When President Joe Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris the misogynists and racists appeared within hours - maybe minutes (“Exit won’t derail Trump’s path to victory”, July 23). With Donald Trump’s support of Project 2025 which proposes to remove women’s rights at the federal level this has become a #metoo or “teal” moment in America where women and women of colour decide to support a progressive woman. Commentators need to consider the effect of Project 2025 on women and those of colour and how this will impact their vote. Racists and misogynists such as Trump may be surprised with the level of support for VP Harris. Diana Ryall, Birchgrove
Loudstrike.Credit: Matt Golding
Harris is in for as rough ride as Donald Trump will continue to focus on the candidate and not the policies. Even if her only victory is to prevent a Republican majority in the Congress or Senate that, at least, will help to restrain the excesses of Trump’s ambition. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls
Hartcher argues Harris is even less likely than Biden to win the US election. Given that Biden had almost no chance of prevailing against the Trump juggernaut, where does that put the vice president? Is it so adverse? Money is now pouring in to support her and the Democrats. With a strong, positive running mate she might still make it against the weeks of hatred and misogynist comments sure to come from Trump and J.D. Vance. Harris can be a powerful speaker. She will attract many women voters over issues like abortion and maybe those swinging voters sick of Trump’s incessant slander. Trump is no certainty. Ron Sinclair, Windradyne
An ageing nasty narcissistic convicted felon white man versus a smart decent ex top lawyer black/Asian woman who has been involved as vice president with all the good things the Biden administration has done (health care, climate change). How can black and Asian voters, or any voters for that matter, go past the latter?
Andrew Macintosh, Cromer
The presidential election is still four months away. Americans have an opportunity to show they are a progressive and not backward looking nation by electing a woman of colour as president for the first time in its history. Will Americans grasp the opportunity or remain atavistic? Time will tell.
Rajend Naidu, Glenfield
Your opinion piece questioning the viability of Harris as the Democratic nominee for US president, misses the vital point made by the record $81m donated to the Harris campaign in its first day. Money talks.
Barry Laing, Castle Cove
I suspect many male political commentators will struggle to understand Harris’s chance of being voted in as the USA’s next president. The world has changed and given she, if nominated, will be running against a sexist, racist and deceitful candidate I would think her chances are high. Here is hoping.
Jill Napier, Phegans Bay
Of course, some political cynics would say that Kamala Harris was quietly Biden her time…
John Dunnet, Toronto
“Obstacles” facing Harris. Where was the headline, “Free world gives huge sigh of relief”?
Keith Binns, Goulburn
I was surprised by the term “hillbilly followers” in one of today’s letters under “Biden was a decent man; now Harris has it tough”. Some of my New York-New England based cousins and longtime friends are firm supporters of Trump; several have at least one degree and a professional job. Even though I certainly don’t agree with them, they are due respect for their views. Theresa Sabella, Hamilton East
‘Social cleansing’ of Paris tarnishes the Games’ reputation
Another Olympics is about to get under way and the same story emerges: the social cleansing of the streets of the host city (“‘Social cleansing’: To make way for Olympics, Paris clears thousands of homeless”, July 23).
As the politicians move the homeless people away from “the gaze” of tourists, pretending that all is well in their patch, surely the enormous cost of the Olympics could be better spent. After all, a penguin can fly through the water faster than a person swimming, and a cheetah can accelerate faster than any human.
As the politicians indulge their egos in how wonderful the Games are and the athletes have fun and some go home with medals, surely it is time to rethink how relevant the Games are. It’s all about priorities. For me, it’s time to turn the TV off for a couple of weeks. Jacqui Keats, Black Head
Matt GoldingCredit:
Surely, the image of the Paris Olympics has been seriously tarnished by the inhumanity of removing homeless people from key areas to make the city more “presentable”. People may applaud the feats of Olympic champions but in the game of life how much more applause should be directed at endeavours to improve the lives of the disadvantaged? If only compassion and humanity were an Olympic sport! If only people were rewarded for their efforts in the “charity Olympics” in which they can display their capacity to improve the lot of those less fortunate than themselves. Instead, we have the shameful action of “social cleansing” by making the 150,000 homeless in the Olympic capital less visible. Oh! For a gold medal for the “Olympic” feat of compassion! Derrick Mason, Boorowa
What a nice encouraging view of Paris for the upcoming Olympics from your correspondent (Letters, July 23). We all join her in wishing for an exciting and peaceful Olympics to hopefully bring encouragement to people during these somewhat troubled times we live in. Kath Maher, Lidcombe
I loved your piece about overrated and underrated French food and agree with your ratings (“The five most overrated French foods”, July 23). “Crudites” is a fancy word for a very simple thing, though quality produce can make it worth doing at home.
