Mahalo to Suzanne Case for highlighting Hawaii’s irreplaceable native birds (“Native birds protect forests, watersheds,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 22).

However, hundreds of spectacular plants and invertebrates also face extinction. Seventy-three of Hawaii’s 423 endangered plants have less than 10 wild individuals remaining — with key threats being introduced pigs, goats and deer. Hawaii’s colorful tree snails have been decimated by rats and non-native predatory snails.

As someone who has worked on endangered Hawaiian species for decades, we need to:

>> Expand emergency efforts to prevent extinctions, rather than cutting funds to the highly successful Plant Extinction Prevention Program, the similar snail program, and bird propagation efforts;

>> Keep new invasive species like snakes out of Hawaii;

>> Use the state’s innovative watershed partnerships and invasive species committees to fence and restore at least 20 percent of Hawaii as habitat for native species;

>> Eliminate mosquitoes that spread bird malaria, or we will lose most of our remaining forest birds.

Loyal A. Mehrhoff

Hawaii Kai

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Critics need to listen to Trump’s message

As President Donald Trump launches his four-year term as president of the greatest nation on Earth, he should lead in a process whereby all Americans relearn how to engage in meaning- ful and polite dialogue.

The people most shocked by Trump’s election are those who for so long have been used to hearing themselves to the exclusion of other views, contrary or otherwise.

Instead of pausing and taking time to figure out the message underlying Trump’s election, these people continue to engage in public behavior that disturb and nauseate others who hold different perspectives.

To be sure, the shock over Trump’s rise was magnified by his own nasty and unacceptable conduct during the election. Many were convinced that he was not fit to be president. Still, he got elected by fellow Americans who heard and agreed with his message — and by a sizable electoral-vote margin.

Let’s relearn to engage in meaningful and polite dialogue, to relearn to disagree without being disagreeable.

Antonio V. Ramil

Wailuku, Maui

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Americans must remain united

Why is it I feel that I am the only one who voted for President Donald Trump? More than 62 million people voted in favor of Trump. Recently I got chewed out by a liberal friend because I am the only guy in America that voted for Trump — at least it seems that’s how she thinks.

To those who oppose Trump, let me make a football analogy. It’s like betting against your favorite football team. The team is more than just a quarterback. Likewise in politics, the team is more than just the president.

We do not want to show other countries our weakness. For the sake of national security, America must show unity.

To my liberal friends: The Hollywood elite are not on your side. While they ponder which Mercedes to drive to dinner, many of us are pondering how to pay next month’s mortgage.

James “Kimo” Rosen

Kapaa, Kauai

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Trump projects own flaws onto others

There has been much commentary outlining the many character and psychological flaws of President Donald Trump.

However, there has been little or no mention of his penchant for projection. Projection is a psychological defense mechanism, seen most often in both borderline and narcissistic personality disorders, where one “projects” one’s personal flaws onto others. Thus, when Trump declares “Lyin’ Ted,” or “Crooked Hillary,” he is really projecting his own dishonesty onto them.

Trump claims he will go to Washington and “drain the swamp.” This is more projection on his part. He cannot drain the swamp; he is the swamp.

Joseph W. Turban, M.D.

Makakilo

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Don’t bring assisted death to Hawaii

We are cultivating a culture of permissible death. Abortion on demand only means enabling women to kill their babies for their convenience and lifestyle. It is not a reproductive right; it’s an anti-reproductive right. It’s not a health issue; it’s a death issue.

Now we have an advocate for “death with dignity” (“An ailing lobbyist wants a law to OK suicide via doctor,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 13). We will enable doctors whose occupation is to promote life and health to have a license to kill for the sake of dignity.

Other states have doctor-assisted suicide. Rather than bringing more death to Hawaii, get a plane ticket and go there.

Michael Lee

Wilhelmina Rise

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Reopen Kapiolani Park archery range

It’s time to take a fresh look at reopening the Kapiolani Park archery range. It’s been almost five years since the incident in which a youth stupidly shot an arrow in the air and it landed on a nearby tennis court. No one was injured. A public meeting was held in July 2012 with hundreds of people there to support reopening the range.

Why has it been closed for so long? Even stray bullets going through residents’ windows and walls near Koko Head haven’t shut down the shooting range. Temporary closures while new safety measures were put into place was all that happened. Two sports can safely co-exist in one park.

Five years of waiting is long enough.

My husband is 75 years old and not in good health. He shot archery there almost every day for 35-40 years. I don’t want him to die waiting to do it again. Please reopen it now.

Colleen Mung Lim

Kalihi