Lobby lawmakers to ban ‘bump stocks’

Senate Bill 2046 aims to ban “bump stocks,” the gun add-ons that mass shooters can use to vastly increase the carnage. This bill is currently advancing in the Legislature but is getting a lot of pushback by guess who — local National Rifle Association advocates who appear to have no empathy, compassion or concern regarding death by massacre. Please call your legislator to give your support for the bill.

I know hopes have been dashed too many times before regarding gun control, but change certainly won’t happen if our voices aren’t heard. I’m tired of the NRA controlling legislatures across the nation. Let Hawaii be on everyone’s radar screen for finally taking some action on gun control.

Susan Salm

Kailua

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Mass shootings: tragedy or travesty?

I am sick and tired of mass shootings being referred to as tragedies. They need to be called what they are: travesties.

Tragedy, defined by Merriam- Webster — “A disastrous event; misfortune; calamity” — is something we can relate to and empathize with those affected by it.

However, in the context of mass shootings, as in all preventable calamities, the word is an insult to the victims and those who mourn them.

Tragedy is unavoidable, something that could not be foreseen or prevented, like a catastrophic natural disaster. Mass shootings do not fit that category. We’ve seen it happen many times before and are absolutely positive it will happen again.

In this country, every mass shooting is a travesty because it is not a natural disaster. Calling a mass shooting a tragedy only justifies our inability, or more accurately, our unwillingness to prevent it from happening again.

Mark Doo

Nuuanu

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Stop jaywalking to get to church

Regarding Matthew Ledet’s complaint (“Churchgoers hit with jaywalking tickets,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 15), I am glad that someone reported the jaywalking problem on Kaheka Street, and that the police started giving out tickets to jaywalkers.

A couple of years ago I almost killed one of Ledet’s fellow churchgoers. This person didn’t even check traffic. He just stepped into the street. Luckily I was watching or I would have killed him.

The only time people jaywalk in that area is before and after Mass, so a permanent crosswalk is not needed. Instead the church should put up signs and constantly remind churchgoers to be law-abiding citizens and take an extra minute or two to walk to the intersection and cross there.

Instead of grumbling and hoping someone else fixes the problem, Ledet should work with the church to find solutions. The police are only acting to prevent someone from getting injured or killed.

Stan Sano

Makiki

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Trump’s proposals would benefit U.S.

This newspaper publishes anti-Trump rants laced with accusations and loathing. When an author has no solutions or ideas, the only retort is spewing vulgarities, with childish name-calling and claims of racism.

Some of President Donald Trump’s proposals include making experimental drugs available for terminal patients; increasing funding to traditional black colleges; renegotiating unequal trade deals; proposing training and rehabilitation for ex-cons; giving inner-city mothers vouchers so they, like the rich, can choose the best school for their children; cutting personal taxes while increasing jobs and wages for the average citizen; proposing legislation for a permanent fix for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the immigration system; increasing technical college enrollment; giving food-stamp recipients American-grown food instead of cash; and streamlining the construction permit process.

The opposition’s solutions include more government welfare and handouts, elongating the permit process, increasing regulations, mandates and laws, and ever more fees and taxes.

Gary R. Johnson

Kaneohe

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Stock market rose for Trump, Hoover

For the past year Donald Trump has been touting and taking credit for the heady stock market, Wall Street’s unearned gift to him for his first year in office. President Herbert Hoover: same exact thing. That glorious year was 1928. Then came 1929 and Hoover fell silent. Good luck, investors.

Martin Blinder

Kaaawa

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Kingston Trio brings back great memories

In 1958, I was a freshman at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, and I too was a big Kingston Trio fan (“The Kingston Trio left an indelible memory in Waikiki,” Star-Advertiser, Rearview Mirror, Feb. 16).

I was first in line to purchase every new album they released. I don’t know if this is fact, but it was certainly Trio folklore. One day at Punahou School, Bob Shane and Dave Guard were cutting class out behind one of the buildings on campus. They were practicing and playing their music. The story goes that one of the faculty caught them. “Cutting class, eh? You boys will never amount to anything!”

I guess “Scotch and Soda” would be the appropriate drink to help wash down those words the teacher would surely have to eat.

I have great memories of the boys of the HPA class of 1962 harmonizing and singing Trio songs in the back of the bus on our way to play Honokaa or Kohala. Thanks for the article.

Sam Wallis

Hilo