Letters to the Editor

Separate public sector from charity drives

State and county workers are continually bombarded by fundraising drives.I often led these efforts myself, devoting many hours of state time.

The Ethics Commission staff report concluded that the workplace giving program offers "a convenient opportunity for employees to donate to the charities of their choice" ("Fundraising with state described as unfair," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 11).

Actually, it’s the other way around:State workers provide an easy piggy bank, which organizations like the Aloha United Way and the Hawaii Foodbank can bust year after year.

There was no requirement to give anything.Yet we didn’t want to be seen as "stingy," and that opened wallets even more.

In all fairness, let’s drop public-sector involvement altogether. Many worthy organizations have a great need for our hard-earned dollars — like local soccer clubs and churches, or international relief efforts in South Sudan or Sierra Leone.In the Internet age, it’s not difficult to find them.

Giving should come from the heart — not from pressure at the office.

C. Richard Fassler
Manoa

King Street bike track just needs some time

I am disappointed at the number of published letters to the editor in this newspaper criticizing the King Street Cycle Track.

Most of them contain misleading statements or outright falsehoods (motorists are losing two lanes of traffic) or complain about hypothesized rather than experienced problems (passengers in parked cars will be exposed to more dangerous conditions).

The cycle track has just officially opened, so of course there is going to be an adjustment period. This designated lane merely formalizes the rules of the road: Bicycles should use the lane closest to the curb, but they don’t have to ride in a lane with parked cars.

A protected bike lane is safer, more convenient, and removes bicycles from sidewalks and other lanes of vehicle traffic.

And don’t forget the benefits of reduced road maintenance and greenhouse gas emissions.

Let’s show some aloha and embrace complete streets for everyone.

Travis Idol
Downtown Honolulu

Bike track needs more obvious signage

I make the left turn onto Punahou Street from King Street daily.

In the few days since the bike lane has been open, I have seen many bicyclists buzz right through without pausing to look for cars turning left.

Yesterday, I made a point of looking in my left mirror and, sure enough, there was a biker. He never glanced at me or slowed. If I had not seen him and stopped, I would have hit him.

How long will it be before some driver makes the error of not looking and hits a biker? If we are going to have this lane forced upon us, the city needs to create definite traffic laws with signage for the bikers and drivers to follow.

The orange cones and green areas do nothing and say nothing.

Hilary Moody
Manoa

Campaign ‘reform’ would muzzle speech

As the state’s leading newspaper, one would expect the Star-Advertiser to defend the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech and of the press.

Instead you attacked Pacific Resource Partnership for daring to criticize Ben Cayetano for receiving an illegal campaign contribution.

And now you support repeal of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision striking down a ban on independent election campaign expenditures by corporations and labor unions on First Amendment grounds ("Reform can open electoral process," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Dec. 11).

By contrast, the nation’s foremost defender of the First Amendment, the American Civil Liberties Union, supports the Citizens United decision and vows to fight any proposed constitutional amendment that would limit the free speech clause.

The ACLU declares, "Any rule that requires the government to determine what political speech is legitimate and how much political speech is appropriate is difficult to reconcile with the First Amendment."

Do you supportfreedom of speech?

Carl H. Zimmerman
Salt Lake

CIA director should not support torture

This country cannot afford to have a CIA director who would tolerate enhanced interrogation techniques.

Gerrit Osborne
Waialae Iki

FROM THE FORUM

Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.

“Drones left up in the air,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 8:

>> Why not hold up their sale and use until the FAA gets its act together? Yeah, I know, pressure from the manufacturers and their big money! As for finding missing people, etc., exceptions can be made for those who are already trained and working for military, law enforcement and safety organizations.

>> They are here and flying.

>> Here is also a new device for thieves. Suppose a drone is “casing” my house for whatever reason. I take out my shotgun and shoot it out of the sky. Am I now guilty of property damage? Are there privacy laws that must now be accounted for?

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“Hui undertakes campaign to restore wall of fishpond,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 8:

>> Mahalo, Paepae o He‘eia, for the effort to complete the restoration of a fishpond. It would be very nice if a group could be organized to restore the Menehune Fishpond at Nawiliwili, Kauai, too.

>> A very worthy project.

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“Some reportedly learn to like coqui frogs,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 9:

>> A story like this is putting sugar on a bitter pill. Invasive species should be stopped before they get to these environmentally fragile islands — including genetically modified organisms.

>> I actually caught one in Palolo. It was 9:30 p.m. and I thought there was a bird outside my bedroom window, but the coqui was about 100 yards away, two houses down. It was super loud. I would go nuts if they get established here. We turned the coqui to the Department of Land and Natural Resources and it’s in their educational collection now. They told me that was the third one reported in Palolo.

>> “Getting used to them being there” does not equal the headline: “Some reportedly learn to like coqui frogs.” I am used to mosquitoes but I don’t like them. I am used to cars with no mufflers, but I don’t like them. I am used to silly headlines that don’t match the article, but again …

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“Oahu home prices hit record level,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 9:

>> The Obama administration is continuing the mistake of its predecessors in lowering interest rates and inflating housing prices.

>> Average locals should never sell their home here even if they think they are getting a windfall profit. If you sell, you can never buy back. Give your home to your children who cannot afford to buy on their own so they can stay here. If you sell, you and your family will be forced to move to the mainland. Renting here will also be unaffordable.

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“Hawaii ranked healthiest state in the nation,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 11:

>> How can Hawaii be the healthiest state? I’ve never seen so many fast-food restaurants per capita than in Hawaii. Plus, the huge portions of food can’t be healthy either.

>> I guess they’re not counting all our pedestrians mowed down in the streets.

>> This report says more about how poorly every other state is faring than how well Hawaii is doing, but it’s all 

relative, I guess.

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“Chow returning for 4th season, UH says,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 11:

>> Mistake.

>> It’s great that Norm Chow is a man of honor, integrity and a role model. He also was hired to win games, so try teaching his team that.

>> I think the better job would have been for Norm to take the athletic director job. He has massive connections and I think he could handle it. That way the University of Hawaii would be able to swing a deal for his replacement without upsetting the entire program. 

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“More isle youths using e-cigs,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 11:

>> If this is a passing experimental youth fad and e-cigs really are not that dangerous as real cigarettes, isn’t it better than the kids using a dangerous illegal drug that can damage their brains and overall health? Where are the parents?

>> So sad, our state; 18 is too young to drink and smoke, but old enough to go to war and die.

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“Fish and grit helped man survive at sea,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 11:

>> What an adventure. I’m looking forward to the book and movie.

>> We are so fortunate to have our Coast Guard. I’ve been on one of their rescues far offshore and they are real professionals. Your tax dollars truly at work for all.

>> This guy is lucky to be alive after making a decision to launch his craft in very bad weather/ocean conditions.