Villains and heroes in this state of emergency
The sight of Conservative backbenchers lambasting Theresa May for daring to talk to Jeremy Corbyn (The big story, 5 April) sums up what is so dysfunctional in parliamentary democracies –not just the UK’s version. These people seem to think that fighting trench warfare between the major parties is far more important than getting together to try to work out what is best for the country.
Tim Sprod
Taroona, Tasmania, Australia
• At this crucial juncture in our nation’s history, when so many of our politicians are squabbling or thinking only of their own careers we need a leader who is humble, good at leading a team, able to bear insults, capable of bringing most of the country together behind him and with a proven track record of success. Theresa May must step aside and let Gareth Southgate lead us out of this mess.
Edward Sayeed
London, UK
We need to take the blame for ruining the planet
Yet another brave, iconoclastic article from George Monbiot, a hero for our times (Future lives should not be sacrificed to fuel our greed, 22 March).
Another hero, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg, tells adults to their faces that they are immature for neglecting climate issues. I think she is right. Our economic system rationalises our practice of not cleaning up our own mess. And the one per cent are like big kids in the sandbox grabbing all the toys and saying: “Mine!”
Humanity is bumping up against global limits to pollution. We can’t cope with any more because past generations have filled the Earth to capacity.
So now we need a new story that reorients the economy to cleaning up the mess, facing reality and taking responsibility, ie growing up. What exactly does it mean to be civilised, anyway?
Edward Butterworth
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Naming the suspect just gives him what he wants
I was very disappointed that the Guardian Weekly named the suspected Christchurch mosque murderer in After the nightmare (22 March), and other articles in that issue. New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern is to be commended for refusing to name the suspect.
Fame and publicity are reported to be some of the motivating factors for these evil people. Their names deserve to be forgotten, and only the innocent victims remembered.
Chris Kennedy
Burnaby, British Columbia,
Canada
The objects we buy leave much to be desired
It’s not the number of pieces that make up a household object that determines whether it’s repairable (Piece keeper, 29 March). What matters is whether it’s made from materials that won’t break when you take it apart, how it’s put together and the availability of spare parts. Increasingly, the objects we are able to buy fail on all three counts.
Lawrie Bradly
Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia
Trump’s misguided quest for God is entertaining
Trump untethered (29 March) quotes Donald Trump as saying: “I love this country as much as I can love anything: my family, my country, my God.” In the book The Faith of Donald J Trump the authors state that his relationship with Evangelical leaders is “utterly transactional”, even more revealing, “his rapacious libido is just his misguided quest for God”. I’ve heard it called many things but that’s a new one for me. Trump tweeted: “Very interesting read”. Let’s hope he gets another four years: it’s great entertainment.
Rhys Winterburn
Perth, Western Australia
Culture articles brought back great memories
Now in our 80s, we sometimes feel a bit left behind when reading your Culture articles. In 1957-58 I lived just off the Kings Road, five minutes’ walk from the Quant shop. Then we both left to work in west Africa. Now you have given us Mary Quant, Mother Tongue and The Accra Party in one issue (22 March). Thank you! Like us, you have to keep going.
Neil and Barbara Jackson
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Did he get to eat a meal on behalf of the painting?
Some years ago, when an airline ticket guaranteed a meal, a friend was accompanying a painting from his museum (The art of moving priceless art, 29 March) and it had the seat next to him on the plane. I always wondered if he got to eat two meals.
Victoria Keller
New York City, US
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