Thank you, Star-Advertiser and Vicki Viotti, for the important Insight article, “Equal Justice Under Law?” (Feb. 14).

The accompanying illustration of the scale of justice was perfect, reflecting the victims’ desire to have their rights be placed in the Hawaii Constitution, balanced with those already existing for defendants.

Visualize the legislative hearing rooms on Feb. 9 as courageous victims — representing the violent crimes of domestic violence, sexual abuse, murder, impaired driving, assault and more — explained why a constitutional amendment (Marsy’s Law) was so important to them. Provisions were made for those who wanted to be anonymous for their own personal safety.

Sixty- six individuals submitted written testimony in favor of the amendment. Thirty more sent support through the Capitol’s online system.

Hawaii needs to become the 33rd state with a constitutional amendment giving equal rights for victims of crime.

Carol H. McNamee

Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii

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Existing resources can help victims

The advancement of Marsy’s Law in the Legislature is very disconcerting (“Equal justice under law?,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 14).

House Judiciary Committee Vice Chair Joy San Buenaventura asked whether a constitutional amendment was necessary.

Also, American Civil Liberties Union attorney Dan Gluck “agreed that government has not enforced victims’ rights as laid out in (existing) state law.”

Their comments do not seem to justify putting this amendment on the ballot.

Rather, why are there problems in enforcing the existing state laws, so crime victims don’t go through such frustrating and painful experiences as Nicholas Iwamoto did when he was brutally attacked at Koko Crater Trail?

He was left out of the loop for seven years and only the good people of Hawaii supported him.

Laws and amendments are just words. Crime victims need action from our existing resources within our state to help them in time of trauma.

Revising the state Constitution is not a simple matter should there be challenges to this amendment.

E. Ileina Funakoshi

Pearl City

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Few good options to replace Obama

I hope readers took the time to read and digest David Brooks’ comments (“Believe it or not, we’ll all miss Obama a bit,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 15).

While we may not agree with all of his political decisions, he has brought character, understanding, respect, sensitivity, ethics and values and a sense of optimism to the presidency.

What do we have to look forward to in choices for a new president? Kinda scary. Most of the candidates preach fear, negativism, hatred, cynicism and despair. They’re leading us to believe we are overburdened with problems — but that’s not true, if we truly look at ourselves as a country.

Hope: What’s that? Hillary Clinton seems more realistic and she’s got the chutzpah and experience to be president. In our humanness, we all make mistakes.

All is not bad. Let’s be thankful for our freedoms; they’ve been hard-earned.

Linda Iverson

Moiliili

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Scalia and Ginsburg a model for us all

It always cheers me when folks with conflicting ideas really enjoy, maybe even love each other, in spite of their differences.

To me, this is the ultimate Christian message: It’s easy to love our friends, but to love our so-called enemies? Whoa, that’s hard.

When I heard this weekend of the sudden death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and the great longstanding affection between him and his ideological rival colleague, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I was fascinated. He was a right-wing conservative; she is a leftist liberal. He was Catholic; she is Jewish.

If only our currently dysfunctional U.S. Congress could be inspired by Scalia and Ginsburg’s delightfully mature and unexpected friendship. Then we might not have this unbelievably conflicted insanity from too many current politicians and some presidential candidates.

Deborah Candace Love

Makiki

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Even difficult trails are getting crowded

This weekend I hiked a difficult trail where we used to see few, if any, people, and found it now crowded with tourists, runners, campers, couples with babies and dogs (lots of dogs), and a large group from China who probably paid for a guided tour.

There was lots of litter and plastic bags of dog droppings hanging from tree branches.

The peak was so crowded you could hardly find a place to stand.

I asked someone, “How many people can we fit on this peak anyway?” He said, “It’s just the island in miniature. How many people can we fit on Oahu?”

Developers say we can bring more and more people, but is anyone thinking about the impact on Hawaii? We’re running out of room to stand.

Get ready. What’s happening on the hiking trails is a miniature version of exactly what’s happening all over the islands.

Mathew Johnson

Kaimuki

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Award pot licenses as fairly as possible

It will be highly lucrative for those groups awarded the medical marijuana dispensary licenses. Unfortunately, applicants who get chosen will be accused of undue influence and conflicts of interest. Those who don’t will likely file lawsuits.

What to do?

I suggest we discard the panel to select the groups. Instead, have the state Department of Health choose the approved applicants in a fair way with an equal playing field.

Put the names of the approved applicants on ping-pong balls, put the balls in a bingo cage, turn the cage and have the governor pull out eight balls to determine the groups awarded the licenses.

It would be transparent and fair, and avoid conflicts of interest as well as lawsuits.

Libby Tomar

Kailua