Find new ways to control feral cats

Your attention to the feral cat problem was welcomed.It would seem that a simple solution to the problem (if that is ever the case) would be to develop a contraceptive food supplement that could non-surgically reduce the feral population while affording good-intentioned volunteers support and appreciation for their caring of the strays.

Sure enough, a Google click away, I found a very informative status report on current research in oral contraception to control unwanted cat populations. This research may provide a simple and much-needed solution to this growing problem. I hope this research is being monitored here in Hawaii and considered as a possible course of action in the near future.

William Posenecker
Haleiwa

Show aloha for loving couples

Mahalo nui loa to Edward Helealoha Ayau and Kainani Kahaunaele for their thoughtful and loving statement regarding marriage ("Maintain tradition of love and right to marry," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Oct. 31). Jesus said we would know his disciples by their love. He knew people would never agree on truth, belief or doctrine.

Christianity has a horrific history of its defense of "truth." And there are millions of people who have been personally damaged by the unloving actions and words of zealous Christians.

We in Hawaii have a very special and vital opportunity to demonstrate aloha — love — and its qualities of gentleness, goodness, kindness, meekness, tolerance and forebearance in the midst of disagreement and opposition. It is aloha — love — that makes equal opportunity for all an absolute It is only in love and grace that we can, that we must, live this out together.

Mark Yasuhara
Aiea

McDermott loyal to constituents

State Rep. Bob McDermott is a statesman, not a political hack who is worried about self-survival ("Political plotting includes GOP bombing own coalition," Star-Advertiser, On Politics, Nov. 1).

He is doing everything he can to protect the interests of his constituents and make sure that the House of Representatives does not disenfranchise the electorate like the Senate has already done.

He knows that, as stated in the state Constitution, "all political power of this state is inherent in the people and the responsibility for the exercise thereof rests with the people. All government is founded on this authority."

Unlike what we saw among Hawaii’s senators, he is doing his best at being a good steward of the political authority that has been delegated to him.

Dan Melton
Waipahu

Enforce nuisance ordinances

I am not normally an advocate of more government regulation, but I think it is called for in this case. The noise output from many motor scooters and motorcycles is loud. There needs to be a maximum decibel output allowed and enforced.

Secondly, graffiti seems to be growing like a weed. Kids should not do this but parents don’t seem to care.

Our utility companies should be required to clean up their junction boxes within two days after a complaint.

U.S. Postal Service boxes and gray utility boxes are eyesores. They are an embarrassment to our neighborhoods.

Also, owners should be required to clean up the graffiti on unoccupied shops. We have several in our neighborhood. Hawaii is beautiful and civil. Let’s keep it that way!

David Vornholt
Kapahulu

Crack down on barking dogs

Most communities have animal noise ordinances on the books, but they rarely are enforced.

The recent Phoenix shotgun killing of a whole family and their dogs by a neighbor, who was presumably distraught by the frequent barking and later killed himself, should serve as a wake-up call to the authorities to take animal noise complaints more seriously.

Countless people are suffering from the disturbing and health-affecting noise of animals owned by inconsiderate neighbors and when complaining have to learn that their complaints usually lead nowhere.

Volker Hildebrandt
Kaneohe