As a citizen of the United States, I apologise for the nature of the telephone call from our president, but that would become a full time job ("Donald Trump will 'respect' deal made with Prime Minister 'Trunbull'", smh.com.au, February 3). We are embarking on strange times here, which is our own electorate's doing and I hope we become the model for what not to do.
I have met several of your countrymen and have found them to be genuine and very worth knowing.
![Illustration: Alan Moir](/web/20170205193406im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/5/3/b/2/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu4wdi.png/1486131882278.jpg)
Take it from someone who has lived through this election, life has not been pleasant. The erratic nature of this administration has left not only us on edge but the whole world. I would like to request a favour from the Australian government and officials: When Trump starts to renegotiate trade or whatever agreements, such as the refugee agreement this country has with you, please do not compromise, give in nor do anything that is not beneficial to your country or beneficial to both. The US can play hardball, but not with friends. Make sure your government knows that caving to Mr Trump only makes our lives harder. He's a little boy that needs to grow up. No foreign experience whatsoever so he falls back on his "brute force" personality expecting everyone to give way. So far our Congress had, but I think it would be appropriate to demonstrate clearly and concisely to America, your "Aussie Pride".
Good luck to your government and to all your countrymen. Please remember my name, I may have to come to your country to hide.
![Protesters' signs in the US.](/web/20170205193406im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/y/s/8/f/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu4wdi.png/1486131882278.jpg)
Gene Gietzen Springfield, Missouri
Please share with the good people of Australia our deepest and sincerest apologies for the behaviour of the man who now occupies the White House.
As an American citizen, who has spent a lifetime in government service, who has lived through the administrations of Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and beyond, I can tell you that we have never had such an oaf in office before. I am so sorry.
To PM Turnbull, please accept our apologies.
![Trump apologists in the US.](/web/20170205193406im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/4/w/2/3/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gu4wdi.png/1486131882278.jpg)
Please, never forget, He does NOT represent the views and attitudes of the American people. He is a minority president who lost the popular vote by approximately three million votes. He barely won the electoral college by 42,000 votes in states where over 400,000 voters were purged from the rolls and were not permitted to vote. It will get worse before it gets better ... brace yourselves, we're all in this together.
Robert Mikol Fairbanks, Alaska
![Donald Trump.](/web/20170205193406im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/4/v/c/3/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gu4wdi.png/1486166101631.jpg)
Dear Australia,
I am so very sorry that we have elected such a boor and ignoramus as our president, and that he has chosen to insult such a good friend as you have been to us. As you probably know, most of us did not vote for this so-called person, but through bad luck and electoral peculiarities we are stuck with him. I just want all of you to know that we love and appreciate Australia, and that we are horrified and embarrassed at his daily hissy-fits. You, of all people, should never have been at the receiving end of one of his tantrums. Please bear with us and accept our heartfelt apologies.
Love America.
Kyle Riggs Ashland, Oregon
Come now, can anyone be surprised by anything that Donald (Tweety) Trump says and does? Weren't you watching and listening to his performance during the campaigns and election for the presidency? It's P.T. Barnum Goes to Washington. Malcolm Turnbull should not feel too upset that his call to the White House ended abruptly. Anything that runs beyond 140 characters stretches beyond Tweety's attention span.
Bill O'Reilly Hastings on Hudson, New York
I would like to apologise to the people of Australia and their Prime Minister for any offence given by our current president. This apology for the words and actions of a defective human being, are for both current events and for all future episodes of intellectual and civilised lapses.
Robert Pike Fremont, California
On behalf of the 70 million voters in America who did NOT vote for Donald Trump, please accept our sincerest apologies for his behaviour. Americans, regardless of political stripe, admire, respect and love your country. Aussies rock!!
Dean Starr Libertyville, Illinois
I woke up this morning, and read a brief account of Trump's phone conversation with your Prime Minister this week. I was. and am. in shock. I apologise (even though I know I really don't have to, for myself) for what happened. I have never been so embarrassed and so ashamed to be an American. And I am crying deep tears of sorrow and anger.
Know that there are millions of Americans marching and protesting and writing letters in defiance of this president and this new administration, and we hope beyond hope that his tenure will be short, and the world can regain some of its sanity.
