Beware health risks in 5G infrastructure

The Legislature is currently considering granting the cell phone industry access to all public rights-of-way throughout the state for 5G small-cell infrastructure, via House Bill 625 and Senate Bill 1201.

Allowing total access to the cell phone industry for 5G small-cell infrastructure without any health and safety studies is careless and irresponsible.

5G small-cell infrastructure means allowing thousands of cellular antennas placed on power poles, light poles, water tanks, the sides of buildings, anywhere within existing rights-of-way at low elevations.

Wireless 5G frequencies of 25 -100 GHz require a line-of-sight projection to users, thus requiring thousands of small cell antennas. These cells emit microwave radiation similar to radar.

No health and safety studies exist for an operating 5G network.

It’s an experiment and we are the guinea pigs.

Ron Becker

Kohala

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Chin’s lawsuit doesn’t make sense

The logic in state Attorney General Douglas Chin’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban doesn’t add up.

Since the travel ban affects both Muslim and non-Muslim citizens, a religious discrimination argument doesn’t seem applicable. The country with the largest number of Muslims, Indonesia, isn’t even included in the travel ban.

There are 50 countries in the world that have majority-Muslim populations, yet only six are included in the travel ban.

Perhaps those six countries have vetting issues, making it difficult to determine who could be a security risk to the U.S.

Chin’s lawsuit is a waste of the state’s limited resources, and how he determined he has the support of a majority of the population to spend the $150,000 is a mystery.

Donna Von

Mililani

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Obama didn’t sway judge’s decision

The implication that President Barack Obama influenced Judge Derrick Watson’s decision concerning the anti-immigration executive order (“Obama’s presence felt in judge’s ruling,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 20) insults both the former president and Watson, whose judicial integrity is being called into question by this claim.

Disagreeing with Watson’s decision or with the state’s pursuit of the case is legitimate. Implying that Obama came to Hawaii to steer Watson’s decision and that the judge was indeed influenced by an Obama intervention is not legitimate and casts unwarranted doubt on the integrity of both the former president and our judiciary. This erosion of civility and undermining of public trust in our democratic institutions is reprehensible.

Karen O. Mason

St Louis Heights

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Immigrants have helped America

When I read that Germany planned to admit 1 million refugees from Syria, I thought “How can they handle this?” Then I reasoned that this was only 1.2 percent of Germany’s population, and it would make little difference in their standard of living. Germany set the standard for other European countries.

America did a similar thing after the Vietnam war. Escapees and refugees from Vietnam were scattered in camps in Asian countries that did not want to assimilate them. President Gerald Ford allowed them to enter the United States. They were very different from Americans in language and culture and were unvetted. Yet they have been a real plus to our country.

America had a heart then, and I was proud of America and admired Ford for this decision.

Trump has unleased an aspect of America that I am not proud of, with his attacks on immigrants. I was hoping that the prejudice and meanness that does exist in America was diminishing, but he has given it new life.

Harold Loomis

Kaimuki

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New climate office can save city money

You rightly fret about the budgets of two new city agencies, but without parsing the numbers (“Control costs for new city agencies,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, March 20).

Of the $467,000 proposed for the Office of Climate Change, about $130,000 will come from the Rockefeller Foundation to pay for the new director.

Of the four other positions being sought, one is a secretary and one is an energy policy coordinator, whose job will be to pursue energy and lighting retrofits and to install PV systems on city facilities using power purchase agreements and energy savings performance contracts.

This not only will minimize the need to invest city funds, but should reap substantial long-term savings for taxpayers.

The other two people in this office will start planning to adapt Oahu for the 5- to 8-foot rise in sea levels anticipated before the end of the century.

Adaptation will cost billions. The sooner we start planning, the less costly it’s going to be.

Anthony Aalto

Wilhelmina Rise

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VA in Honolulu provides great care

I just want to give out a shout of praise to all the absolutely wonderful people at the VA in Honolulu.

Every time I meet with the nurses, doctors and administrative staff, I am most thankful they are my health care provider. Their courtesy, understanding, kindness and desire to help veterans is fantastic.

The individual empathy from every VA first-line employee reflects an outstanding desire to ensure all veterans are treated with respect and as quickly as possible.

I cannot praise the people providing my medical treatment enough.

Walk proudly in our community, hold your heads high and wear the VA nametag proudly. You are a member of an outstanding team.

Jackie M. Crowther

Wahiawa