December 2005 Herald
The Queen St trees debate further confirms, along with the mass tending to
the pilot whales of Farewell Spit, the passion that society is able to raise
when it collectively feels that an integral part of it is threatened.
The capacity to do (or try to do) good and the willingness for people to cast
off shackles to band together for the common cause is heartening at this special
time of year.
Pity that same society doesn't reserve as much passion for the less well-off
human members of it as domestic abuse peaks at Christmas while hundreds of
millions scrounge for fresh water.