The cow herd has been tripled. There are fewer incarcerated children. Programs have declined at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (“Juvenile justice,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 3).

Meanwhile, the administrator has spent $146, 918 in “unused personnel money” on a nutty collection that includes a dump truck, air-conditioned tractors, utility vehicle, rider mower and cattle.

Priorities seem to be all wrong at HYCF. Isn’t it for kids, not cattle?

Hank Chapin

Manoa

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Get real about climate change

When will far more Americans, and especially top government and corporation officials, wake up to the reality of global climate change?

Its symptoms are increasingly apparent, the most recent being the strength of Hurricane Harvey.

When will the climate sleepers and deniers finally act on the fact that the economy and the environment are mutually interdependent? An economy can only be as healthy and prosperous as its environment.

Again, Harvey should make this clear.

The time is decades overdue for climate sanity, science, reason, responsibility and justice. The Paris climate accord is most important, but only one step in the right direction.

Far more action is needed at every level from local to global. That includes someone emotionally stable, well-informed, highly intelligent and genuinely responsible as the American president.

Global climate change threatens the security of the U.S. and world. Ignoring this is a terribly irresponsible and dangerous folly.

Leslie E. Sponsel

Hawaii Kai

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Too many people harming Earth

Much of our financial and environmental challenges are caused by too many people. Excessive population pressures put excessive climate-changing vehicles on roads. This increases the entire carbon-intensive oil and gas infrastructure.

We pave over soil so rains cannot percolate down. Houston floods. Mumbai floods. Public education on limiting family size is nearly non-existent.

Demographically dangerous cities worldwide cannot move people efficiently nor sustainably.

Statewide funding of Honolulu’s rail project is a no-brainer. Don’t we all want to breathe clean air by reducing vehicular impact? Take the bus in lieu of driving.

Shouldn’t all Hawaii residents want less global warming and sea-level rise? Everyone can participate in reducing carbon into our oceans. For many years, crowded Indonesia has broadcast the slogan: “Two is Enough.” Smaller families do live better.

Manufacturing contributes vastly to the climate crisis. Consume less. As Henry David Thoreau said, “I make myself rich by making my wants few.”

Gary Harrold

Hilo

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Afghan policy lacks diplomacy

I read countless articles similar to this one during that other military debacle, the Vietnam War (“Afghanistan strategy demonstrates Trump’s leadership skills,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 31).

Why does the author, Al Frenzel, trust that a president who never admits defeat “will not … drag this [war] out”?

How does the author balance his claim that Trump is a “very capable president,” with his opinion that American diplomacy has “been a no-show in Afghanistan”? Who does Frenzel think appoints ambassadors, and is responsible for our not currently having one in Afghanistan?

Who does he think appointed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the one in charge of our “vast diplomatic power”?

Tillerson has no wish to “light a fire under diplomats to get them engaged.” Quite to the contrary. He has actively engaged in dismantling the Department of State and undermining our career diplomats.

The man Frenzel calls our “very capable president,” supports Tillerson’s initiatives, as more and more career professional diplomats resign in protest every day.

Felicity O. Yost

Kahala

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National anthem deserves respect

I’m bothered by NFL players not standing during the national anthem.

I think their cause is sincere. But what do they want, to bring about revolution? Do they want the NFL to cease with the anthem altogether?

This could get uglier if more players decide to show disrespect.

Do these millionaires realize their good fortunes are the result of the reason our anthem was composed?

Yes, it is a symbol, but created to remind future generations of the courage and lives sacrificed to ensure freedom and liberty for all Americans, including rich athletes.

If their concern is equality for all, then I’m with them. We all should be millionaires.

Norman Fung

Kaneohe