HECO utility model is anachronistic

A recent story on Hawaiian Electric Co.’s energy plan focused on rooftop solar, but the real, big-picture issue is how do we move Hawaii to a modern, 21st-century electric grid that lowers electricity prices and our dependence on dirty fossil fuels ("HECO report rejected over solar oversight," Star-Advertiser, July 30).

The problem here is not rooftop solar, but rather HECO’s outdated, top-down utility model, which is fixated on decentralized solar as a "problem," rather than part of the solution.

We should appreciate that leaders like our Public Utilities Commission recognize HECO’s failure to embrace the future, and are pushing for something better.

Robert D. Harris
Director, Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter

Editorial on scams was a public service

Thank you for your recent editorial on the increase in financial fraud ("Educate public about phone, Internet scams," Star-Advertiser, Our View, July 30).

Editorials and other content in newspapers, and in the Star- Advertiser in particular, are an excellent method of reaching seniors in a way that is credible and memorable.

Senior Medicare Patrol Hawaiiis well aware of the growing frauds and scams targeting Hawaii’s seniors on a daily basis, especially when it comes to health issues.

We are hopeful that you will continue to editorialize and report on this growing menace to our most vulnerable citizens.

Terry Joiner
Senior Medicare Patrol volunteer Kahala

Drivers lax about using turn signals

Dick Boyd’s letter is spot on ("Too many drivers don’t signal turns," Star-Advertiser, July 29).

It’s more prevalent in Hawaii than any place in the U.S. that I’ve driven. In Europe, they even signal coming out of a driveway, as do I.

The law requires a signal 100 feet before a turn or a lane change. But there areignorant (and grossly inconsiderate) drivers who don’t activate their left-turn signal until the traffic light turns green. Then the dozen drivers in line behind them, expecting to go forward through the intersection, are forced to wait when they could have switched lanes beforehand.

Now we may not even make the turn in that sequence as thepedestrian traffic has to clear the crosswalk before left turning traffic can proceed.

It’s the music a lot of local drivers don’t like to listen to: Click-click, click-click …

Kedric Dean
Downtown Honolulu

Popular vote is not guarantee of justice

Those who want the public to vote on legalization of same-sex marriages need to remember that the U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and that a minority’s civil rights cannot be eradicated through a vote.

The state of Colorado learned this important lesson when its duly enacted, duly ratified, anti-gay Amendment Two was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a court of law, there are multiple safeguards that minimize the risk of a wrong verdict. No such safeguards exist in the "court" of public opinion.

This is why a referendum on same-sex marriages would be as potentially hazardous to equal justice under the law as having the public, rather than a judge or jury, decide the guilt or innocence of the accused in a high-stakes criminal trial.

Kent Hirata
Punchbowl

Democratic purists are being intolerant

Was I the only one who noticed the heavy dose of irony in John Wythe White’s statement about the Democratic Party having "tolerance" as its "trademark" ("Sen. Gabbard still being intolerant," Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 30)?

The only brand of tolerance that I’ve noticed from White and those in the Democratic Party who promote same-sex marriage is the kind that forbids differing viewpoints.

How can he speak of tolerance when both Sen. Mike Gabbard and Rep. Sharon Har are being harassed because they introduced a bill at the Legislature to ask the voters to consider a constitutional amendment to reserve marriage to one man and one woman?

Is letting the public weigh in now considered radical in today’s Hawaii?

White appears to believe his values are superior to those who also hold strong opinions that marriage shouldn’t be changed.

It seems like a representative democracy isn’t the right political system for those who would rather shout down those they disagree with, rather than have a thoughtful debate.

Sarah Guiterrez
Kaneohe

Public schools not represented on list

The brief article on Hawaii’s most recent National Merit Scholarship winners ("10 isle graduates receive National Merit Scholarships," Star-Advertiser, July 29) provides a revealing glimpse of local scholastic achievement.

All 10 winners are private school students.

‘Iolani claims more than half of the honors. Hawaii students do well in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) subjects. Boys outnumber girls seven to three.

The 10 winners join the ranks of some well-known previous winners: Bill Gates, Ben Bernanke, Paul Krugman, ElenaKagan, Susan E. Rice and Jeffrey P. Bezos.

Some questions come to mind:

Does the state Department of Education encourage public-school students to compete in the national scholarshipcompetition?

Will its Race to the Top antics help produce future winners?

Also, why aren’t the winners given as much publicity in the Star-Advertiser as high school athletes?

Isn’t mental competitionas important as athletic competition?

Warren Iwasa
Makiki