Most of all I agree with you about steak au poivre. In the 1970s, we used to eat it regularly at Jamaica House, Stephanie Alexander’s restaurant with her partner Monty. The crusted peppercorns on the seared steak gave it an explosion of flavour like nothing else. It’s not anything like the peppercorn “gravy” that is an option on a lot of pub menus these days. May Lam, Northcote (Vic)
Clean appliances should be subsidised
Great to know that state governments are seeking to promote the uptake of reverse cycle water heaters that use 70 per cent less energy (“States pump up “key technology” to get households off gas”, July 23). Clearly costs of these appliances remains a barrier and government subsidies are key to rapid uptake. While dollars saved federally do not necessarily mean dollars provided to the states, it does seem the federal government has got itself into hot water. The failure to close the luxury tax loopholes and indeed using incentives has resulted in unprecedented growth in fuel guzzling ute sales, and a loss of $250 million in revenue in 2023. To cut climate pollution, we need all governments to follow economics 101: incentivise what we want more of, tax what we don’t. That is, incentivise renewable energy and efficient electric appliances and tax the polluting ones. Simple. Karen Campbell, Geelong (Vic)
Power plans
Your correspondent rightfully says that building renewable growth and capacity with solar on commercial roofs that are closer to existing transmission corridors is another option (Letters, July 23). Fitting the vast roof area at the White Bay power station with solar panels connected to battery storage would be a great example of this option. Cornelius van der Weyden, Balmain East
With more electric cars being purchased could councils and strata managers bring back the parking meter? But with a metered charging point. When the allotted 60 minutes is up, or a vehicle is parked but not connected, an alert could go out to a ranger, dressed in a brown uniform perhaps, and the vehicle be booked and towed away. The power is already in the street. The technology to accept payments exists. The local council could get more revenue. And electric car owners would be happy to get their vehicles refuelled while shopping. Everyone is a winner. David Neilson, Araluen (NT)
Your correspondent is correct in saying we need solar panels on commercial buildings. But I’m yet to see solar panels on new, multi-storey residential buildings, which appear unsustainable by only providing white goods with high star ratings, only later to be changed to cheaper/ low ratings when needing to be replaced. Brian McDonald, Willoughby
The earth can’t take a trick. No sooner does science discover something fascinating and new (dark oxygen in polymetallic nodules) than some bean counter is estimating its commercial worth in terms of the number of EV vehicles it could sustain. So much for preservation. Ted Bush, North Epping
All hot air
Thank you for your article providing some perspective on the issue of wind turbines and bird deaths (“Science evens the game in birds v blades”, July 22). There is now proven technology to protect birds from flying into the turbines. At any rate, the vast majority of bird deaths are caused by domestic cats. Climate change also plays a large part. Concerns about whale deaths from wind are also unfounded. It’s about time these harmful myths about renewable energy were put to bed, and we got on with the job of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Anne O’Hara, Wanniassa (ACT)
Immigration failure
How heartless we are as a nation to force families to be separated because of a child’s disability (“Call to reassess banning disabled from moving here”, July 23). The Lumintang family, already labouring with a disabled child, is forced to send him away from his family and all he knows. Our immigration system is broken if we can’t accept the whole family in the process of our country’s needs. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer
System failure
The recent IT outage was really nothing new (Letters, July 23). I was on a stopover in Honolulu in 1983 when few planes could make it across the Pacific non-stop, when a sugar cane burn-off got out of control and destroyed the main electrical transmission lines, cutting off all power to the island. The planes couldn’t refuel and had to fly to the big island to continue their journeys. The shops were dark in the middle of the day and the cash registers didn’t work, so nothing could be sold. After a few hours it was verging on anarchy on the streets, with no traffic lights and swarming crowds. I decided there was nothing better to do than retire to the hotel pool and order a cocktail, on my room tab, of course. Dale Bailey, Five Dock
Matt GoldingCredit:
Housing shortfall
The government has promised to deliver 1.2 million homes by 2030, but looks like falling short (“A quarter of a million shortfall: Housing target unlikely to be met” , July 22). The figures are meaningless unless we know how many existing homes will be knocked down to create new homes. When modestly sized 1940s homes of maybe four bedrooms are knocked down to build luxury three-bedroom homes, there is a net loss of one bedroom. Developers do it because they can make the most money by selling luxury rather than basic accommodation. It would require government intervention with something like a Landcom to build more basic accommodation at a lower price to ease the shortage. Can we please report net gains in housing, not replacement? Neville Turbit, Russell Lea
It’s all French to me
While we are at it with French pronunciation – can we, before next Anzac Day, put in a word for “Veeyay Bretonerr”, the right way (as best I can do with English spelling) to pronounce the location of the World War I battle at Villers-Bretonneux (Letters, July 23). Douglas Jarvis, Malua Bay
The phrase French-speaking Aussie teacher brought back bad memories. After four years of great French language classes with a native French teacher, a year of “Jer swee, tyu ay, sit up Barker” was the end of French for me. Dick Barker, Epping
A teacher to remember
Thank you for eulogising Eula Guthrie (Letters, July 23). She was five years ahead of me at school in the old Leaving Certificate days, so I only knew of her as the previous school captain and debater. Twenty-five years later, as the state’s youngest school inspector, she recommended me for promotion despite at least one of my senior colleagues arguing that I was inappropriate as I wore a trouser suit to school. I have reason to admire her feminism and was able in later life to know her better. Judith Finney, Blackheath
Eula Guthrie also taught me at Moorefield Girls’ High in the 1950s and yes, she was a truly inspiring teacher who we knew would go on to do amazing things for education. Barbara Whiddon, Annandale
In the dim dark ages of 1953-54, I was in high school in Newcastle. Never one to fully embrace the curriculum, I was, however, besotted by the teaching prowess of a young teacher by the name of Eula Guthrie. Reading your letters, I found myself in a nostalgic moment as I recalled the influence of that wonderful young woman. She instilled in me a lifelong love of literature, the English language and, indeed life.
As the years went by, I followed her advice and pursued a career in the performing arts, something that kept me going for nigh on 60 years. I also recall an after-show moment of my very first professional job (a witch in the Scottish play) when waiting for a bus, I saw her leaving the theatre but was too shy to approach. I wondered if she remembered the loud-mouth student at whom she threw a piece of chalk with the words “that was a lousy pun, Anderson”, after smart quip from me. What a joy to learn that her hutzpah, her wisdom and her love of teaching endured for so long and influenced so many. Maggie Kirkpatrick, Cooloola Cove (QLD)
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