Helmets are cool for skateboarders

On April 17, my cousin’s 16-year-old son was killed in a skateboarding accident in Hawaii Kai. If he had been wearing a helmet, he would be with us today.

I would like a positive to arise out of this family tragedy. Our state representatives and senators should re-introduce and pass legislation requiring helmets for skateboarders under the age of 18.

Our keiki need protection. The attitude of "boys will be boys" or "helmets are not cool" can result in the tragedy that our family is experiencing. It only takes one fall on an unprotected head to snuff out a life.

I am an avid cyclist and 28-time Ironman triathlon finisher and I always wear a helmet.

Helmets are cool. Our keiki deserve no less protection.

Wendy Minor
Kamuela, Hawaii island

Gas tax is more fair than just a flat fee

Why would City Councilman Ikaika Anderson introduce a bill calling for a user fee to replace the gas tax ("User fee might replace gas tax," Star-Advertiser, April 25)?

His rationale is that the present tax is unfair because those using electric and hybrid vehicles are not paying their fair share.

Fair enough, and I agree, but his bill is unfair to those who operate low-mileage vehicles.

Why would you want to replace a tax that is unfair to one group of people (electric- and hybrid-vehicle owners) with a tax that is unfair to another group (low-mileage vehicle owners)?

It doesn’t make sense.

Peter Barrett
Kaneohe

Increasing fuel tax is right way to go

A 5-cent increase in fuel tax coupled with fewer incentives for electric vehicles (free parking, free charging, tax credits) would encourage ridership of the bus and rail.

Councilman Ikaika Anderson’s bill to add $71 to all vehicle registrations is not equitable to the miles each vehicle is used.

A 5-cent addition to the fuel tax is the way to go.

Larry Brown
McCully

Riding TheBus takes a lot of time

Tuesday I had to take a bus.

I went to the corner of Kalakaua Avenue and Ena Road.

I waited 13 minutes before the No. 2 bus arrived.

I took it about eight blocks to the corner of Kalakaua and South Beretania Street, where I planned to transfer to the No. 1 bus.

Thirty-one minutes later, two No. 1 buses arrived at the same time.Iboarded the first No. 1 bus and continued my travels to the corner of North King Street at Houghtailing Street.

When I got off the bus, my travel time from the first bus stop to the last was one hour and 12 minutes.That’s hardly any distance at all.I can drive to the North Shore in about the same amount of time in my car.

When is TheBus going to return to the schedules and service the people of Hawaii and our visitors have grown to expect?

This is simply shameful and certainly not in the spirit of aloha, for certain.

Kit Mallory
Waikiki

Don’t write in books from the library

I would like to give a very special "Auwe" to the incredibly ignorant people who write their comments in library books. Or underline endlessly.

So the next person reading this book is supposed to be awed by their insight? This person has miraculously picked the most important sentence in the book and doesn’t want anyone less insightful to miss it?

Are we to be educated?

"Note: In England, the first floor is what we in America call the second floor!"

When I read a book, I want to immerse myself in the story. The bits of trivia added by other readers are annoying and unwelcome.

Gloria L. McCulley
Honolulu

Upset Catholics can leave the Church

It is interesting that the Star-Advertiser publishes letters from critics of the Catholic Church.

Sometimes the letters are written by disgruntled Catholics who insist on trying to change the Catholic Church. One such letter came from a former Catholic angry over the perceived second-class status of women in the Catholic Church, specifically Pope Francis’ investigations on the dissident nuns in the United States, which his predecessor had begun ("New pope’s views on women offensive," Star-Advertiser, Letters, April 22).

May I remind the writer and others like her that the Catholic Church was established by Jesus Christ and has always been led by the Holy Spirit. The church has not and will not bow down to heretical thinking. Faithful Catholics have no trouble with the magisterium of the church.

Obedient and humble Catholic women are only too happy to follow the example of St. John the Baptist, who said: "He must increase; I must decrease."

Esther Gefroh
Kakaako

Keep wrestling as Olympics sport

As a wrestler, I believe that the International Olympic Committee should not drop wrestling from the 2020 Olympics.

Wrestling is an original Olympic sport, so why terminate it? What about all of the former athletes who participated in this sport and the younger generations who dream of reaching the Olympic level?

The reason given for the discontinuation is due to the "process of renewing and renovating the program for the Olympics." That’s a ridiculous reason to cease this competition. It would be a shame if this actually transpires.

For me, wrestling has constructed my character, and I have been able to apply these disciplines to additional areas of my life. So imagine if wrestling were to just vanish? "Travesty" would be the first of many words describing this foolishness.

Joshua Gima
Aiea

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.