Homelessness needs analysis

As a community, we have taken many steps in an effort to combat a myriad of problems associated with the homeless.

We have expended time, resources, energy and money in order to somewhat alleviate the disadvantages suffered by the homeless, and to lessen the adverse affects on the community itself. But these are just treatments of the symptoms rather than of the disease.

Homelessness is not a problem of just Waikiki, or Oahu, or the state itself. Homelessness is a problem nationally and internationally.

We need to create a high-level task force to find out: Who are the homeless; how did they become homeless; and why are they homeless?

Once we have answered these questions, perhaps we can devise a plan to at least lessen the problem, if not eliminate it completely.

Donald L. Wilson
Makakilo

Hawaii should copy Denmark

NextEra Energy has discouraged individual solar power installations, presumably because it doesn’t make enough money from them. Is this the kind of policy we want for Hawaii?

Look at Denmark. It’s on track to be completely free of fossil fuel and make all of its energy from renewable sources by 2050. Here in Hawaii we could do the same, but not if NextEra controls the electricity.

Public utilities should be owned by the public and act in the long-term public interest, instead of the short-term interest of shareholders. That is the only way we can put an effective green energy policy in place.

Lorna Holmes
Downtown Honolulu

Political parties can trump PACs

The Star-Advertiser advocated candidate pledges for "clean elections" and more public funding for campaigns ("Reform can open electoral process," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Dec. 11).

In a representative democracy where free elections exist, the onus falls not on government but upon the political parties to counter the influence of excessive political action committee expenditures.

By identifying connections between lobbying requests and donors and subsequent legislation, the parties could reveal to the electorate whether the common good coincides with those of special interests. Conversely, in a limited government, this gives leverage to legislators facing the PACs to support the common good. When a PAC does not, it is free to test the viability of its demands in a free-market economy rather than in the halls of our legislatures.

Robert Tellander
Waikiki

Christmas not about shopping

It’s easy today to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.

When we go shopping, if we ask, "How much will it cost?" then the true meaning of Christmas somehow becomes lost.

Celebrate this Christmas, the birth of God’s Holy Son. Give praise and thanks for all that God has done. The miracles at this time are all too often hard to see; all of our time is spent buying presents for under the tree.

Don’t forget the reason behind this glorious day: that a baby was born in a manger, on that blessed Christmas Day.

Arsenio Ramirez Pelayo
Aiea

Jay should stay for ’15 season

It’s outrageous that University of Hawaii-Manoa Athletics Director Ben Jay announced his resignation in December 2014 but will remain on the job through June 2015.

If he’s willing to stay until mid-2015, I say extend him until the last Warrior football game of 2015. This way he can be held accountable for the small Aloha Stadium attendance.

Keeping the head coach with a three-year record of 8-29 will lose even more season-ticket holders and will not gain any.

Lastly, there was enough talent on this 2014 Warrior football team to have gone 7-6. All the team needed was some leadership to overachieve, something successful Warrior football teams of the past were able to do. Go Warriors!

Glenn Inouye
Aiea

Tributes to Pele religious acts

I read that Big Island students were taken on a school trip to view the lava flow in Pahoa. They made an offering to Pele, according to your story ("Lava lessons," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 9).

If my child participated in a rite of a religion foreign to her, through authority and peer pressure, I would raise a ruckus that would drown out the noise of the volcano. Church and state, people!

Beverly Kai
Kakaako