Speak out against domestic violence

Thanks to Marci Lopes and Ryan Kusumoto for the excellent articles on domestic violence (“Stop the violence,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Oct. 18).

I was especially grateful for the point of view against domestic violence from Kusumoto, president and CEO of Parents And Children Together, as readers rarely read such passion on this topic written by a man. I was especially moved by his statement: “We should never be quiet about domestic violence. Being a silent bystander is simply a form of consent that violence is OK.”

If we were not shocked by the dire statistics on domestic violence in Hawaii, then something is very sick with our community. Receiving 131 calls on average daily by the Hawaii domestic violence hotline, should be more than a wake-up call for better legislation, policing and prosecution.

Violence against our women must end. If you know of someone who engages in traumatizing women of any age, speak up. Get involved. By doing so, you may be saving a life.

Nancy Manali-Leonardo
Waikiki

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Ige fails to tell us where he’s going

The articles by Sophie Cocke, concerning Gov. David Ige and Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui, revealed Ige’s administrative inexperience, his indecisiveness, and his unwillingness to communicate in a candid, frank and open manner (“Tsutsui yearns for bigger role,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 12).

A governor is one charged with steering us in the right direction as a state, but Ige has not let Tsutsui, or us, the citizens of Hawaii, know where he is going. We have been kept in the dark.

Tsutsui’s suggestion for a bill to change the election process for governor and lieutenant governor is an excellent idea. This would encourage a team effort.

Two candidates with integrity, who respect each other, running as a team, openly communicating their intentions and priorities to each other and to our citizens, could possibly steer Hawaii to excellence.

Jeff Yamashita
Waipahu

More than 5 ways to label bad drivers

I enjoyed reading the article on Maj. Darren Izumo, head of the Honolulu Police Department’s traffic division (“Darren Izumo,” Star-Advertiser, Name in the News, Oct. 16).

He used five dreaded “D” categories of drivers: drunk, distracted, drowsy, drugged “and just plain dumb.”

I submit other “D” drivers who could cause accidents:

>> Discourteous: Drivers who don’t use turn signals.

>> Disoriented: I’ve seen drivers zoom across three lanes of traffic getting to an exit because they don’t plan their route or don’t know where they’re going.

>> Don’t know how to change lanes: They put their turn signal on when you are next to their rear quarter panel. You need to wait until the lane next to you is clear, use your turn signal, then change lanes.

>> Don’t know right of way. I’m at an intersection. I have the stop sign. The cross traffic does not. They stop and yield to me. Duh!

Robert K. Soberano
Moiliili

Aborting babies is not ‘health care’

How can Louise Simrell say that trying to stop Planned Parenthood from killing pre-born babies is “political and pseudo-religious” (“Stop persecuting Planned Parenthood,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 15)?

No one is against health care for women. But can anyone say that killing little pre-born girls is moral? Half of the pre-born babies are women. How is that “health care”?

I have lost a baby to natural miscarriage, and that is hard enough. Losing my granddaughters to abortion is so much worse and psychologically scars the mother for life when she comes to terms with the fact that Planned Parenthood killed her baby, too.

This makes no sense.

I’m right behind Louise in age, and she is absolutely wrong. This is not political, religious or health care. It is murder of little girls and boys to make money and also selling their body parts.

Iwalani Solomon
Kaaawa

Sandwich Isles serves clients well

From 1989 to 1994, I was GTE Hawaiian Tel’s international vice president. GTE’s Saipan subsidiary, Micronesia Tel, reported to me. Micronesia Tel used $80 million GTE borrowed from the federal government’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) program.

I live on Hawaiian Home Lands in Papakolea. I was aware that many homesteads, particularly on the neighbor islands, had poor or no telephone service. I wondered if RUS programs used for Kahoolawe-size Saipan applied to our homesteads.

I subsequently hooked up with Albert Hee and helped launch Sandwich Isles Communication’s RUS loan program. Sandwich Isles borrowed $168 million from RUS.

Every dime went to infrastructure to serve our homesteads. I know because I was in charge of those projects — and the government knows because it approved and audited all projects.

So, why all the misinformation implying funding was Hee’s personal piggy bank?

Are some parties saying it’s OK for government funds to benefit Micronesians but not Native Hawaiians?

Harold Johnston Jr.
Papakolea

Most local people still show aloha

The comments of Alvin Z. Katekaru were a bit too biting for me (“Hawaii lacking a bit in its aloha spirit,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 19).

In old Hawaii, there was a lot of aloha. It was what drew people to Hawaii.

When newcomers arrived in Hawaii, they wanted to improve what they saw.

It is all of the newcomers who require such criticism, the ones who do not practice aloha.

The ones who do not share. The ones who corrupted our elected politicians.

The local people, while working at two or three jobs, are too busy surviving.

Such harsh words should be shared with the people who have the money and time to live aloha.

Keoni Ronald May
McCully-Moiliili