WHO IS TO BLAME?
The horrible spectre of yet another gun massacre in the United States has, as always, led to insipid pleas for “thoughts and prayers” from the American political establishment.
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Large segments of this establishment, most particularly the Republican Party, are of course partly responsible for the appallingly common occurrence of gun-related violence.
Their weak stance on gun laws, combined with deep inequality, social alienation and a pro-gun culture, has proved a lethal combination. This we already know.
What we in Australia can’t fully comprehend, however, is the currency of these views within the broader American community.
In December 2014, the Pew Research Centre reported that, for the first time in more than two decades of surveys, there was more support amongst Americans for gun ownership than gun control. 52 per cent of Americans surveyed said it was more important to protect the right to own guns than to control them.
We are not dealing with a few right-wing kooks here. The right to own guns is deeply implanted within the American psyche. This brings us to an uncomfortable, but necessary, question. Does such a society deserve ‘thoughts and prayers’ for the costs attached to their obsession with guns?
Or might more be achieved if the world reacted to every gun massacre in America the same way the BBC did to the December 2015 massacre in California – ‘Just another day in the United States of America.’
Brett Heino, Koonawarra
DO SOMETHING FOR HELENSBURGH
On November 23, 2011, I sent a letter to the general manager of Wollongong City Council in regards to the drainage and water flow in Bulgo Rd, Helensburgh. I had a meeting with a Mike Malone after three months of waiting who advised me that we would be told of any outcome,( I am still waiting to be advised).
As it is now 2016 and still nothing has been done, would it be possible for the council to at least send a team up to clean out the gutter which has never been touched in this period.
The last time a truck of workers were up here they were heard to say, “it’s only (expletive) Helensburgh they should be in the Sutherland shire anyway’’.
I wish the hell we were in the shire, at least our rates would be spent here and not in the mall. We pay the highest rates in the Wollongong area with an average of $1800 per house hold and get nothing done.
All I require is fair outlay for our rates, council charges every one a water maintenance levy, but how can they do this when the water only soaks into the lawn and runs nowhere.
Our two elected aldermen are not interested, 1 is only worried about bringing boats to Wollongong while the other one is only interested in closing down a business.
Can something be done I think we have waited long enough.
B. Taylor, Helensburgh
NBN ROLLOUT COSTINGS QUESTIONED
If the Labor Party is going to cap the NBN proposal at $1billion more than the current cost, what will they do if they reach the cap and the rollout is not completed? Stop?
Keith Norris, Bellambi
- Letters on election issues must bear the name and full address of the writer(s). Responsibility for election comment in this issue is accepted by Fairfax Illawarra and South East NSW group managing editor Kim Treasure, 77 Market St, Wollongong. Writers should disclose any alliance with political or community organisations and include their telephone number for verification. Election candidates should declare themselves as such when submitting letters.