Pot users deserve dignity and respect

Why does Hawaii have to propose the highest penalty in the country among (marijuana) decriminalized states?

The main issue involving Senate Bill 472 is whether someone has to go to jail or get a ticket. A ticket would save the cost of jailing and trial costs for more than 2,000 Hawaii citizens unfortunate enough to get arrested. Without the jailing requirement, there may be more enforcement of the law and this would generate more revenues via a simple ticket.

There are an estimated 100,000 regular marijuana smokers in Hawaii who deserve the dignity and respect of not being forced into jail if caught. Hawaii is behind the times in its marijuana laws and even some Bible Belt states have more liberal policies.

Medical marijuana patients have long been denied research and acceptance by the federal government and our state should reform its law to allow for some form of dispensaries to patients.

The marijuana market is potentially a $300 billion worldwide market. It should be governed and not left to anarchy.

Julius Lannutti
Ala Moana

Blame ourselves for mess we’re in

Our country is in a deep financial mess right now, and in the news reports I see, a lot of blame is going around.

If "we the people" want to point fingers, it better be while standing in front of a mirror. America is a government of, by and for the people. If we have become so complacent with our cushy lives and not paid attention to what our elected officials are doing, "we the people" are the only ones to blame.

It is time to put aside our televisions, cellphones, computers, etc., and go to town meetings to keep our elected officials in check. They are paid from our tax dollars and "we the people" are the customers and have every right as citizens of America to question what is going on and tell them what "we the people" want for our country.

There is a saying that with great freedom comes great responsibility. It is time for us citizens to become more responsible.

Bill Schroeder
Kailua

Use tough sentences to stop farm thefts

Leon Sollenberger’s commentary hit a very important point in his last line, "A thief can’t steal while he is locked up" ("Tough penalties only way to fight brazen thieves," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, March 6).

There was a thief in the Pahoa area of the Big Island who will not steal again and there was a thief in the Kahuku area who will not steal again.They were both shot by the farmers who were protecting their properties.

Send a message to thieves and vandals that mandatory sentencing will be better than a farmer who has had enough and will not take any more.

Sollenberger is right. It is time that society react to crime in a strong way so that lawlessness does not feed on itself.

Keep in mind that without farmers there is no food.

Chip Hartman
Haleiwa

Art is about soul, not ethnic origin

Regarding the letter, "Remarks weren’t offensive to all" (Star-Advertiser, March 2), it is true that the Hawaiians have been oppressed, but the Chinese and Japanese had nothing to do with it. They came to Hawaii to work the jobs that locals did not want. They came to better themselves and their families’ lives.

I could understand if the paintings were from Japan or China, but they were not. Art comes from the soul; does it matter the ethnic origin?State Rep. Faye Hanohano must get over the hate. Don’t perpetuate it.

Steve Chun
Pearl City

ERS became fragile due to neglect

The $8.4 billion Employees Retirement System shortfall has more dire implications than most realize. This ERS failure affects everyone in the state and counties — not only retirees. Ultimately, there may even have to be an ERS bailout funded by Hawaii taxpayers.

The worst-case scenario would be depletion of the ERS principal to pay pensions (and having less and less to invest) and ultimately not being able to pay retirees their pensions.

The mindboggling fact is that all the state and county retirees for the next 30 years will be depending on a pension system that is not fully funded, even under favorable conditions.

Fund administrators said they need to much more than double their rate of return to fix the ERS over 30 years. If they could average that 7.75 percent, why were they only getting 2.8 percent for the past 10 years?

Ultimately, it comes down to this: Nobody was minding the store.

Leighton Loo
Wilhelmina Rise

Red-light runners need to be stopped

The subject of red-light cameras and red-light runners at major intersections continues to haunt me to this day.

I have read the controversial comments about this system. There is no perfect system unless we were to have a traffic policeman stationed throughout the streets of the city of Hono-lulu.

I wrote a letter to the editor in August 2000 regarding the loss to my family by an irresponsible driver whoran both stop signs and a red light. No one should have to experience the loss of a beloved husband, father and responsible citizen by any person.

There are red-light runners every day on the road. Do you want to be the next victim?

Karina Lok
Nuuanu

Kokua Line ———
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.