Minority Groups

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30857, 16 September 1965, Page 16

Minority Groups

Sir,—The reasoning used in the discussion among Captain I. F. Forsyth, and Messrs J, Green and S. J, Geary of the Returned Services’ Association, as reported in this morning’s “Press” appears to be “Those people are a minority. They disagree with the Government. The Government should squash them.” This is the stuff military dictatorships are made of anywhere in the world; could it even happen in New Zealand? However, these “true blue” defenders of freedom are not the government, and minorities can still contribute to informed public discussion. — Yours, etc., J. F. McCAHON. September 15, 1965.

Sir, Captain Forsyth, along with the Government and the R.S.A., would find that the so-called minority groups would become a majority group if the whole country, instead of a selected few, was questioned, America is great at sticking her nose into other countries’, affairs; let her do her own dirty work. Some people are quite Willing to send other people’s husbands and fathers to fight this dirty war so that their children may live in peace. Why don’t they join the volunteers for Vietnam? —Yours, etc., (Mrs) N. FOOTE. September 15, 1965.

Sir,—Captain Forsyth and his pals in the Christchurch R.S.A. executive could help the recruiting problem by enlisting for South Vietnam themselves. As somebody said in “The Press” the other day, soon it will be an honour to be called a Communist.— Vmirt ptc MARGARET COLLIER. September 15, 1965.

Sir,— ‘They were just young boys, but they were very fluent. They defeated us,” said Mr Green at the R.S.A. executive meeting regarding the Army’s recruiting difficulties. Serious students of history cannot but accept the fact that the greatest danger facing humanity is the outdated, unrealistic, and naive belief in “military defence.” This does not now defend but only destroys. As a military man, this attitude by minority groups should not be “quite a shock” to Captain Forsyth. American military authorities have publicly stated that a military victory could not solve the Asian problem. The British relinquished at a tremendous sacrifice their huge military base and stores at Ishmailia, explaining that a military base in a hostile country was useless. Here is one returned serviceman who disagrees with Mr Geary’s statement that “every returned serviceman wanted to see New Zealand have a strong Army ready to go overseas if required.”— Yours, etc., SETH NEWELL. September 15, 1965.

Sir, —It is indicative of an unhealthy social and political situation, that when any person exercising the democratic right to dissent is threatened with, and is in danger of, being “squashed” by “true blue” members of the R.S.A. executive. It is also unfortunate and yet strangely ironical that these “true blue” men who have experienced the horror, destruction and human degradation of war, seek so desperately to force this country and its citizens into another conflict.—Yours, etc., DAVID A. MePHAIL. September 15, 1965.