Credit: Cathy Wilcox
To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.
TRUMP-PROOFING
Thanks to Ross Gittins for his article (“My Easter sermon: How we Trump-proof our society”, 21/4) which, to me at least, highlights a fear (or the obvious) that the large number of people will cast their vote based almost purely of their own selfish self-interest, rather than what’s best for the country as a whole. What’s worse is that the major political parties seem to promote policies and “handouts” that cater for such self-interest, and the thought, often promoted mainly by independents, that local issues for individual electorates are more important than crucial nationwide ones. I lament!
Brian Robinson, Ringwood East
The decline of Christianity
Ross Gittins is spot on with his concern about the sanctification of selfishness during the neo-liberalism era – a response to the long postwar prosperity, and to the erosion of social cohesion chronicled in Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone – radical decline in voting behaviour, charitable giving, joining social groups, blood donation, volunteering, and in other indicators of social involvement. The long-term decline of Christianity is a part of it – the churches lost much of their moral status with decades of ignoring rampant sexual abuse of children by predatory priests and elders, the culture wars of many church sects, and churches too keen to protect the privileges of rich members with big subsidies to wealthy schools. It is the age of “me”, and very hard to see a way to change that. A return to a culture of mutual caring would be most welcome.
Robert Bender, Ivanhoe East
The greater good
Despite never having lived during times considered as “good”, at least without some economic caveat, I have, like Ross Gittins, vowed to be good in the lives of others. Faced with years of unemployment, isolation and poverty, I have volunteered with the Salvation Army and befriended, and advocated for, many of the victims of economic rationalism. I don’t do so because I watch Songs of Praise, which I do; I do so because every one of us is deserving of care, of friendship and the right to be seen and valued. In sanctifying selfishness, as Gittins writes of neoliberalism, we are realising what the likes of Kurt Vonnegut forewarned: that our society will be the first that wouldn’t save itself because it wasn’t cost-effective.
Anders Ross, Heidelberg
Religion no guarantee
Ross Gittins is wrong, and his own example proves this. Americans are indeed more devout – or at least they purport to be – and yet their failure to observe notions of ethical behaviour and loving their neighbour as themselves is self-evident. Australia is a much more secular society, but easily surpasses the US in its commitment to egalitarianism. There is no doubt we could do better, but Christian or other religious belief is demonstrably no guarantee of a better and fairer society.
Ted Woodward, Fitzroy
Private schools a great imbalance
As much as I often applaud Ross Gittins’ articles and humanity, I cannot agree that a belief in a religion is required. If it were, how come the largest and richest private schools are run under the mantle of the biggest and most exclusive churches in our society, absorbing massive public money without a thought for all the children they are denying?
Kath McKay, Fitzroy North
Not selfishness, common sense
Ross Gittins, like many others, has failed to read the signs in the US people’s mindset. America is drowning in debt. They spend more on interest repayments than on their military and that is alarming for a military superpower. The world order policed by the US is no longer their priority, Trump is dealing with that imbalance. The craziness of identity politics is now being managed and the southern border is being policed more stringently. All of these things and others were inadequately addressed by the previous administration, which is why Trump and his administration was voted into power.
Graham Haupt, Glen Waverley
THE FORUM
Facing up to a reality
It is all very well for medical practitioners to defend other medical practitioners (Letters, 21/4), but the confronting nature of the medical misogyny series of reports in The Age is a necessary wake-up call. I have been around long enough and experienced enough medical misogyny, in the form of summary dismissal, blame, being told there is nothing wrong or that it’s all in my head and even being sniggered at, to know that cases of medical misogyny are far from isolated.
A nurse told me an orthopaedic surgeon she worked with once said: “Women don’t have back problems, it’s just pelvic frustration. All they need is a good screw”. It is disappointing when other medical professionals respond that the Age reports are “insulting”. Are we supposed to keep sweeping medical misogyny under the carpet?
I eventually found a brilliant orthopaedic surgeon who listened to me, ordered appropriate tests to find the nerve tumour and operated to remove it. Then he removed the next one. And the next, and the next ... and finally found a way to stop the recurrence. When I asked him why he believed me when nobody else did, he said, “Because your symptoms were completely consistent”, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. It should have been but, it seems, not if you are female.
