night.
As it stands, our troops were not under fire or resisted; they were the only armed force on the ground; their contact with the village's occupants was limited to ascertaining that the people they were seeking were not present; they then directed the fire of the Apache helicopter gunships flying cover that night.
Further, if it appears that our troops left the area without assisting the injured, being elderly and children -- why?
H NORTON
Kaitoke
