I recently watched the televised game between Kaiser and Campbell high schools and came away thinking it was one of the best football games that I’ve seen.

The final score had nothing to do with it. The coaches and players had everything to do with it.

I saw two public high school programs that represented their communities with class. Our student athletes from Kaiser and Campbell demonstrated winning attitudes, courage, sportsmanship, pride and humility. Clearly, a reflection of great school leadership and great coaching. Clearly, an example of what will continue to happen when we support our leaders and coaches.

Our coaches work full-time jobs before doing what is essentially volunteer work. Coaches are paid very, very little. They know that change takes time, patience, perseverance and discipline. They are among our greatest teachers and public servants. They deserve our respect, deepest appreciation and support.

Darrel Galera

Retired principal, Moanalua High School

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Must-have sprinklers not the best solution

A recent letter echoed others in touting interest-free loans as the solution to this issue (“Loans could cover sprinkler retrofits,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 25). This needs qualification. Credit loan is another term for debt, which is another financial burden, regardless of the amount of interest.

Also, the disruption factor has been insufficiently considered. Where are residents supposed to live during this mandated retrofit? Besides their several days of hotel bills, consider the cost of necessary asbestos removal in older condos, as a preliminary requirement before sprinkler installation.

In-house fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles represent a far more sensible solution. Let’s consign this irrational and unfeasible bill to its rightful bureaucratic limbo.

John W. Conner

Waikiki

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Liberal labels make for confusing world

I always thought I was kind of an ordinary guy, but now the liberals with all their labels have me confused. Let me explain.

I was born white, which makes me a racist.

I am a fiscal and moral conservative, which makes me a fascist.

I am a heterosexual, which makes me a homophobe.

I was non-union, which makes me a traitor to the working class and ally of big business.

I am a Christian, which makes me an infidel.

I am proud of my heritage and our inclusive American culture, which makes me a xenophobe.

I value my safety and that of my family. Therefore, I appreciate the police and our legal system, which makes me a right-wing extremist.

I believe in hard work, fair play and fair compensation according to each individual’s merits, which makes make me anti-socialist.

I believe in the defense and protection of the homeland by all citizens, which make me a militarist. Statues don’t move but terrorists do.

For a while, I wasn’t sure which bathroom they were going to make me choose, but I figured it out.

Jim Slavish

Kailua

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Homeless crisis calls for true affordability

Mahalo for your editorial about affordable housing, which encouraged the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. to rethink its plan to lease six state-owned apartment complexes (“Careful on state rental lease deal” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Sept. 17).

With a growing need for affordable rental units, I certainly agree this project should be reconsidered. Currently, service providers who are seeking housing for the homeless face an impossible task.

Additionally, more incentives and encouragement need to be given to developers who are interested in providing true affordable housing; not units for people in the 80-120 percent of AMI (area median income), which isn’t affordable for those earning a minimum wage, but for those in the 30-60 percent AMI.

We also need landowners who will maintain affordable units, a healthy economy not based on greed and political leadership that will support these ideas.

Why isn’t it obvious that the houseless situation can’t be solved without real affordable housing?

John Heidel

Kailua

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Ugly Trump-bashing divides our nation

I am a retired Army master sergeant who dealt with charges of racism, and even sexual harassment, during my career, and was exonerated in each instance.

The trouble with such frivolous accusations is the stigma that remains throughout your career. Even when exonerated, I had no recourse against my accusers.

Such weapons are being used against our president today. As a member of the minority here in Hawaii — I am a conservative — it pains me to see people call him a racist and a facist when they have no real proof. Has he spoken out against neo-Nazis, the KKK and other racist organizations? Of course he has, but the left still call him such because he didn’t do so to their satisfaction.

Shame on all of you. Your “proof” of his guilt is so shallow, that you could never charge him in a court of law. Is he perfect? My goodness, no. But who among us is? Stop trying to divide our nation, using frivolous charges. We are so much better than that.

Gary Suzukawa

Moiliili