Churches should help marriages

As an old man who got married before having children, this whole same-sex thing is disturbing. The picture of two men kissing on the front of the newspaper had the desired effect of shocking me ("Measure sweeps through house," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 9). But now it’s time for some common sense.

Maybe now is a good time for Christian congregations to support marriage among their own membership. The churches seem to have a lot of unwed mothers who keep having babies and a lot of permanent "boyfriends."

There is also a real need for church leaders to get involved in the legislative process concerning public assistance. We have an adequate and compassionate public welfare system. But it seems to work against marriage for poor people and does not encourage or provide ways to get out of the system step by step.

As this concern for same-sex marriage winds down, it would be good to keep up the energy right within the existing church membership.

James Poorbaugh
Lower Makiki

Choy failed to represent

I am really disturbed that my representative, state Rep. Isaac Choy, "excused" himself for the vote on Senate Bill 1. Isn’t it worse to duck out on this important vote than to vote one way or the other? Isn’t it his job to be there and participate?

He may have upset people with his vote, but this means that Manoa was not even represented in the process. This is no way for an elected official to behave. Auwe!

Marguerite Higa
Manoa

Police must vow to protect gays

With the legacy of internment, the Japanese American Citizens League Honolulu Chapter works for the civil rights of all.

We respect Tenari Ma’afala’s individual right to free speech and to express his religious beliefs. We cannot, however, stay silent while the police union president publicly states that he will not follow a law.

As the leader of the only police union in our state, Ma’afala wields immense power and influence among a group sworn to uphold the law and protect every citizen. If our lesbian and gay neighbors cannot rely on one police officer for protection, none of us can.

Moreover, the union must ensure that the entire police workforce, including lesbian and gay officers and their families, are safe and supported. We ask that the mayor and the police chief make clear to all officers that fairness and equal treatment are the standards, ensuring that everyone will be protected.

Liann Ebesugawa
President, Japanese American Citizens League, Honolulu chapter

Proud of Oshiro for his stand

I am so proud of my state representative, Rep. Marcus Oshiro, for voting no on the same-sex marriage bill as the majority of his constituents wanted.

I so hope that those voters, whose representatives voted against their wishes and voted yes, show their displeasure in the next election.

Dickie Au
Wahiawa

Run against incumbents

How many of you are upset at our legislators? If so, what are we going to do about it?

If we feel that our voices were not heard in regards to the same-sex marriage bill, then the only solution is to kick these people out of office and elect new people into office.

However, nobody is running against these incumbents. I believe that this is why our legislators feel they can do whatever they want and still think they’ll get re-elected.

If we want to see changes in Hawaii and send a clear message to our elected officials, then we must use our right to vote and kick them out of office for good. We need people running on both Democratic and Republican side in this next election in 2014. It is only through the people that we can bring change.

Alan Kim
Moiliili

Line is drawn at equality

I have friends who oppose same-sex marriage.

They have asked me, "I believe in equal rights, but where do we draw the line?"

Here’s my reply: "I draw two lines, actually, to form the equal sign."

It is that simple.Equality means fairness for all,to simply be who they are, and wed who they love.

Jeri Gertz
Hilo

Organics caused health problems

Hawaii County Council Bill 113 proposes toban new genetically modified crops on the Big Island because some Council members fear they are dangerous.

This summer, 162 people, five in Hawaii, were infected with hepatitis A from eating organic berries. Seventy-one were hospitalized.

Almost exactly a year ago, 33 people were sickened by E. coli O157:H7 from eating organic spinach. Fifteen were hospitalized, two with kidney failure.

Those organic products were recalled and removed from the food supply, and it would have been ridiculous to recall or ban all organics.

Banning all GM crops is equally ridiculous and none are even connected with disease. Every credible scientific organization that has looked at this agrees thattransgenic crops are as dangerous/safe as their nontransgenic counterparts.

I believe this bill will needlessly harm many of our agricultural workers and farmers.

Michael Shintaku
Professor of plant pathology, Hilo

Bush did lie about Iraq WMD

Rhoads Stevens’ assertion that George W. Bush didn’t lie when he accused Saddam Hussein of possessing weapons of mass destruction is incorrect ("Cartoon on ‘lies’ was misleading," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 9).

Stevens says Bush "was simply agreeing with the worldwide intelligence community and most Democrats as well."

In fact, Bush lied in his January 2003 State of the Union address when he famously said: "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."

According to former Ambassador Joe Wilson, the allegation was found to be false during an investigation he conducted at the request of the CIA in February 2002.

Bush simply regurgitated discredited misinformation as another excuse in the runup to the war he so desperately wanted.

Greg Small
Waipahu

Nothing done about ag thefts

As a farmer for more than 13 years, I’ve had much theft from my farms. There were no prosecutions even though the suspects were known. The police do nothing.

I still battle with intruders and thieves every day on my three separate farms. It’s an atrocity to have my crops snatched and my equipment stolen or damaged.

Han Song
Kaneohe