Yet another classic example of legislative ignorance.
Honolulu does not provide drinking fountains, toilets or hand-washing facilities for public use in the downtown area, so of course our Legislature thinks that people who do not live nor work Downtown should be fined $2,000 for using streets instead of facilities not provided (“Bill would impose $2,000 fine for public urination,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 6).
Our Legislature also determined that minimum-wage earners who cannot afford housing also should be fined and their personal property destroyed for daring to accommodate their family on the street. Oh, and yes, let us use federal funding not to build affordable housing but to fund committees to study the problem.
To quote Shakespeare, “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,” but completely lacking in common sense.
Rico Leffanta
Kakaako
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Bill won’t allow sex trafficking
The laws against sex trafficking are not repealed (“Measure aims to decriminalize isle prostitution,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 4).
The laws against underage sex work are not repealed.
The law preventing a police officer from having sex with a prostitute prior to arrest is no longer relevant if there is no more threat of arrest. Certain zoning laws remain on the books.
The argument that this bill would make it harder to get the bad guys translates as law enforcement asking to have a law that allows officers to arrest people at random, without evidence of a crime, in hopes that a percentage might be guilty of something.
The bill repeals laws that criminalize acts of consenting adults, including business relationships that are often useful to people in this industry as in any other.
People should visit the Capitol website and read the bill or the existing code before making a judgment.
Tracy Ryan
Makiki
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Will Hawaii become ‘Brothel of Pacific’?
I cannot imagine anyone seriously proposing not only that prostitution be legalized, but also to legalize buying sex and exploiting people as a pimp (“Measure aims to decriminalize isle prostitution,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 4).
As a tourist and military destination, Hawaii has a problem with trafficking of adults and children for prostitution. Other countries have tried legalizing prostitution without imposing penalties on the consumers and exploiters, and it has only increased trafficking.
The only effective solution is the “Nordic Model,” adopted in northern Europe and Northern Ireland, which decriminalizes prostitution, erases previous charges from the record, and offers rehabilitation resources for those forced by others or by circumstances into prostitution. Buying sex is a criminal offense, and laws against trafficking and pimping are enhanced.
Only if the demand is decreased or eliminated will sex trafficking cease to be a multibillion-dollar enterprise. Do we really want to be known as “The Brothel of the Pacific”?
Sr. Marie Lemert
Kalihi
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GOP’s education ideas won’t work
The Republicans now own the American education system. They have confirmed a radical ideologue as secretary of the federal Department of Education.
I’m all for more money going to classrooms. I’m not for school prayer unless it’s a five-minute break for all kids to pray per their religion or not at all, if they choose not to pray.
I am for science and scientific theory and not eliminating evolution for biblical creation. I agree Common Core did not accomplish the intended goal, but regionalism may not provide for all kids’ needs.
And school choice and vouchers? Based on what? Unless all kids have access to all schools and the best education possible, regardless of where they live and whether or not they can afford it, it’ll only prove discriminatory.
Carl Campagna
Alewa Heights
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Trump’s promises should be protested
Jim Pollock was correct when he said no one who was paying attention to campaign speeches should be surprised about President Donald Trump’s restrictions on immigration from certain Middle East countries (“Trump is honoring campaign pledges,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 3).
He is wrong, however, in implying that they shouldn’t complain about such policies. After all, most people (notably not just those on the left) were expressing dissent with such pronouncements when Trump first proposed them.
Methinks that Trump is very sincere when he wants any immigrants/refugees subjected to “extreme vetting.” In fact, I wouldn’t doubt that the president would like to see waterboarding implemented as part of such an approach.
Paul Campbell
Waipahu
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Ramil instrumental in state’s health law
Mahalo for your article on the recent passing of Mario Ramil, the former director of labor and former associate justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court (“Retired justice Ramil served the ‘little guy’ in various state posts,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 2).
Justice Ramil was truly an advocate of the working people in the state. Not mentioned in the article was his contribution to our state prepaid health care system. As a deputy attorney general, Ramil, along with the late Justice Ed Nakamura, former labor director Joshua Agsalud, and Orlando Watanabe (retired DLIR administrator) lobbied Congress to get an exemption from the federal ERISA law for the Hawaii prepaid health law, which made Hawaii the first in the nation to require employers to provide health insurance benefits to workers.
Ramil continued his advocacy for the working people when he fought efforts to do away with the presumption provision of the workers compensation law; ensured that the unemployment insurance fund is in solid condition; and that wage and hour laws are enforced.
Wilfredo Tungol
Pearl City
