Give Marines benefit of doubt

The United States Marines are trained to fight and kill the enemy. If they like the enemy or care about the enemy’s feelings, they could be the next one dead. So those who think urinating on the dead enemy is so terrible need to get off their high horse. You need to go there. See how you feel when your buddy is shot down beside you or watch the Taliban cutting off innocent people’s heads and dragging their bodies behind trucks.

Why do we care what the Taliban think of us? No matter how well we treat the Taliban, they will still hate us. I am sure the Taliban danced on 9/11. Leave the Marines alone. They’re just young men doing a very hard job. So they made a mistake. Why crucify them?

Joseph H. Walkenhauer
Honolulu

Foreclosure law fairer to borrowers

What Act 48 (the 2011 foreclosure law) does is make the foreclosure procedure a more-even playing field by denying the mortgage holder lawyers their previous dictatorial power to "slash and burn" the homeowners in the non-judicial procedure (and thereby maximizing fees while minimizing the work).

Now they must deal with the property owners in a more reasonable way whereby (in many cases) the owner can retain his property. It is seldom that the public gets its way with lawyers. Hurrah for fair play!

Doug Worrall
Kahuku

Gerontology needs younger advocates

It is refreshing to see young faces like Wes Lum’s working in the field of gerontology ("Wesley Lum," Star-Advertiser, Name in the News, Jan. 20). Many of us who started in this field in the ’70s and ’80s are retired or will be soon. As we age out of gerontology, few younger folks are replacing us.

The Center on Aging at the University of Hawaii is working to fund new research projects to better understand this population. Another goal is to develop a range of interdisciplinary educational opportunities in social work, public health, business, architecture, nursing and medicine, to name just a few areas affected by our aging demographics.

Opportunities abound for gerontologists or other professionals who specialize in gerontology. We highlight these each spring at a Career Day in Aging to attract students to the professions serving older adults. Fresh faces like Wes’ are helping us bring excitement and possibility to this burgeoning field.

Marilyn Seely
Kaneohe

Officers need good reason to assist

In the 1950s, I rode in a California Highway Patrol car with a CHP sergeant during his Friday 4 p.m. to midnight shift, which included what was then one of most hazardous freeways in the U.S.

We passed one of his officers who was tending to a car slightly off the freeway. When I asked, "Why didn’t you stop?" he said that it was CHP policy not to assist unless the officer requests help or it was obvious he needed help. Otherwise, "we are liable to get hit or increase the chance that more cars will slow to gawk."

It has been my observation that too many Honolulu Police cars stop at the scene where a fellow officer tending to what is apparently a minor incident. It’s an easy policy to implement and to reduce the number of deaths of officers on our freeways or streets.

Jerry Lesperance
Aiea

Soda tax unhealthy for local businesses

I am writing to respond to Loretta J. Fuddy, the state health director, whose commentary discussed a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages ("Obesity epidemic must be addressed at societal level," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 12).

Taxes don’t make people healthy, diet and exercise do. What we put into our bodies and how we choose to use those calories is a matter of personal choice.

Why tax sugar? It hurts the consumer’s right to choose. If we let our government tax sugar today, what will they tax tomorrow? The salt on our kitchen tables? The people of Hawaii are more than capable of deciding what to buy without government interference.

A tax on sweetened beverages will hit small, local businesses like mine hard. Making ends meet in this tight economy is tough, and any increases — even small ones — make it difficult to not only maintain my full staff but remain in business. The state must stop taxing its small businesses out of work, or else local stores will give way to mainland chains and big box stores.

Vikki Ferstler
Owner, Tailor Made Vending
Aiea

Tourists avoid Waikiki, homeless

For what it’s worth, my family has been coming to beautiful Hawaii for 40 years now, spending four or five days in Waikiki before enjoying our timeshare in Maui.

The increasing problem with the homeless and some of the problems associated with them — including drunkenness, foul language, fighting and begging — has finally affected our future travel plans.

We will be flying straight to Maui from now on.

Perhaps you should start taking this situation more seriously.

Jarrod Wayne
Toronto, Ontario

Kudos to Savio for Koloa Camp efforts

Koloa Camp savior Peter Savio is walking the walk and talking the talk, proposing a practical and equitable solution to helping others and preserving a bit of old Hawaii ("Developer steps in to help Koloa folks stay in homes," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 21).

It’s a lesson for us all. I would be willing to contribute to a fund to help the tenants buy their homes. It’s so nice to read positive news — a great start to the day. I hope all parties can work together to make it happen.

Alice Folkart
Kailua