Education is best way to counter prejudice

Mahalo to the Star-Advertiser for the insightful articles that expressed the views of three thoughtful Hawaii Muslims: the commentary by Saleem Ahmed ("Religious extremists apparently lack confidence in their beliefs," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Sept. 20) and Pat Gee’s story that featured the thoughts of Imam Ismail Elshikh and Abdul-Karim Khan ("Muslims hurting own reputation with violence, leader says," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 20).

After a recent visit on the mainland where I witnessed considerable misunderstanding, ignorance and mistrust, their comments were refreshing and hopeful.

I wish all communities in America could be as fortunate as ours.

They confirmed the assertion that accurate information (education) is the best way to engage prejudice. They also affirmed my belief in an open, inclusive, respectful approach to all faith traditions.

While some people focus on our differences and argue about who is right, I choose to focus on our commonality and celebrate the richness of our diversity.

Together, we can create a community and world based on mutual respect, compassion and cooperation.

John Heidel
Kailua

Religious leaders should pursue peace

Thank you for featuring those voices recognizing and encouraging awareness of the peaceful intent and practices of the majority of Muslim people in your Sept. 20 edition.

The predominant note from the news media, though not intending it, portrays Muslims as violent, trigger-happy, vengeful extremists. Sadly, this plays on our ignorance of Islam’s broader and historically more liberal teaching.

We can imagine the impressions that Muslims in Indonesia, Pakistan and many other countries have of Christians in the West as extremists who hate Muslims and project military power to kill innocents and control the destiny of sovereign nations.

It is time for peaceful practitioners of all religions and their leaders to declare unflinchingly our vision of peace and mutual respect, and to expose extremes from any quarter as misguided and a betrayal their religion. It is time to reduce "low information" among our citizens and cool the flames of violence.

Dan Benedict
Waialua

Computers are not factor in good writing

To suggest that students who have access to computers will likely become strong writers is a misleading statement ("Students with home computer access are often solid writers, tests suggest," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 16).

Unless students already have the ability to organize ideas and a good grasp of the English language, drafting on a computer won’t make a significant difference.

I think the more significant issue is the fact that only 27 percent of 8th and 12th graders were proficient in writing. The sad reality is that 73 percent were below proficient, computer or no computer.

As an English/language arts teacher, I believe the only way to improve writing is to write. The advantage of high-tech accessibility is convenience, but it will not improve writing.

I would hate to see parents and schools go out and buy computers because they think it will improve their child’s or students’ writing. Let’s be prudent decision-makers.

Lynette Araki
Aiea

It takes collaboration to deal with homeless

"The Forgotten" (Star-Advertiser, Sept. 9) provided a more complete understanding of the needs of our homeless mentally ill.

Our agency, along with the Institute for Human Services, is one of 39 belonging to Partners in Care (PIC), working together in Oahu’s homeless provider network.

Through collaboration, it really does take 39 PIC agencies providing services monthly for hundreds of homeless mentally ill, conducting outreach, psychiatric care, medical triage, skills development, chemical dependency treatment and permanent housing placement by skilled staff. PIC has a strong record of helping our residents access permanent community housing and ongoing support.

For example, our Mental Health Kokua/ Safe Haven program is collaborating with IHS and other PIC agencies to implement the 100,000 Homes initiative, a national project to house the most vulnerable homeless (as those highlighted in your article).A survey will identify those most in need of housing, and we will work with community and business entities to identify available housing.

Pamela Menter
Program director Safe Haven/Mental Health Kokua
Greg Payton
CEO, Mental Health Kokua

GMO labeling needed for consumer choice

The alarming health risks posed by genetically modified food (GMOs) were confirmed yet again by another laboratory test on rats ("Death, disease rampant on GM-only diet," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 20).

The biotech industry introduced GMOs into the human food supply in 1996. They have since turned it into one of the most dangerous and least-understood experiments with human health the world has ever known.

Sadly, Hawaii is the busiest GMO research and development center in the world for these harmful and dangerous crops. We have become the unwitting exporters of what appears to be the possible cause for disease and premature death of possibly hundreds of millions of people. Hawaii’s residents should be shocked to know of their intimate connection in this potential worldwide disaster. Up to 75 percent of food on supermarket shelves contains GMOs. Down to Earth calls for — at the very least — GMO labeling, so that, if we want, we can choose not to eat GMOs.

Mark Fergusson
Down to Earth chief vegetarian officer and director of the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association

One purpose of taxes is for redistribution

Mitt Romney apparently is not a student of history. He does not understand one purpose of taxes is to redistribute wealth.

If a society does not provide such a mechanism over time, wealth becomes progressively more concentrated in few hands.

Eighteenth-century England instituted property tax as a mechanism for financing government and, incidentally, re-distributing wealth.Imperial France did not. England very gradually transitioned to a more equitable society.The French monarchy’s failure to do so led to a violent bloody revolution.

We, as a nation, are already set on such a course where wealth becomes more egregious and poverty more manifest.

Richard Sullivan
St. Louis Heights

Containerized houses used widely in Iraq

I totally agree with your editorial, "Seek shelter in shipping containers" (Star-Advertiser, Our View, Sept. 19), but it omits perhaps one of the largest uses ever of containers as housing: CHUs (Containerized Housing Units) in Iraq.

Thousands of U.S. servicemembers, federal civilian employees and contractors lived in thousands of CHUs throughout Iraq. The vast majority of these CHUs were probably left in Iraq when the final U.S. units departed last December.

Jim Proctor
Colonel, U.S. Army retired Hawaii Kai