It’s sad to see what’s going on in Haleiwa

I do not agree with Laura Bolles of Waialua saying that it was "thrilling" to see the editorial on Haleiwa Town ("Haleiwa redo gratifying to see," Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 18; "Valuable lesson in Haleiwa redo," Star-Advertiser, Our View, March 13).

I am a lifetime Haleiwa resident who was raised right in Haleiwa Town, and it is truly sad to see what is happening to my town. We are no longer the "country" and have become a tourist town. Traffic is horrendous and causing road rage. People are walking everywhere and causing chaos. Residents no longer have a place to bike through town, and have complained to the North Shore Neighborhood Board.

City and elected officials tell us to be patient, or don’t respond. We will remember them come election time.

The new development is not fully occupied and the parking lot is full. The pioneers of Haleiwa would be outraged.

Marilee Y. Lyons
Haleiwa

All species here are ‘invasive’ species

Here we go again: A recent article discussed the issue of "invasive species" at a Hawaii island park, and over and over we hear on the news about "invasive species" ("Invasive species at Big Isle national park ignored for too long," Star-Advertiser, March 2).

Isn’t it obvious that every living thing in Hawaii is an "invasive species"?

When the Hawaiian islands emerged from the sea for this most recent time, there were no species of anything. Molten lava had prevented any life forms whatsoever. Over eons, primitive life forms, plants and eventually animals arrived here through oceanic drift and bird feces, and finally mankind arrived, but all from somewhere else — all of them "invasive species."

Obviously, "invasive species" depends on a particular viewpoint. If the consensus of the population likes the species, i.e. bananas, pineapples, etc., the species is OK, I guess — non-invasive? But other species such as unwanted plants or fire ants are considered "invasive."

A better, more accurate and descriptive term would be "unwanted" or "undesirable," rather than the inaccurate term "invasive."

Geoffrey V. Davis
Aiea

U.S. military budget not about ‘defense’

I see that the U.S. spends more on its military than the next eight biggest spenders combined ("Fear mongering helps feed bloated U.S. military budget," Star-Advertiser, Jacob Sullum, March 21).

The same article mentions that "The United States is a large country with peaceful neighbors," correctly implying that it has less reason to worry about its security than most of the other eight nations.

The article should have mentioned that the U.S., bordered by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, gains added protection from the enormous oceanic distances that any potential invader would have to cross.

The Pentagon spends some $600 billion annually, including $50 billion for fighting various actual wars.

Thus almost all the Pentagon spending is not for fighting actual wars, nor for defending the U.S. from imaginary invasions, but for using its military superiority to gain leverage against China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and any other power that the U.S. wants to intimidate into compliance or submission.

Oliver Lee
Aina Haina

Unlicensed dogs a minor problem

A news report said that the city is losing money because so many dogs are unlicensed.

This does not make any sense.

We have our dogs chipped to identify the owner in case the dog is lost.

But the law is the law, and $10 every two years is fine.

However, you drive around town and see so many vehicles with expired safety stickers. Expired stickers means no insurance, no insurance means we have to purchase uninsured insurance.

Now, where is the priority here?

I wish the Honolulu police would clamp down on these people with expired stickers before going after the dog owners.

Thank you for hearing me out.

Marguerite Akana
Ewa Beach

My enemy’s enemy is still my friend

Fifteen of the 9/11 terrorists were Saudi Arabian citizens, not Iranians.

Osama Bin Laden was found living close to a Pakistani military college in Pakistan, not Iran.

ISIS is brutally killing innocent Americans and putting hit lists on our soldiers and their families. Iran is actively fighting ISIS.

With apologies to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Republican senators, my enemy’s enemy is still my friend.

Andrew Kachiroubas
Moiliili

Rail reinforces case for opening casino

By the time the rail system is completed, the state will have spent billions of dollars.

Who will be responsible to continue to pay the bill to maintain it? The tax-paying citizens of Hawaii?

They are already paying extra taxes for the rail, especially those who are not going to benefit when the system is completed.

It will take generation after generation to pay for the rail. It will cause hardship on every taxpayer in the state for a long time.

It is time the government consider opening up a casino. The extra income could be used to pay for rail and its upkeep as well as many other state expenses. I don’t think it is a matter of yes or no. As I remember, a tour company president from China said to then-Gov. Neil Abercrombie, that if Hawaii had a casino, he could triple his tour group from China.

Kenneth Yoda
Pearl City