15.6.16

The Editor, North Shore Times

Dear Editor                     Letter to the Editor: In pursuit of Peace.

I am bemused by Nicky Hager’s surprising suggestion that NZ should “Let the US send a warship” to this country because it will not threaten our nuclear- free Act.

Every year New Zealanders turn out in swelling numbers to commemorate and honour the thousands of our people killed in armed conflicts over the last 125 years and generally mourn these losses.

On the issue of nuclear war, nuclear power and peace, New Zealanders stood alone against the big powers. One of them (France) was so irate it blew up a ship in Auckland harbour, while the Americans gave us a very cold shoulder, refusing to let us play war games with them.

New Zealand put a very big stake in the ground saying we want peace and an end to bloody, devastating conflicts. Towns and cities throughout this country declared themselves ‘nuclear free’ as part of this peace campaign, with the government encompassing this desire and message in statute.

Are we to erase our efforts, history and intentions by ‘torpedoing’ that and welcoming a display of armed might from those same arms manufacturing nations that we stood firmly and peacefully against?