To The Australian Our public life is being spoiled by dogmatic agitators who bring their political fanaticism into issues of public memorials. Defacing or destroying memorials without adequate authority to do so is contemptible behaviour. Also on the wrong track is Lance Chadd when he calls for "equality" in the country's suite of public memorials ("Monumental time in indigenous history", 4-5/7). The criteria for acceptance and admiration should be quality of life lived (and contribution made to the nation or community) and quality of artistic representation of the person or persons concerned. Art and egalitarianism do not go well together. And the fact that some of our benefactors had bad sides to their character is not a justification for rejecting celebration of the real good they actually accomplished.
Nigel Jackson, Belgrave, Vic