Helen Moss, Croydon
Pain ignored
Having given birth after 27 hours of labour, with minimal pain relief, and crushing my sciatic nerve, I cried as I left the delivery suite. The male doctor on duty told me I shouldn’t be crying, as I had just given birth to a beautiful baby boy, (who weighed 4.5 kilograms). I’m sure such a scenario is much more common than rare, and contributed to the postnatal depression I suffered afterwards.
Jenny Camp, Moonee Ponds
Harm from prejudice
Re “Misogyny is the wrong word” (Letters, 21/4), according to the Oxford, “misogyny” is a “hatred and ingrained prejudice” against women. Understandably the medical profession dispute the “hatred” aspect and I agree that this is not generally accurate. I have had wonderful male doctors who were understanding, supportive and treated me as an intelligent person who knew her own body. However, the “ingrained prejudice” aspect is widespread and mostly unconscious and malice free. People who genuinely care about others can still inadvertently reinforce a “common attitude” without realising it — or the potential harm it can cause.
Julie Christensen, Blackburn North
Findings supported
To answer your correspondent’s question, it is indeed being argued that the medical community demonstrates an “ingrained prejudice towards women” (“Absurd classification”, Letters, 20/4). While The Age’s investigation into medical misogyny may not be “objective research,” its findings are supported by numerous studies conducted across the globe. Women are less likely than men to be offered pain relief when presenting with the same symptoms, as their pain is more likely to be erroneously seen as having a psychological cause. Women are also less likely than men to be referred for further diagnostic investigations, so experience longer lengths of time between symptom onset and diagnosis when suffering from the same diseases.
These are systemic disparities that have devastating effects on women’s health and their disregard by some only serves to further entrench medical misogyny.
Darcy Conquest, Seddon
Massive medical gains
The Age has over several months, written articles on those who feel marginalised, not having enough respect and ignored. Medical misogyny is now the latest in these behind transphobia, racism, neurodiversity etc. Reading over the letters to the editor, the reaction to the assertion of medical misogyny reveals a lot of passion and hurt, particularly from those affected, the medical profession and then the usual ideological script against the patriarchy.
Thinking just briefly about the medical advances in recent years that have benefited women, Dr Gregory Pincus and his co-workers gave women the contraceptive pill, an innovation that has the most far reaching social benefit ever in human history. Professor Ian Frazer who developed the HPV vaccine for women and girls has liberated generations from the debilitating outcomes of STI. Opening the view a little wider, the advances being made today by the medical profession are astonishing in their ability to relieve women and men from disease and suffering.
Doctors are humans dealing with humans. This is naturally going to be sometimes messy and involve some mistakes, inaccuracies and plain misunderstandings, even with the most noble of intentions and modern science available. I can’t see how misogyny fits into that.
John Fitzgerald, Glen Huntly
Stuck in the status quo
Tanya Plibersek, Mark Dreyfus and Andrew Leigh, and now Michelle Rowland, all senior Labor ministers, who have fallen foul of Anthony Albanese’s willingness not to upset the apple cart, to maintain the status quo, by overruling them on the environment, the law, and now, thanks to The Age, gambling reform. (“PM blocked gambling reforms in captain’s call”, 21/4.) For the first time since 1969, I won’t be voting Labor this time around.
Chris Burgess, Port Melbourne
Going backwards
I am gobsmacked at Peter Dutton’s desire to re-employ Mike Pezzullo should the Coalition win the election (“Dutton wants Pezzullo to ‘play a role’ on national stage”, 21/4). Pezzullo was sacked for political interference as well as having his AO removed. On one hand Peter Dutton wants to restore a sacked ex-senior public servant to power and on the other hand dispose of 40,000 others.
Andrew Barnes, Ringwood
Keeping who out?
Adam Bandt asks voters to vote Greens to “keep Peter Dutton out”, then goes on to list their target seats — four Labor seats (Macnamara, Wills, Perth and Richmond) and just one Liberal seat (Sturt). How exactly does a strategy primarily aimed at taking seats from Labor — potentially costing Labor government — “keep Peter Dutton out”?
Graeme Russell, Clifton Hill
Give us the information
Election candidates will never get equal coverage in the media — it’s too time consuming for media outlets and too expensive for candidates (Letters, “Equal coverage”, 21/4).
