Thanksgiving shows America at its best

James Henry Smithson’s pedantic sniping of our Thanksgiving holiday cannot go without response ("Thanksgiving history not well understood," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 23).

Notwithstanding its origins, Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, and my favorite.It embodies the best of America — family, generosity, meliorism and gratitude. It is arguably true that on Thanksgiving Day one could knock on the door of virtually any home wearing a smile and be invited in to enjoy the food and fellowship.

Those who do not appreciate the meaning of Thanksgiving do not understand America.

Rhoads Stevens
Hawaii Kai

Enjoy loved ones every day you can

I am thankful for waking up in the morning andliving each day to the fullest.

When our son Daniel was alive, we went through our days without even thinkingif we would see each other later. It was a given.

After Daniel fell to his death ina hiking accident in 2003 at age 19, it was difficult to continue. Withtime, Daniel’s memorygave usthe strength to make the most of each day and not take each other for granted.

To every family who has lost a child unexpectedly: Convert that tragedy into a "victory" and draw strength to continue forward. Your son (our daughter) will always be within you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Joyce Cassen Levey
Aina Haina

Obama plays games with immigration

President Barack Obama can’t lead, so he plays games instead.

His immigration plan will protect 4-5 million Latin Americans and a million or so from the rest of the world.

He claims that Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush did it, so he can do it, too.

Reagan limited his immigration plan tothe deportation of 200,000 illegal exiles from Nica-ragua.

Bush’s plan extended to students from China in 1990.The Tiananmen Square Massacre occurred on June 4, 1989,because of student uprisingsand the turmoil continued into 1990 and beyond.

In 1991, Bush exempted Kuwaiti citizens from deportation because Kuwait was at war with Iraq. In mid-January 1991, a U.S.-led coalition entered the Gulf War to expel Iraq from Kuwait.

William Pieper
Kapahulu

Obama finally leads on important issue

All that kowtowing to Republicans these past years has left me thinking that those Democrats who distanced themselves from President Barack Obama this past election don’t deserve to be called a Democrat.

That includes every single congressman who voted for George W. Bush in the "hanging chad" 2000 presidential election.

We know now that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney dragged us into a war on Iraq on the premise of a lie. But who’s going to nail Bush and Cheney for that?

Obama’s well-presented line of "Hope and Change" in the first election never expressed itself in action as expected once he got in. No wonder this past election’s voter turnout was the lowest ever.

The headline, "Obama moves to overhaul immigration," presents this Democratic president as picking up the immigration banner and leading — since "we were strangers once, too."

Sylvia Thompson
Makiki

Military service a plus in politics

Walter Sullivan couldn’t be further off ("Gabbard seems to have conflict," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 14).

If we had more active service members in Congress, our state and nation would benefit on many levels:

» Fewer senseless wars. Military members know firsthand the price of war and they are far less likely to blindly jump into unnecessary military conflicts that have nothing to do with our national interests.

» Less partisanship. People in the military learn how to work together as a team regardless of differences in personal backgrounds or viewpoints. We have seen this in multiple instances of U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard teaming up with Republicans in Congress to help get vital bills passed for veterans.

» Veterans would be cared for. If more active service members served in Congress, there’s no question that veterans would receive the priority they deserve in getting treatments for their wounds of battle.

Alice Hee
Waianae

Homelessness not our worst problem

I am a new resident of Hono-lulu, living near Ala Moana Boulevard along the Ala Wai Canal.

I have spoken with and assisted some fellow Honolulu residents who happen to be home- less. Their stories and situations are just as interesting and diverse as those of anyone else.

Unlike Lori Medeiros, who is embarrassed by "this kind of condition" ("Homeless camps truly embarrassing," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 20), I think we "promote tourism" more effectively by showing the world we are a compassionate people who treat all who live and visit here with kindness, helping those who want assistance and respecting everyone who lives here, houseless or not.

I, for one, am considerably more concerned by the cracked sidewalks and cratered roadways, which present a clear and present danger to all of us, than by an individual sitting or lying on the sidewalk.

Michael Kappos
Waikiki