Museum should keep garden

I was disappointed to hear that Bishop Museum is considering selling the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Kealake- kua (“Bishop’s next move,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 9).

The garden is a beautiful open space with rare indigenous plants and valuable educational programming on traditional Hawaiian practices. Beyond that, it is one of the few places to see evidence of the Kona Field System thought to extend over 60 acres from Kailua Village to Honaunau in the late 1700s.

The system maximized land and water resources with rock-lined terraces and grew enough food to feed a population reportedly greater than Kona’s current population. We could certainly learn from the early Hawaiian farmers.

Interestingly, “Traditional Agricultural Field Systems of Hawaii” is the name of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ 2016 state historic preservation calendar. The state’s effort to honor Hawaii’s agricultural history and Bishop Museum’s consideration of selling it seem incongruent.

I hope that the idea of selling Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden is thoughtfully re-examined.

Anni Peterson

Downtown Honolulu

Europe seemed to be trash-free

My wife and I recently returned from three weeks in Europe on a river cruise. It took us through six countries and, at stops along the way, we had walking tours and bus rides.

I was amazed to see no trash along the roads at any of our stops, even with the millions of refugees swarming into Europe.

When we arrived back in Honolulu and got on H-1 on the way home and then onto Fort Weaver Road into Ewa, there was trash everywhere.

Fast-food containers, boxes, rags, tires and much more. Then I knew we were home.

Joel Maimon

Ewa Beach

Rate comparison was misleading

I have concerns about your “Special Report: Hawaiians At Risk” (Star-Advertiser, Jan. 10-11).

In my studies for a master’s degree in social work, I have read widely on this issue. It is misleading to compare Ke Kama Pono’s superficially better recidivism rate with that of the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility.

HYCF is a high-security facility for high-risk offenders; Ke Kama Pono is an unsecured safe house. The populations and completion rates are not comparable.

This faulty inference is common in Hawaii. Unfor-tunately, it is rare for a “Hawaiian” or “cultural” program to receive the same level of scrutiny as a non-Hawaiian one. In academia specifically, it is advisable to give anything deemed “Hawaiian” a wide berth by avoiding any useful criticism.

Our people face many problems. A necessary first step in any solution is fostering open, honest and critical discussions of problems and avoiding this “sacred cow” treatment.

Justin Hahn

Moiliili

NRA misstates Obama’s goals

The letter implying that President Barack Obama wants to take away guns from perfectly legal owners is an example of a big lie propagated by the National Rifle Association (“Obama not to be trusted about guns,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 14).

At no time has the president ever advocated such a position. All he has ever done is ask for common-sense legislation to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, lunatics and terrorists.

Earle A. Partington

Makakilo

It’s OK to lie if you’re Democrat

I was not surprised that 35 percent of the voters surveyed said they would vote for Hillary Clinton for president (“Clinton enjoys large lead in Hawaii presidential poll,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 17).

Did they forget that Clinton lied to the American people for five days about the cause of the attack at Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, or that she lied about the use of a personal email server to conduct State Department business while secretary of state?

I guess it does not matter if you lie, as long as you are a Democrat.

Bill Bowles

Mililani

Be more forgiving toward homeless

Each time I return home for a visit, I notice an increasingly aggressive, judgmental and even racist sentiment toward the growing homeless population.

For a state that prides itself on its “aloha spirit,” we seem to forget that the concept extends to the entire community, not just to those with lives that mirror our own. The economic environment in the state is unforgiving, and the community should not be equally so.

We must reduce the stigmatization of these individuals by disassociating their current circumstances from their capacity to contribute in a positive way. We should be encouraging and advocating for their employment in our community, as excluding them from these opportunities only advances the cyclical nature of poverty.

Making personal changes to personify these individuals in a more compassionate and less negative way would contribute to a more welcoming climate that advances less punitive and more empowering approaches.

Robyn Yano

Pasadena, Calif.

Set up a bistro for newlyweds

All thanks to Uncle Sam, I was able to enjoy a cold beer at outdoor cafes throughout Europe for more than 20 years, and would wholeheartedly support having that basic freedom in Hawaii, were it not for one factor.

When Europeans get drunk, they want to laugh, sing and dance on table tops. Americans want to argue and fight, and that certainly is not appropriate behavior for Queen’s, nor any other beach on our island.

However, we spend millions to attract honeymoon couples to Waikiki, where they are prohibited from sipping champagne while watching a glorious rainbow or sunset.

Why not convert the snack bar behind the Honolulu Police Department’s Waikiki substation into a bistro? There, everyone could enjoy a drink, knowing HPD was only a few steps away to resolve any dispute.

Rico Leffanta

Kakaako

Hawaii should host first primary

Hawaii must go big time and have the nation’s first primary.

The lure of Hawaii would bring millions of dollars into our state. Being first would allow the other 49 states to see our aina at a time when voters there are freezing. Our weather and beautiful beaches say it all.

We have a convention center. We have hard workers. We have a good newspaper.

Elections are usually over before we finish voting here. Candidates will emerge energized from Hawaii for the long, grueling election.

We are a small state but we could help shape the elections and help elect fine people nationally.

Our voters are diverse in many ways. The Hawaii Democratic primary would draw national and international attention. Why not? Let Hawaii be no ka oi.

Jim Delmonte

Hawaii Kai