Hawaii’s beauty being marred by lots of litter
I read the letter from Sam Chesser with great approval ("Why is Honolulu so covered in litter?" Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 2).
As a lover of Hawaii and Hawaii’s outdoors, I am constantly picking up litter as I walk and hike this beautiful state. On a recent visit to family in Virginia, I was in both urban northern Virginia and rural southern Virginia and was struck by how clean it was, completely lacking in any litter at all.
If I were in charge, the first thing I’d do is start a "Keep Hawaii Beautiful" campaign. I cannot understand why the mayor and governor do not do more in this regard. We are the most beautiful state in the nation, and trash is everywhere.
Clearly some public education is needed, both for children and adults.
Valerie Koenig
Honolulu
Political donations can be disguised bribes
It seems to me that the bribing of an elected official can masquerade as a political donation.
Bribing an elected official to get a city or state contract is illegal. However, if the money given to an elected official comes in the form of a political contribution, it is not considered bribery.
This loophole needs to be closed.
The contemplated multibillion-dollar rail project and transit-oriented development projects are just the environment for the existence of legal bribery in the form of political contributions. Many will stand to gain thousands or millions of dollars from contracts that would come out of these two projects.
The City Council or Legislature should make it illegal for an elected official with ties or influence in the granting of contracts to receive a political donation from an entity or individual who stands to get a city or state contract.
Ruben Reyes
Waipahu
Calling tea partyers terrorists is wrong
Vice President Joe Biden describes tea party participants as terrorists.
Tea party members have not conducted themselves in any manner that could be construed as terrorism. To equate their activities to those of al-Qaida, Timothy McVeigh or even environmental groups is wrong. They have not put spikes in trees, stolen property or attempted to physically stop an ongoing activity.
If people that verbally disagree with existing tax-and-spend policies are labeled as terrorists, does it not encourage them to behave in the worst possible manner instead of participating in a civil discourse?
Christopher Murphy
Wahiawa
TSA employees don’t deserve poor treatment
I am writing about the U.S. Transportation Security Administration employee who was "groped" by a passenger. It is a sad state of affairs when the public and journalists alike start cheering on uncivil behavior such as this ("Woman accused of groping TSA agent strikes blow for fliers everywhere," David Shapiro, Volcanic Ash, Star-Advertiser, July 20).
The TSA employee is an American citizen like you or me. She has a job in which she protects the American public. While I don’t like going through security at the airport, I simply consider it a necessary evil that has evolved since 9/11. How quickly we forget.
I travel about three times per year. I have never had an unpleasant encounter with a TSA employee. They have been helpful and civil. Some have even talked story with me.
To have it cheered on when a woman’s breast is groped and twisted is just plain wrong. It shows a decline in our moral fabric.
While there are TSA employees who have exercised poor judgment, this doesn’t excuse mistreating people who are doing their jobs.
Diana Caldwell
Kailua
Many seniors put off by higher golf fees
The increase in monthly rates for seniors playing golf at the municipal golf courses has stopped me from getting monthly subscriptions. When it was $45 a month, I would get a monthly card each time and didn’t feel bad if I played only once for the month. Now that it is $80 a month, I have to play at least six times a month to get my money back. So I don’t subscribe at all. I’d rather pay the $15 single day rate. And most of the time I only get to play once a month.
I really feel that the rate increase succeeded in discouraging seniors from playing more. I don’t know if this is resulting in less revenue or not. But my impression is the municipal golf courses are less crowded because senior golfers feel the rate increase is excessive.
The city should scale back its rates for the municipal golf courses.
Ignacio A. Torres
Honolulu
USS Arizona Memorial needs to be revered
The memorial at Pearl Harbor is the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors killed on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. This place needs to be revered and respected, not treated like Disney World.
It is because of these service members that we have our freedoms today.
The staff at Pearl Harbor needs to do something about the lack of respect that is being given to these fallen men, their families, friends and their country. If one cannot go to the memorial and show respect, then someone needs to be there to tell them to be quiet or escort them to the ferry.
It is up to us to see that these fallen sailors are respected in the manner they deserve.
Marsha Hannan
Lawton, Okla.
How to write us
The Star-Advertiser welcomes letters that are crisp and to the point (~150 words). The Star-Advertiser reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Please direct comments to the issues; personal attacks will not be published. Letters must be signed and include a daytime telephone number.
Letter form: Online form, click here E-mail: letters@staradvertiser.com Fax: (808) 529-4750 Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI 96813
|