Will Americans shrug when Donald Trump sends American troops to protect his private interests in foreign countries?

Will Americans care when our soldiers die defending a “Trump Tower” in some faraway land?

When the bodies of American forces begin to pile up under those big flashy TRUMP signs that adorn buildings in places like Istanbul, India and Uruguay, are Americans going to write them off as the unavoidable cost of “Making America Great Again”?

Will people still believe him when he says his only objective in defending these targets is to save American lives?

Too many people have ignored his blatant lies and his deceit, which are as vast as his undefined empire. As a nation, we close our eyes and jump into the Trumpian abyss on Jan. 20 only to ask one last question: Who will be the survivors?

Paul LaPage

Waialae-Kahala

—

Hawaiians left out of ‘inclusive America’

I don’t know if Gary R. Johnson’s successful business was in Hawaii, but Native Hawaiians were never part of an “inclusive America” (“‘Deplorable’ lives in inclusive America,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Dec. 3).

Our dad went to war for America five times, twice to Vietnam, and is a highly decorated retired Army officer who gave 35 years of his life for America.

However, Native Hawaiians have suffered under America. The role America played in the theft of the Hawaiian islands would not have been successful without America’s military personnel. U.S. Minister John Stevens landed U.S. troops on Hawaii shores in an illegal act of war to assist in the imprisonment of our queen, and theft of our government and assets by a small group of white Hawaiian nationals.

If Hawaii today is the result of being “inclusive America,” thanks, but I’ll pass. What was done illegally on Jan. 17, 1893 needs to be rectified. Seceding from the U.S. appears to be our best option.

Pua Kealoha

Pahoa, Hawaii island

—

Installing bike lanes cost taxpayers plenty

In response to Tracey Scott about bicyclists paying their “fair share,” bicyclists have not paid their fair share (“Bicycles don’t wear out roads like cars,” Star- Advertiser, Letters, Dec. 15). What the city collects from bicycle permits must only be a small fraction of what the city has spent to build these bike lanes. Millions of dollars will be spent on bike lanes while collections from bicyclists remain far less.

Regardless of the “wear and tear,” bike lanes will be repaved along with the rest of the road and will require all that extra painting of the lane. Let’s not be so arrogant and defensive to those who actually pay for this luxury.

Frank Young

Kakaako

Random Acts of Kindness

In the spirit of this holiday season, readers are invited to write in about random acts of kindness — something that is so unexpected but special and touching that it should be shared with our community.

Send a 150-word letter, or a commentary at 500-600 words, to letters@staradvertiser.com by Dec. 21. A collection of them will run on Christmas Day.