Mayor, Sword hobble police commission

Honolulu Police Commission Chairman Max Sword is an embarrassment. He is supposed to be doing the people’s business, not playing spin doctor or lobbyist. His shameful behavior the last few weeks in a rush to get a new chief shows he is not up to the job. He should resign.

The mayor is also to blame. He has left two seats on the commission vacant. One member resigned earlier this year, and Louella Costales’ term had expired (she was held over but resigned last month) and he did nothing to replace her.

I was disheartened to read that Commissioner Steven Levinson had implored the mayor to fill the seats and has given up trying (“With HPD panel leader out of chief choice, others must be unanimous,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 11).

The mayor should have a list of people under consideration for every commission seat on the island, and when a term is up, either reappoint or announce the new candidate. He leaves seats vacant for long periods, a dereliction of duty.

Lynne Matusow

Downtown Honolulu

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Hawaii right to fight Trump’s travel ban

With all due respect, I totally disagree with Gordy Fowler, who criticized the efforts of Gov. David Ige and Attorney General Douglas Chin in fighting the travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump (“Fighting travel ban wastes money again,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 9).

Hawaii has always been in the forefront of protecting our residents’ constitutional rights. It is particularly appropriate in this case, given the large immigrant population of our state.

The travel ban is in reality based on religious grounds, disguised as a means to protect our country from the citizens of the banned countries.

Have we forgotten how President Franklin Roosevelt (for whom I have the utmost admiration for his social programs) signed Executive Order 9066, which led to the internment of hundreds of thousands of Japanese-Americans and lawful Japanese immigrants purely on the basis of their race?

Every penny spent to defend our rights under the Constitution is worth it.

Wilfredo Tungol

Pearl City

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Taxpayers tired of homeless giveaways

Lee Cataluna’s column, “Homeless winning fight for beachfront property,” hit the nail on the head (Star-Advertiser, Oct. 6).

Thank you so much for stating the obvious to the law-abiding, taxpaying citizens of Oahu and to the oblivious political officials who allow the homeless to take over our parks and city.

The inmates are clearly running the asylum.

Why don’t government officials save themselves the trouble and turn over our beautiful beaches and parks to the homeless, and while they are at it, refurbish the comfort stations for them and provide free electricity and water for their use? Oh wait, they’ve already done that.

I’m so angry!

Nancy Ainscough

Hawaii Kai

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Well-run, temporary safe zones necessary

Safe zones for the homeless implies that people without houses can stay in safe zones forever.

The concept can work if it is clearly defined and run properly as temporary shelter.

The military calls it command, control, communications. The homeless problem is a war against poverty and mental illness. Treat it that way.

You or I can’t camp without a permit. You or I can’t trespass, litter or pollute public places. This is common sense. We are not criminalizing homelessness, we are fighting against poverty and mental illness.

Provide Kokua Centers for the homeless and houseless, with bathrooms, showers, hot meals, places for pets, mental health counseling and medications, financial counseling, housing assistance, a chance for a step forward. Do it now.

Chris Nakamatsu

Kailua

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Congress must keep Trump in check

During President Donald Trump’s first 232 days in office, he made 1,145 false or misleading statements, averaging 4.9 daily, according to The Washington Post. Other fact-checking agencies independently confirm his habit.

Is he unable to distinguish between fact and fiction, or is he just trying to manufacture his own reality, generate media attention, bias public discourse and energize his base? How can he be trusted with the nuclear button, dealing with North Korea and Iran, and any other serious matter?

Recalling his words at the U.N. about North Korea, how can he threaten to annihilate 25 million human beings? Is that appropriate in the U.N.? Is that presidential, Christian, or sane?

America and the rest of the world may well be headed toward an unprecedented catastrophe. Only Congress may be able to prevent it, but do enough representatives have any backbone? Are enough truly patriotic and morally responsible?

Leslie E. Sponsel

Hawaii Kai

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Diplomacy needed on nuclear threats

President Donald Trump’s bellicose threats against North Korea and Iran are dangerous. Every member of Congress should speak out to support diplomacy and stop Trump’s march to war.

I hope U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono will do everything in their power to save the Iran deal from sabotage by the White House. The president’s actions send signals to other nations.

Ending or undermining the Iran deal will send the message to North Korea and the rest of the world that, even when a country like Iran is subjected to the most rigorous inspection regime to ensure it never develops nuclear weapons, the U.S. won’t hold up its end of the bargain.

We already have one nuclear crisis. Let’s not manufacture another one, and let’s use diplomacy to resolve both.

Jacqui Skil

Lahaina