That’s what political donations are all about. At the same time, we voters should never be confronted with virtually anonymous options on our ballot papers.
With little extra effort, the AEC could come to the rescue. Currently, candidates must submit a form ensuring they are eligible to stand, not being dual nationality citizens. These are on the AEC web site attached to each candidate’s name. It would be helpful, and should be compulsory, to add two more pages. The first could include a photo, a history of political party affiliations and membership/s and a CV.
The second page could cover the candidate’s policies, values, aims if elected and similar, plus contact details, including a web or social media address. Let’s bring the AEC into the 21st century.
Margaret Callinan, Hawthorn
Take your vote seriously
Your correspondent threatens to vote for the (major) party that has the least corflutes (Letters, 21/4). Yes it is annoying to be bombarded with election candidates’ advertising, however we are blessed with a truly egalitarian voting system.
Not all candidates have Clive Palmer size budgets for advertising. As this crazy world unfolds I think we all should take the responsibility of choosing a candidate seriously.
Christina Foo, Wahroonga, NSW
Tackling inequality
I agree with every word in Sean Kelly’s thoughtful piece about neither party wanting to get the rich offside (Comment, 21/4). Let’s hope that Labor if re-elected develops the courage to tackle the disparity in education, health and housing. Maybe minority government will do the trick and force Labor to do a better job on the environment and the scourge of gambling as well.
Sue Donovan, Abbotsford
Saving the UN
Geoffrey Robertson (Comment, 18/4) describes the UN as useless because all power resides in the Security Council and the veto power of the Permanent Five. He proposes a new international organisation of democracies. But he doesn’t ask whether the UN can be reconstructed as an effective international force based on collective security as was originally intended.
This can be achieved through rescission of the P5 veto and final decision-making placed in the hands of the General Assembly of nations. There’s also an urgent need for something more than a peace-keeping force that is slow to act. Humanity needs a UN with a large well-armed rapid deployment force that can side with people struggling against fascist aggression, as is the case with Ukraine. Collective security means peace through strength.
Barry York, O’Connor, ACT
Tired of taggers
Tagging to restrict the influence of the best opposition player is part of Aussie Rules and obviously acceptable up to a point. But your correspondent is right when he says that we passed that point some time ago (Letters, 21/4). No longer do taggers go shoulder to shoulder with their opponent; they block, bump, scrag, and generally harass them. The AFL needs to take a harder line on this. A difficult task, for sure, but the golden rule should be that the tagger must be playing, and looking at, the ball.
Lindsay Zoch, Mildura
AND ANOTHER THING
Anthony Albanese
The prime minister’s timidity on gambling reform is why I, a rusted on Labor supporter, will be preferencing against them this election.
Jim O’Neill, Ivanhoe
Anthony Albanese has promised to keep footy on free TV “forever” under Labor. He will first have to retrieve Saturday night games, most of which are now restricted to pay TV.
Matthew Hamilton, Kew
Trump era
Protests in the streets of the USA (“‘Shame!’ Protesters across US rally again to condemn Trump policies”, World, 21/4) against Trump. Could you put pen to paper, Bob Dylan, please?
Gerry Lonergan, Reservoir
Thank you to The Age for the brilliant article by Tim Costello on Easter Sunday (“Trump and Musk are destroying the world, but there’s a way we can counter this”, 20/4). I’d vote for Tim Costello to be prime minister.
Barbara Pallot, Camberwell
I agree with Tim Costello that empathy is not as Elon Musk believes, weakness, but a fabric that holds communities together. We are three months into Trump’s four-year term and can only wonder the state of our world in 2029.
Graeme Riviere, Warranwood
It must be difficult to pinpoint a particular philosophy Donald Trump adheres to. Can one take a punt and suggest Confusionism?
Hank Dikkenberg, Glenorchy, Tas
Furthermore
I’m not hearing anything from either major party about solutions to the truck problems on our freeways, perhaps it’s time for a European-style designated truck lane, instead of three trucks travelling abreast.
Sally Fent, Malvern East
Jacinta Price said she wants to turn back the clock and “make Australia great again”. Precisely what era has she got in mind?
Bernd Rieve, Brighton
Finally
For the first time in 15 years, an Australian leads the Formula 1 drivers’ championship. Well done Oscar Piastri, lap it up.
Paul Custance, Highett
The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.
To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.