I'm sorry.
Jack Leishman Ashland, Oregon
I wanted add my apology to the Australian people for the embarrassing actions by our new president. Australia, collectively, is one of our closest and cherished friends and it pains me that Trump's treatment of your government, country and people is behaviour beyond belief. Keep the faith as we fight here towards minimising Trump's damage or removing him completely from office.
Bruce Barnes Atlanta, Georgia
I've been lucky to travel extensively through Australia, enjoy its people, its beauty, and its culture. In the process, I made some very dear friends. The childish, reactionary, petulant behaviour of Trumplethinskin does not represent who or what most Americans are. His unhinged rants and tweets are a product of a seriously diseased mind. To put it in simple terms, terms which even he may comprehend – WE APOLOGISE!
Robert Kezelis Palos Heights, Illinois
Dear People of Australia and Prime Minister Turnbull,
I apologise for the boorish behaviour of Mr Trump. I have no idea how we raised him so poorly.
Steven Miles Minneapolis, Minnesota
AEC failing on candidate checks
("Rodney Culleton was never legally elected to Senate, High Court rules"), smh.com.au, February 3. While the outcome of this decision was highly predictable, it does raise serious questions over our electoral process.
Surely it is the responsibility of the Australian Electoral Commission to determine the validity of all candidates for election before accepting their application to be included on ballot papers. If not, one has to ask "Why Not?" It checks the validity of the electoral roll which constitutes millions of people, so why not the hundreds of candidates? Even immigration and consulates have no problem doing police checks during a visa application. Us common folk have to pay for this, so charge candidates for the election the police check fee as well.
Surely we don't accept politicians will be honest about these matters. I mean, politicians are honest and can be trusted. Right?
Gary Bigelow Oatlands
I suggest that Malcolm Turnbull acquaint himself with the aftermath of the Liberals-National Party not putting the One Nation Party last on its preference vote in the 1998 Queensland state election ("Turnbull silent on striking preference deal with One Nation", February 2). The Liberals had nine seat but lost five seats, the Nationals, 23 seats, but lost nine seats, allowing the Labor Party to form government. The One Nation Party on the other hand had 11 seats, consigning the Liberals to third in seat numbers. History repeats itself because people forget or do not learn.
Thiam Ang Beecroft
A learning exercise
To read again of private colleges being stripped of their government funding beggars belief. On the one hand the government is supporting a vocational educational system that is ineffective and inefficient, has a poor completion rate, produces few graduates and is run by opportunistic businessmen. On the other, the NSW government has over time dismantled a wonderful vocational education system by strangling TAFE run by dedicated educators and after producing generations of world-class tradesmen, skilled workers and artisans.
After decades of private colleges rorting government funding and exploiting students by either taking their money and going out of business or issuing useless certificates and diplomas, surely the government needs to stop, draw breath and reassess the situation.
Perhaps it's time to allocate those hundreds of millions back into expanding the TAFE system where the money can be controlled, the educational standards maintained and the profit margin eliminated. What's worse is that Australia's best generator of technical skills has all but disappeared when, if anything, it should be recognised, nurtured and funded.
Some strategic long-term thinking is needed here.
Geoff Dornan Beecroft
At the beginning of every school year we get the same news and the same lame excuses about overcrowded and underfunded public schools. Kelsey Munro ("Public school enrolment on the rise", February 3) reports on the usual excuses trotted out by the bureaucrats. When will governments of all persuasions realise that funding for education and health services requires a massive injection of funds?
Denis Suttling Newport Beach
Selective memory on Ryan hanging
Bronwyn Bryceson has a rather selective memory concerning the day and period Ronald Ryan was hanged ("The death of capital punishment", February 3). She omits to mention the angry crowd shouting "Hang Bolte" (then Victorian premier) and, more importantly, the numerous reassurances and promises made by the government of the time to a concerned public that in the case of serious offenders such as serial killers, "life would mean life". What a lie that has proven to be. Innocent people are murdered every day by recidivists unable to be locked away for life because our jails are overflowing and costly to run. The compassion shown by Ms Bryceson is admirable in a perfect society. In reality, it fails to protect the poor, innocent and vulnerable among us. Forensic science and technology have come a long way in 40 years. Capital punishment may not be a deterrent but at least the offender can't repeat his or her crimes. "Chaos" and lack of law enforcement are already here. Just ask the families of the Bourke Street Mall tragedy, or Jill Meagher's family, or the Lindt Cafe victims.
