Whitianga resident Steve Hart was ‘horrified‘ when, on his return from a trip to Australia, he was forced to drive through Manukau, where – gasp, shock horror – there was rubbish by the side of the motorway and graffiti on buildings. He laments:
“For ourselves, as New Zealanders, we should probably hang our heads a little bit.”
As PC says, what’s with the we, white man?
I have never graffited a building in my life. I have never dumped rubbish by the side of the road, and I often pick up rubbish when I see it on the footpath or in the Botanic Gardens near my house.
Mr Hart’s attempt to make us, as New Zealanders, collectively guilty for rubbish on the side of a motorway is pathetic.
Surprisingly, Dick Quax from the Manukau City Council has at least a bit of sense on this issue:
“[The council has to] to stand up and take responsibility for the look of our city, but individuals have to take some responsibility for the way they act, too.”
In fact there are already organisations like the Manukau Beautification Trust, a private organisation of mostly-volunteers who are doing a very good job of getting rid of rubbish and cleaning up graffiti (they have 20 graffiti removal staff). Ideally, their funding would be by private donation rather than via the council, but they are still a good example of the community tidying itself up.
So pick up the rubbish yourself, Steve, or donate to the people who are already doing it. Yell at taggers when you see them. or call the police if necessary.
But don’t you dare try to make me feel guilty for the actions of others.
Hat tip: Herald on Sunday
What a filthy bunch the Kiwi are. Shame, shame!
I kid of course.
In a not so cosmically (or is it simply cosmic? One wonders… The challenge of grammar,) related sense have either of you entertained the recent “Global Warming Swindle” bit? I’d like to see your take on it.
Left by subadei on March 12th, 2007