War not without significant costs

William Reese Liggett might not be so enthusiastic about war if he considered its costs ("Sometimes war does solve major problems," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 27).

So far in Iraq about 4,429 American soldiers have died and 100,000 have been injured.

Post-traumatic stress disorder plagues 12 percent of veterans, while 320,000 suffer from brain injuries.

Many struggle with depression, substance abuse, unemployment or homelessness. Hundreds have committed or attempted suicide. Domestic violence plagues many families and communities.

In Iraq, more than 110,000 civilians have been killed, many times more injured, and nearly 4 million become refugees. Five million Iraqi children are orphans and many more suffer psychological trauma.

The war costs about $200 million daily and could total trillions. Imagine if such human and material resources had been invested in international diplomacy, collaboration and assistance. Imagine what a trillion dollars could do for American national security if invested in medicine, education, and infrastructure.

In the meanwhile, no weapons of mass destruction have been discovered in Iraq and the country’s situation remains very problematic, as does that of the larger region aggravated by war.

Keep Legislature out of BOE picks

My wife and I strongly agree with John Kawamoto ("Don’t restrict governor’s BOE appointments," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 14). We feel we’ve been duped at the polls.

Why did we give the governor the authority to appoint the Board of Education, if the Legislature is going to stick its big fat nose into the process by appointing a committee to choose whom the governor can appoint?

We will be right back where we started, where everybody can blame somebody else because no one person will be responsible.

Why do we always have to be so stupid in this state when it comes to educating our children?

Most Westerners trivialize yoga

The article by Paul Vitello underscores a significant reality: Yoga’s true purpose is missing among most Westerners who trivialize it to relax and stretch ("Yoga movement stirs debate," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 28).

The exercises were originally meant to release the powerful energy dormant in the base of the spine, called kundalini in Hinduism. Once awakened, the continued practice of the exercises is meant to modulate kundalini literally charging through the body — so profound are its effects on the body’s energy system that it has been described as a ravishing by God — dramatic to the point that each cell vibrates with a profound joy that is the basic truth of life.

For those not fully cognizant and ready for this, a kundalini release can occur, igniting powerful energy and often leaving the recipient at the mercy of physicians and psychologists ignorant of the phenomenon. Misdiagnosis, hospitalization and/or long-term drug use often result, when ironically, yoga is the answer.

If you practice yoga, do it under the supervision of someone who knows.

Aiona lacked fighting spirit

Two recent articles suggest Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona still does not understand why he got shellacked on Nov. 2: "I feel very confident that we won on the issues. We had the better plan and we had the better platform."

True, but irrelevant.

Aiona still believes elections are about issues. They are not. They are about power. Had Aiona understood this crucial difference, he might have come out of his corner fighting instead of merely presenting himself as the issue-oriented, honorable, highly qualified public servant that he is.

For example he might have explained that teacher furlough days were not chosen by Gov. Linda Lingle, but by Democratic Party apparatchiks in the teachers’ union, the Department of Education, the Board of Education and the state Legislature.

Aiona clearly would have been the better governor, but until he decides the office is worth fighting for and hungers for a scrap, he would do well to stay out of the arena. 

Some do abuse handicap stalls

I agree with Robert Stock’s response to the letter about apparent misuse of handicapped parking stalls ("Handicaps not always obvious," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 23).

My wife and I appear normal, but I have two mechanical hips and she a mechanical knee. We are also large and look healthy.

What is really sickening are people who use the placard belonging to another. We know a couple who do this to save money and so she won’t get her car dinged up by having to park with the masses in a parking lot.