Eve Spence Annerley, QLD
Open space must remain in public not private hands
Ken Boundy, representing the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, prosecutes a reasoned, valid case ("Don't let developers hijack green spaces", February 3).
However, arguably it's not just urban green or "soft" open public space that urgently requires our society's broader scrutiny via improved governance.
So called "hard" urban public space, its "grey" counterpoint i.e. squares, plazas and footpaths, are equally often manipulated by developers for their financial self interest rather than that of general public's good.
Take the ubiquitous retail plaza masquerading as a "Community Square" in your local downtown urban centre.
Understandably it is difficult for local authorities not to fall for the marketing manoeuvre as it equates to economic savings on building, maintaining open space.
Developers fully understand the overriding importance of legal ownership.
However we need open space in public not private ownership, for society to function democratically without undue commercial restrictions.
Try organising a spontaneous community-based protest in such a so called "Community Square" to understand the difference between public and private space and the benefits, subtle and obvious, both deliver.
Cleveland Rose Dee Why
I applaud the Domain Trust's chairman, Ken Boundy, for his concerns about Sydney's green spaces ("Don't let developers hijack green spaces", February 3). So why didn't he long ago put the kibosh on the Art Gallery's plans to plonk buildings on a whole hectare of what remains of our historic Domain?
Kevin Eadie Drummoyne
If Trump was a rescue dog, he would be dead
As I drove home, from my volunteer job at the animal shelter yesterday it occurred to me, that if Donald Trump was one of our dogs: sadly we could not re-home him.
He would be a menace to female dogs, attack other breeds, bark incessantly, bite his friends and generally be too unpredictable. He would have to be put down.
Paul Doyle Glenbrook
Hi Donald, Malcolm here, just calling to let you know that unfortunately we have had a network failure at Pine Gap,everything is blacked out I am afraid. Also those troops you have in Darwin, it might be a little inconvenientfor us to host them at the moment, we may be double-booked. Excuse me, where do you want to base an aircraft carrier?
I don't think so!
Tom Dolan Narraweena
One thing is certain at the conclusion of this week. Extreme vetting of presidential candidates will be required in future.
Joanne McNamara Sydney
The Americans may have 'The Donald' but we have 'The Don', who will be remembereda lot longer.
Ron Field Bermagui
Donald needs a good shirt fronting – where's Tony?
Liz White Abbotsford
Postscript
In a week in which President Trump gave Australia a stark demonstration that he's going to smash conventions, it seems apt the Letters team reconsider one of our own. An email from Ann Mary Garnsey, of Wahroonga, is the catalyst: "I hope that in light of recent events concerning the new American President you will rethink your tips on writing a letter to the editor saying that anyone who mentions the Nazis has lost the argument."
Our admonition is related to Godwin's Law – devised by US lawyer Mike Godwin – which states: "As an online discussion continues, the probability of a reference or comparison to Hitler or Nazis approaches one." An accepted corollary of this law is that the first person to mention the Nazis has demonstrated a lack of intellectual rigour and has lost whatever debate they were engaged in.
The idea behind adopting this standard was to stop glib comparisons to a dark chapter in world history. But even before the rise of Donald Trump, a blanket ban on the Nazis was a bit glib itself. In 2015, Godwin wrote in The Washington Post: "If you're thoughtful about it and show some real awareness of history, go ahead and refer to Hitler or Nazis when you talk about Trump. Or any other politician." We agree and will amend our rules – but will be taking care that any references are thoughtful and not repetitive.
And we want to hear from you for a new project: Letters that Change Lives. Let us know if writing a letter to the Herald or even reading one has altered your life or those of others – inspired you, consoled you, opened up opportunities, changed government policy, or any number of other possibilities. We want to hear your stories via letters@smh.com.au.
Julie Lewis Letters co-editor
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