It is, in my opinion, one of the more distasteful aspects of Australian society.

— Thomas Wilson

Freedom!

I was in the butterfly house at the Melbourne Zoo with my daughter a few months ago admiring the elegant little creatures as they landed on the arms and shoulders of visitors. The beautiful delicate wings so full of colour when all of a sudden an Indian man grabbed a butterfly by the wings and starting waving the poor creature in front of his elderly mother’s face.

Maybe she was blind and he was just trying to let her see it close up but before I knew it I was saying “NO, NO, you cannot do that. You will hurt the poor creature.” Of course they didn’t really understand English that well so just thought I was scared of the butterfly until I started waving my finger disapprovingly like a butterfly lover in distress.

Afterward I did feel really bad, I felt terrible for making someone feel bad when they were just appreciating nature’s wonders, especially a visitor. Maybe it was the closet zoologist in me, who completed the degree but never worked a day in the field, trying to do my bit for animal conservation.

I found myself being extra polite as we passed each other many more times in the tight confines of an overcrowded butterfly house, insisting the elderly mother go before me as we both approached the exit.

I think next time I’ll try to resist the impulse and leave it to natural selection; the butterfly did fly off unharmed of course.

Whilst I completely agree that some “rules” need to be modernised, such as marriage equality, some rules shouldn’t, like don’t grab a butterfly wings! Which at the end of the day is exactly the same thing … freedom.

— Patricia Chircop

Immigrants Seeking Guidance

I think your daughter was right.

You should have, with the greatest of courtesy, drawn their attention to the “no feeding” rule. If they had been reasonable people they would have been grateful to you for pointing it out.