Laws on toy guns already exist

There are already state laws prohibiting minors from buying airsoft/BB guns ("Elementary kids most expelled over fake guns," Star-Advertiser, Feb. 2).

Also, a Honolulu city ordinance bans replica guns on all public school grounds.

We already have laws that should have prevented kids from taking guns to school. These liquor stores selling toy guns to kids are already breaking existing laws; they will most likely break any new laws. Making new additions to the laws will not change anything.

Parents need to actually be parents and educate their kids on what’s right and wrong.

Filed complaints should be public

House Bill 1141 and Senate Bill 1437 are bad bills.

They disallow the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs from disclosing to the public complaints against a licensed business, or most professionals, except for complaints resolved against that person.

The state Regulated Complaints Office and the state Office of Information Practices have both testified against these bills. We do not understand why the Legislature would consider approving these bills, which are obviously anti-consumer bills and clearly violate the public’s right to know.

Giving up benefit will help others

Although only my wife worked for the state of Hawaii for some 15 years, both she and I are reimbursed for our Medicare Part B premiums. The amount comes to about $2,400 per year.

I agree with Gov. Neil Abercrombie. There are too many other social programs that need assistance. We are willing to lose this benefit for the benefit of others.

Fish farming is destructive

Apparently Jay Fidell is myopically informed regarding the virtues and limitations of open ocean mariculture and sees only its economic benefits ("State must save, not end, open-ocean fish farming," Star- Advertiser, Feb. 6).

There are always two sides to everything, and he should have been aware of the limitations of mariculture, such as its destructive effect on the ocean ecosystem due to rapid, unregulated growth.

The new administration must be aware of the disastrous effect on the ocean environment already experienced by Norway, the Philippines, British Columbia and Scotland as a consequence of ineffective regulation and poor oversight of mariculture practices.

These areas have had to spend precious time, money and other resources to correct the problems created by runaway mariculture.

Hearings were just for show

I watched the so-called civil unions public hearings. It was an exercise of futility, because it was obvious that the committee members had made up their minds to pass the bill.

If even Jesus had testified against it, that would not do, since they kicked him out of their chambers with a ban on invocations.

They have a convoluted understanding of rights to think that our Constitution covers sexual orientation.

Smyser helped hospice get going

As your article on "death with dignity" noted, the campaign to win enactment of legislation in Hawaii goes back some 20 years ("A matter of life and death," Star-Advertiser, Feb. 13).

An early leader in that campaign was the late A.A. "Bud" Smyser, longtime editor and writer for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

It was Bud’s articles that aroused interest in the issue of "death with dignity" among Hawaii readers and led to Gov. Ben Cayetano’s formation of an advisory panel, on which he served.

Bud also was a pioneer in bringing the hospice movement to Hawaii. He angered some doctors with his articles by describing as torture the prolonged treatment of the dying when there was no hope of recovery. But many people agreed, and the alternative — hospice — got its start here.