Judge erred in freeing multiple sex offender

I feel such a sense of rage, hurt and helplessness on behalf of a 12-year-old boy I have never met ("Multiple offender accused of having sex with 12-year-old boy," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 18).

From 2001 to 2007, prosecutors and judges had extensive knowledge of Jay Abregana’s sick, perverted predilection for minor boys, not just filming himself committing criminal acts on minors, but also his continuing habit of possessing pornographic material that contained minors being sexually abused. Federal prosecutors tried to have Judge Helen Gillmor to designate Abregana as a dangerous sexual person and be held indefinitely, but she refused, saying the government did not prove by clear and convincing evidence that Abregana is sexually dangerous to others.

Can we now blame Gillmor for her complete lack of judgment, lack of empathy for Abregana’s victims, and lack of foresight involving a dangerous sexual predator who completely proved her wrong?

Obama should respect others on vacation here

Let’s talk about President Barack Obama and his vacationing entourage due to spend another few weeks in Kailua over the Christmas holidays.

Our family and many others have lived beside or behind the Kawainui Canal for years, but for the second time we’re going to be denied any access to use our sporting equipment for kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, surfing or even letting our youngsters play in the water on the sand bank at the canal’s exit to Kailua Bay. Also, no access to the surfing area at Castles Beach.

The Kaneohe Marine Corps base is perfectly set up to handle all the president’s needs. Our past presidents have all stayed there and seemed to have enjoyed it.

It now costs us who live here over $1,100 for one person by air to bring our families home for the Christmas holidays. I hope the president realizes that it is our Christmas vacation time, too, and will allow us to use our neighborhood during his stay here in Kailua.

TSA’s body scanners a deterrent to flying

This message is in response to Jim Henshaw’s letter ("With radiation and groping, TSA has gone off the deep end," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 18). I also will not be flying on an airplane until the body scanners are taken out of the airports. As it is, flying anywhere is so stressful I get sick after every flight. The next time I leave Hawaii will be by boat. I don’t care how long it takes, and it’s probably a greener way of travel anyway.

Parents a big factor in student achievement

In John Casey Carpenter’s commentary about giving Hawaiians the respect they deserve, he fails to realize that what he is saying applies to every race and ethnicity ("It’s time to give Hawaiian culture the respect it deserves," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 14).

He mentions that Hawaiians getting lumped into the category of "Asian and Pacific Islander" skews the statistics. Every time I have taken a test in my life I have had to mark a spot that says "Caucasian." I don’t get to choose "part German," "part Dutch," and "part Irish."

It is OK to attack the way the tests are run, but please do not attempt to make the argument that only Hawaiians are the ones who have skewed statistics.

As far as Caucasian and Japanese kids doing OK and Hawaiians not, it has nothing to do with the "college prepatory model." It starts, as everything does, with the parents. If the parents set good goals, and guide them on the right path, it is possible for many of the kids to attend college.

Fining farmers over taxes is hypocritical

I find it strange that the state is going after farmers for selling their produce at farmers markets.

One farmer was fined $670 and forced to spend money on machines that provide duplicate receipts.

When people and tax experts complained that Hawaii was one of the few states that taxes food, the state enacted the food excise tax credit, which was supposed to alleviate this onerous, regressive tax. Leave aside the fact the credit was very poorly designed – the more taxes you paid, the lower your credit; the official position was established that food should not be taxed. So why go after farmers?

In addition, I hope some lawyer will offer a defense for the person fined $2,000 for expressing his opinions.