Tourists likely won’t like rail to hotels

You can’t fool all the people all the time.

Rail officials say the airport rail terminal will be a "boon" to thousands of tourists? Really?

Imagine a family of four from the East Coast. They got up at 3 a.m., flew all day and are exhausted. All they want is their Waikiki hotel.

They lug baggage to the rail terminal and get on. The train terminates short of Ala Moana Center.

"Is this Waikiki," they ask?

"No, you have to catch a bus to Waikiki."

"Where’s the bus station?"

"It’s half the length of Ala Moana Center."

The now-exasperated family drags luggage to the bus stop. "Which of these buses goes to the Outrigger Hotel?" they ask.

"Which Outrigger? There’s a bunch of them."

The family has that deer-in-the-headlights look.

"Honey," says the wife, "let’s go home."

Yes, airport rail will be a real boon to tourists.

Michael A. Lilly
Downtown

Same-sex marriage still election issue

Regarding Shirley Hasenyager’s letter ("Candidates should focus on real issues," Star-Advertiser, July 15): Yes, the courts have ruled in favor of homosexual marriage in Hawaii, but I disagree that this sad event will be forgotten.

This is an election year where the majoritywho have supported marriage as one man and one woman will show their disapproval in the voting booth of what these lawmakers did to redefine marriage in Hawaii.

A big mahalo to Hawaii Free Press for providing the names of 19 state senators (all Democrats) and 30 state representatives (all Democrats) who voted in favor of homosexual marriage over the objections of the majority of citizenshere.

As for the incumbent Democratgovernor, Neil Abercrombie, who signed this redefining marriage bill into law: He is also running for re-election and most definitely will be remembered in the voting booth. This is not merely a political issue; this is a moral and biblical issue.

Melvin Partido Sr.
Pearl City

No need to identify candidate’s religion

Recently the Star-Advertiser had articles on Colleen Hanabusa’s and Brian Schatz’ s education and political experience. The articles included their religious affiliation.

I think religious affiliation should not have been included. A politician’s religion should not enter into a voter’s view on the person. By including religion, your paper makes it significant.

A politician’s religion may influence their position on issues, such as gay marriage and birth control — but that is what should interest the voter, not the religious affiliation that influences the position.

Knowing that their lack of religious affiliation may be made public, an atheist or agnostic may decide for political reasons that they should declare a religion, knowing their true view may offend voters.

Laurence Goldstein
Alewa Heights

VA has issues but still doing good job

While falsifying records is unacceptable and probably criminal, to attack Veterans Affairs here (or any other VA facility) on the time before first appointment is a real stretch. That standard may be misleading. The real standard should be: Are those needing care getting care?

All vets know that for a pressing need, all they have to do is go to the emergency room either at the VA or Tripler.

I have relied on the VA and Tripler for years and have always had thoughtful, thorough care at every level, from clinics to the operating rooms. I have been referred outside for treatment when neither the VA or Tripler had the specialty available or was overloaded.

The VA and Tripler are similar to other hospitals/clinics in Hawaii in that they are affected by the shortage of doctors.

Let’s learn the true story rather than go off half-cocked on data that may be misleading.

Doug Worrall
Kahuku

Council bill would punish homeless

Has the Honolulu City Council become so lacking in compassion that it actually seeks to single out and punish its poorest and most-disadvantaged citizens simply for needing to relieve themselves?

Apparently so.

If passed, Bill 45 would make it illegal to relieve oneself in public. This is an absurd, prejudicial and petty, vindictive proposal. It’s an insincere distraction.

At the very time when government ought to be sincerely helping to correct a system that heavily favors the wealthy at the expense of the poor, this bill is yet another way to make things worse.

David B. Cannell
Waipahu

Consensus among Hawaiians unlikely

Regarding the article, "Consensus would end U.S. effort" (Star-Advertiser, July 13): A consensus among Hawaiians? You must be dreaming.

A general agreement on "federalization" or independence is like trying to get the Israelis to dine with Hamas, or Shiites and Sunnis going on a picnic.

Divide and conquer has been the strategy of Congress ever since the 1893 overthrow and the subsequent "extralegal" act of "annexation." Then came the Territory, the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 and, in 1959, statehood.

Two keys to the reinstatement of the Nation of Hawaii: the repeal of the 1898 Joint Resolution of Annexation and the involvement of the United Nations.

The only agreement that matters for now is a negotiated and binding agreement between "Con Con" delegates and the rest of the 130,000 certified enrollees of the Hawaiian Roll. Some $440 million of "entitlements" from the United States is peanuts compared with economic potential of an independent nation.

Jimmy Wong
Heeia