Do something for your community on MLK Day

With each succeeding year, the purpose of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday has been lost in T-shirt sales, barbecues and well-intended dinners.

On Nov. 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation making the third Monday in January a paid holiday in honor of King. On Aug. 27, 1984, a law created a federal commission to institutionalize the King holiday around the concepts of remember, celebrate and act.

Remember: This is our nation’s holiday for all people, not just for African-Americans.

Celebrate: We celebrate our victories over past struggles, always remembering the unfinished work to be done.

Act: The holiday is meant to be a day on, not a day off. It is a day intended to perform community service.

I encourage government, military, civic and other organizations to undertake some community service project over the next year, then report their results at the 2017 King holiday celebration.

Edward Joseph

Martin Luther King Jr.

Federal Holiday Commission

Aloha shirts in Congress is embarrassing request

So Hawaii’s U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has asked House Speaker Paul Ryan to allow aloha shirts to be worn every Friday in the House of Representatives (“Takai wants aloha wear at U.S. House,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 9).

He can’t be serious! What next? Rubber slippers and shorts? This is embarrassing to have our representative pursue this frivolous request.

Jim Kozlowski

Waikiki

Have 1 high school be for boys, other for girls

I agree with the 43 percent in your poll that the $35 million should go to build another high school (“Should the state spend $35 million for a new building at Campbell High School?” Star-Advertiser, Big Q, Jan. 11).

Dare to imitate what other countries have been doing successfully for years: Build a new public high school for girls only, and the one in place could be for the boys.

Campbell High School for Girls (CHSG) and Campbell High School for Boys (CHSB).

Peter Coleman Jr.

Makiki

Turn Kmart site into shelter for homeless

With the closing of Hawaii’s first Kmart store located in Iwilei, I hope Hawaii’s homeless services agencies consider buying or renting the location to provide housing (“Closing after 23 years,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 13).

It would be an ideal location, since it is so close to the Institute for Human Services, which provides programs to help those who are homeless.

I’m sure I’m not the first to think of this. I just hope to see it happen.

Leanne Riseley

Salt Lake

Children’s playgrounds are in poor condition

As a new resident, I was unpleasantly surprised to find children’s play areas in Honolulu parks in such poor and dirty condition.

In particular, the community park and play area on Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki is in dire need of cleanup and repair. It was not featured in your article (“City’s park repairs are continuing,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 7).

Jean Rosenfeld

Wailupe Peninsula