We must never forget Dana Ireland

On Christmas Eve it will be 21 years since Dana Ireland, a 22-year-old visitor from Virginia, who while riding her bike, was intentionally run over, kidnapped, tortured, beaten and murdered.

Several weeks ago, while riding her bike on Tantalus, a wonderful Queen’s Medical Center nurse was attacked, dragged off the road, beaten and very nearly killed. She had ridden the same route more than a thousand times over the past 20 years. Had it not been for another biker who investigated her bicycle lying on the pavement, she, too, would have been killed with bare hands.

It should not take the mass murder of children by a deranged person to shock us. We should never become numb to purposeless malevolence and the raw human suffering that it causes right here at home.

We must never forget Dana Ireland.

George McPheeters, M.D.
Chief medical officer, UHA (University Health Alliance)

‘KFC’ is more than a fast food chain

In our recent "World Religions" class at Leeward Community College, Professor Jay Sakashita — in an enjoyable style of teaching — has effectively "awakened" us further in the basic beliefs and practices of our own faith.

In the study of the world’s major religions, violence has been with us for thousands of years.We’ve encountered difficult obstacles, including the recent ones in our American cities.

As I have reminded my children and grandchildren, stop violence in this world by continuing to pray, demonstrate and think KFC — kindness, forgiveness and compassion.

Gloriana Valera
Waipio Gentry

Biocontrol moth could cause trouble

An alien tiger moth is about to be released as a biocontrol agent against fireweed, a poisonous plant that degrades pastureland.

Unfortunately, when the moth eats fireweed, it makes the moth poisonous, too, and this poses a threat to the insect-eating birds and bats that consume moths.

Scientists assume the moth will taste bad and be rejected, but this has not been tested. Of course, like unwary children trying a new poisonous fruit, the birds and bats will have to take a taste first.

The moths also eat more than fireweed. Sunflowers and many other yellow flower species are also its food. And nobody knows what the moths will eat once the fireweed is no longer available.

Biocontrol seems like a great alternative to herbicidal poisons, and fireweed needs control. But releasing a poisonous moth that may harm birds and bats and nontarget plants is not the ideal answer.

Syd Singer
Pahoa, Hawaii

Hanabusa should stay in the House

With all due respect to the dying wishes of Sen. Dan Inouye, I hope that Gov. Neil Abercrombie keeps his options open.

Isn’t it about time for Hawaii to end this kingly approach to anointed politics?

And if Colleen Hanabusa is truly concerned about serving Hawaii, she should take herself out of consideration for this position and serve the office she was recently elected to. It wouldn’t hurt that by doing so, she would also save Hawaii millions of dollars by not needing a special election to fill her seat in Congress. That would be honest leadership we could support in future elections.

Michael O’Hara
Kaneohe

Hawaii went from top to the bottom

So Ed Case was right.

He thoughtfully and correctly assessed that, although our two aging Hawaii senators gave us desirable seniority in the Senate, we had no candidate to begin developing new seniority.

Hence, Case rightfully decided to challenge Dan Akaka in 2006 for his Senate seat.

Uncle Dan thoroughly thrashed young Ed for his temerity. And now, with Dan Akaka retired and Dan Inouye deceased, Hawaii finds itself going from the top of the heap in terms of Senate seniority to the very bottom.

No one wishes to speak ill of the dead. However, Inouye was wrong on this one. Ed Case ought to be selected to the newly vacated Senate post.

Mark Doo
Nuuanu

Rename airport after Daniel Inouye

To honor all that he has done for Hawaii in general and for tourism in particular, it is fitting and proper that the Honolulu International Airport be renamed the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

The Anchorage International Airport already honors the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens. How appropriate it would be if the major gateways to the two noncontiguous states were named in honor of two friends.

Frank Mauz
Moiliili

Too many misfits can get firearms

David Shapiro’s well-presented column ("Military assault weapons don’t belong on the streets," Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, Dec. 19) clearly addresses our Second Amendment’s blemishes. I, like many, agree that there’s no credible rationale for allowing misfits (criminals, mentally ill, anti-government radicals) or anyone, but our armed forces, to possess such weapons.

We must realize that we already infringe on the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms: We don’t allow rockets, bombs, bazookas, hand grenades and fireworks with more than 50 mg of explosives on our streets.

We need to tighten the belt quite a bit these days regarding arms’ definitions.

I’m fully in favor of the Second Amendment, but with sound-minded restrictions and regulation.

Our founders never envisioned such arms would ever exist. Only single-shot guns existed in the 1790s when the Second Amendment was adopted.

Let’s get real: We have way too many misguided people, i.e., misfits armed with such arms.

Jon von Kessel
Waikiki