Rental housing fine for many people

I would like to applaud recent efforts to increase affordable housing in Hawaii.

Realistic attainable goals for singles and families may not include home ownership. Saving for a home and being able to maintain it and keep up with a mortgage is not everyone’s dream. This is especially true when you have other financial obligations or goals like traveling, education, starting a family or owning a car.

Not having your own place because of a unreasonably priced housing market can be a silent stressor that feeds oppression in our communities.

Affordable rentals allow people to have more and do more, which elevates self-worth and pride. I think we can all agree that regardless who is on the deed, everyone wants to have a place to call "home."

Brenda Ryan
Makakilo

Punish those who ‘bribed’ Cachola

Those who offeredthe enticements for which former City Councilman Romy Cachola was punished should be punished even more severely.

Don’t we have laws against bribery?

Heeny Yuen
Downtown Honolulu

Regular folks have life problems, too

I am astounded to read that opponents of Bill 42, the sit-lie bill, reject the safe-zone camp proposed for Sand Island.

These individuals demand the city provide various modes of housing for those who are houseless, but not this first step.

This proposal is a major achievement. Their argument against is ridiculous. It seems that they want it all or nothing, right now.

They complain about the homeless having to commute a distance to their jobs. Well, fancy that. Many travel much farther to work.

They complain it is too far from a hospital. Many of us live farther away than that.

They say it’s not environmentally safe, and the sidewalks are more desirable.

Are you kidding me? They make a mockery of their cause for housing.

David Moskowitz
Waikiki

History should give everyone a voice

Columbus Day is a day where we remember Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the Americas in 1492.

There has been an ongoing controversy about whether he actually discovered America or not. In my multi-education class, we learned how perspectives play a big part in understanding our history. We learn from an early age only the Europeans’ perspective of how they found and claimed the land. But what about the indigenous people who actually found it and were already living there? Aren’t they the true discoverers?

Today, many of our children’s books portray only one perspective of history. History is supposed to tell us the truth. What parties were involved and how was each affected, not just the dominant one? Will our histories be told only through one perspective?

Those who develop these learning materials should make it their responsibility to speak the truth and that for fairness, every side to be given a voice.

Jinky Aguiran
Manoa

Park director too fixated on protocol

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando needs a reality check ("Gabbard, Schatz push for 2 lanes," Star-Advertiser, Oct. 2).

She is way too hung up on protocol to be living in Hawaii.

This "emergency" will likely last years, not weeks. What archeological sites will be affected? The ancient previous Chain of Craters road? The only things I see living on the lava fields are cockroaches. Hardly endangered. If she’d worried about impact, she better insist on paving the road. Otherwise, everything for miles inland is going to be covered with gravel dust.

Puna is going to have the only visible flowing lava for a while and the tourists will want to see it. Most of them stay in Kona and she can collect park fees if they use the park to access it. Otherwise, they may not have time to see it and use the park, too.

Roger Simons
Puna

Don’t name Sandy’s after the president

So two Honolulu City Councilmen want to change the name of Sandy Beach Park by naming it after President Barack Obama ("Duo wants to rename Sandy’s for Obama," Star-Advertiser, Newswatch, Oct. 6).

Sandy’s is known worldwide as a first-class surf break.Renaming it after Obama would truly be an embarrassment for the locals who use it and for Hawaii.

As beachgoers we are strongly against such a move, which would surely be a wipeout.

Why don’t Councilmen Stanley Chang and Ernest Martin rename the streets they live on to Obama and leave our beaches alone.

"Hey, bro, let’s go to Obama’s."

"Uh, no thanks."

George Meyer
Kapolei

Rename Blowhole after the president

City Councilmen Stanley Chang and Ernest Martin have proposed renaming Sandy Beach Park to honor President Barack Obama.

As if our City Council doesn’t have enough to keep it busy, they introduce a resolution to honor an unpopular president.

If they must follow through on this, I suggest they amend the resolution and rename the Halona Blowhole after Obama. It seems so much more appropriate.

Gregory A. Poole
Mililani