NRA leader has dangerous goals

It’s unfortunate that your newspaper considers it appropriate to provide National Rifle Association president David Keene a platform from which to spout his gun sickness ideas ("NRA leader sees Bloomberg, video games as foes," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 16).

Many already believe him to be the most dangerous person in the United States, and yet you publish his "guns for the world" madness, thereby giving the impression that you agree with him.

Keene goes on to say just how "cool" guns are today.Now his intent is to again ensure that not only should every person have a gun, it should be an assault weapon, giving everyone the ability to kill more people, faster.

James Robinson
Aiea

All-mail voting will help turnout

The time has come for us to go to an all absentee-by-mail system of voting. The continuous placement of our state being last in the nation is discouraging and should be changed.

I believe this system would get us out of the doldrums, and encourage voter participation and awareness of the issues, such as state Constitution and city charter amendment proposals.

The savings would be substantial if polling stations, voting machines and workers were no longer needed.

Will 2013 be the year when we go all out and pass an absentee-by-mail election law?

Roy E. Shigemura
Kuakini

Don’t waste time banning smoking

Oh, come on. Can’t our government workers find a better way to spend our tax dollars than on cigarette butts?

Forty years ago, when everybody smoked, Waikiki beaches were swept every night with a sand-cleaning machine. At 6 a.m. when we sat on the beach, it was smooth and clean.

Where is that process now?

Forget butts — spend our tax money wisely.

Shirley Cannell
Waipahu

Enforce bans already in place

No smoking on beaches and some parks is a great idea, but the problem remains the same.

And it is enforcement.

There is a ban on smoking (with no-smoking signs) at bus stops, but no one enforces the law.

Pass the law but also enforce all the other useless laws — such as jaywalking, parking on sidewalks, littering, etc.

Adriano Eliazar
Honolulu

Let’s get behind rail transit now

The voters have spoken and the Federal Transit Administration has signaled it will approve federal funding for the rail project.

A major rail opponent has admitted the pending federal lawsuit will, at most, delay construction.

One of the points repeated by rail opponents is the rail project will cost more to build than the projected $5.16 billion.

At this point, rail opponents may be right about cost overruns, but it is their obstruction that is responsible for those overruns.

With the rail project a reality, opponents of the project would be more productive if they joined Mayor-elect Kirk Caldwell’s efforts to build rail better, rather than simply add hundreds of millions of dollars to our tax burden.

Roy Kamisato
Niu Valley

Let’s appreciate good neighbors

This is to thank those folks who make their neighborhoods a better place in which to live. They take a caring interest with their "finger on the pulse" of the area.

You look forward to encountering such a neighbor while out for a walk. They have a ready smile and a word or two to lighten the day.

Numerous Maunawili Estate neighbors, I’m quite sure, and our family feel this way about a very pleasant fella, Gordon Mew, who recently passed away. He was one of the earliest residents and goes with our aloha.

Brenda Lumeng
Kailua