Lawmakers ‘nullify’ existing ethics law

I would like to thank the Star-Advertiser for its editorial, "Repeal lawmaker ethics loophole" (Star- Advertiser, Our View, Nov. 20). However, I would not call the ethics law change a "loophole." Perhaps the word "nullification" is more apt.

The Legislature took a long-standing ethics law that had barred legislators and state employees from misusing their positions to give themselves or others unwarranted or unfair advantages or treatment, and amended it in the 2012 legislative session.

To simplify the nature of the amendment, the original law barred legislators and state employees from doing "A, B, C, and D." The 2012 amendment by legislators amended the prior law by providing that, in simple terms, "legislators and state employees shall not do A, B, C, and D, except that this law shall not apply to legislators."

Let’s hope the rest of the nation does not catch on to this kind of legislating.

Daniel J. Mollway
Former executive director of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission

Absentee balloting had problems, too

My son made a decision to vote for the first time. He will be turning 41 in December.

I personally took the time to turn in his request for an absentee ballot by going down to the city clerk’s office at City Hall on Oct. 17. My son flew to Washington state on Oct. 20.

He did not receive the ballot at his Washington apartment until Nov. 12. Not only were there problems with insufficient ballots at polling places but also absentee ballots.

Our elections office is a total failure. It’s no wonder why Hawaii has such a low voter turnout.

Rowena Matsuda
Kuliouou

Projects will ruin Honolulu and state

So, Kirk Caldwell won. Congratulations. There is nothing quite like benefiting from the defamation of your opponent and complacently riding the coattails of slander straight into "victory."

Well, at least we can now get back to the business of ruining Honolulu and possibly bankrupting the city (oops, I mean building rail); destroying Oahu’s farmland and creating urban sprawl (oops, I mean "transit- oriented development"); shredding (or ignoring) Hawaii’s environmental protections; and building taller and taller high-rises downtown and on Waikiki Beach, until Honolulu is just one big ugly wall of cement.

We can also look at Molokai and Lanai and promptly cover up their undeveloped open space with massive industrial wind farms — all to provide power for Oahu.

Poor loser, you say? Perhaps. But I am not angry. Mostly I just feel a deep sadness.

Adam T. Kahualaulani Mick
Kailua

Israel’s occupation led to Gaza fighting

Cal Thomas completely mischaracterizes what is happening in Gaza ("For Israel, every day is like the movie ‘Groundhog Day,’" Star-Advertiser, Nov. 20).

Israel has illegally occupied Gaza for 45 years and has turned Gaza into a prison surrounded by barbed wire and walls preventing the movement of its people. Israel has also restricted the movement of food, water, medicine and other essential supplies from entering Gaza.

Since 2000, Israel has killed almost 7,000 people, including about 1,000 children. Israel has suffered just over 1,000 of its citizens killed.

The solution to the needless carnage and oppression is for Israel to permit the flow of the necessities of life and give the people of Gaza an opportunity to earn a living. If Israel follows this course of action, peace and prosperity will flow to both Gaza and Israel. However, until the U.S. begins to place conditions on the funding it provides to Israel, there is no hope that this conflict will ever be resolved.

Harry Wruck
Diamond Head

Hamas brings Gaza nothing but ruin

Daoud Kuttab is wrong ("Israel’s approach toward Palestinians not viable in long run," Star-Advertiser, Insight, Nov. 22). Just look to the West Bank, where Palestinians live peacefully, have a growing economy, enjoy democratic and religious freedom and are on a path to statehood. In Gaza, the terrorists are in control (terrorists, not "militants") and it is a travesty.

Six years of control and Hamas has brought nothing but ruin for its people. The last weeks show that Hamas has chosen to spend Palestinian money on pointless, useless, ineffective rockets instead of trying to improve the life of Gazans. But Hamas has sworn to destroy Israel and cares nothing of the cost to its own people. Kuttab wants us to believe Hamas is a victim. In truth, Hamas reaps what it sows.

If there is ever to be peace for Gazans, they need to throw Hamas out. If they do not, they reap what they sow as well.

Michael Richards
Kaneohe

Teachers should not indoctrinate students

A teacher’s job is to impart knowledge — not indoctrinate students into their heated labor union movement. How shameful to have those young sign wavers marching at the direction of adults in protest for a cause beyond their objective comprehension. The teachers do themselves no good with this one — and possibly they do their charges immeasurable harm.

Jane Hays
Honolulu