Deeply saddened at the ongoing Gaza slaughter
At the Gaza march in Dunedin on Saturday I was deeply saddened — as a father, grandfather and paediatrician — to be saying "stop it now" to bombing babies, bombing hospitals, bombing doctors" ... amongst other horrors.
But on seeing Prime Minister Netanyahu lying through his teeth later in the day that there is no starvation in Gaza, I was mainly angry — angry at the stunning hypocrisy of a man who enthusiastically promoted Hamas pre October 7 to divide Palestinians and whose lies are supported by the silence of the US.
But still sad that the many Jewish people who want no more of Netanyahu and the war are not heard and that the contributions of Jewish people over centuries to art, culture, science, medicine and the memory of the crimes against them on October 7 and of millennia of antisemitism may be forgotten or diminished as Israel turns itself into a pariah state and breeds a new and even more embittered generation of Palestinians.
For now though all we can ask for, as rang out on Saturday, is "Luxon, Luxon, grow a spine".
A rare bright spark
With so much sad news coming from Gaza it was refreshing to read about the work of teachers from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music who have been working with students at Gaza College (World Focus,18.8.25).
Music is an important part of life, and has the power to heal. It is not a luxury but is an essential part of a rounded education because it touches the emotions, without the need for words.
Familiar tunes stay with us and can be turned to in times of trial. Through making music we can manage stress, learn to concentrate, gain confidence, find friends, express ourselves, learn how to connect with and work with others.
Most importantly, playing music is fun — and fun is currently in short supply in the Gaza Strip. So I hope that this work will be able to continue.
Gracious words
A warm, rare thoughtful caring gracious letter from Chris Pope (Letters 21.8.25): "If we want a public health system, fund it properly."
A short, sincere, thoughtful and very gracious letter is such a rare asset at times and you have taken the time and effort to show genuine care and goodness.
Chris Pope your lovely words have made my day just reading them. Deep peace to you.
Plus one
Re Paul Gorman’s feature in the ODT’s Weekend Mix (16.8.25) on Dunedin’s famous South Seas International Exhibition.
His mentioning of the constructed buildings still in use today overlooked one of the Funky ticket offices, which was used as a gallery by artist Lindsay Crooks for many years and can still be seen on the right just past Brighton School.
Lack of decency in tallying up speeding count
More proof our institutions forget how to treat people decently.
Environment Southland provides its chairman Nicol Horrell with a car. But the regional council then "big brother’s" its chairman by meticulously recording the speeds he drives. Sure enough, the computer reveals that Horrell broke the limit 107 times over 12 months.
The miscreant explained he drives about 30,000km annually, and most incidents likely happened when overtaking. If you do the math you realise 107 equals about two overtakes a week. Many would think this evidence the chairman drives like a snail.
Citing the need for transparency and accountability, the council next shamed Mr Horrell by releasing the details of its petty snooping. But it got worse. The ODT (23.8.25) made Environment Southland’s aunty-ish disclosures into a front-page headline, noting the ODT’s editorial work had been made possible by "local democracy reporting." That is, local body journalism which we publicly fund via RNZ and NZ On Air.
I struggle to think of a dafter, more lumpen invasion of privacy. And all courtesy of civic "morality" and the public purse. Remember, if Mr Horrell was in court for hit-and-run driving, he’d likely get name suppression.
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