Hawaii survived a real attack in 1941

In contrast with other letter writers, we seniors who lived through an actual attack on Oahu in 1941 have a much different perspective on the missile attack miscue. We see it as an opportunity for the state and the people of Hawaii to learn from this experience.

Most people probably had no plan for where to go to be safe from an attack. With raised awareness, the populace will be keenly aware of its responsibility to have a plan.

This fiasco was a wake-up call for the state and a mandate for immediate corrections to the early-warning system.

In 1941, we had a huge disaster, with naval bases and Army air fields wiped out, and faced a possible invasion the next day.

There was stunned realization, but essentially a minimum of panic.

Does anyone really need to file a lawsuit and get counseling because they were scared and inconvenienced for 38 minutes? Get a grip!

Marion and John Walker

Kaneohe

—

Not everyone panicked at alert

I’ve talked about the recent false missile alert with people at the open market, Zumba class and relatives. Some didn’t know what was happening because they didn’t have a cellphone. Others thought it was a mistake because there were no sirens going off in our area.

My 88-year-old mother laughed and said, “Why would North Korea bomb us when they want to go to the Olympics?”

My husband noted, “It would be suicide for them. Our retaliatory capability is much stronger.”

Not everyone panicked as news coverage seemed to show.

Now we’re hearing of death threats against the fellow who made the mistake. There are even attacks on Gov. David Ige.

It was a bad mistake, but it’s given us the opportunity to improve how future alerts are sent and we can plan what we should do in the event of a real one.

Kay Kawatachi

Pearl City

—

Heart-attack victim should be thankful

“Out of something bad, something good occurred.”

The man who suffered a heart attack during the missile-attack false alert actually should be grateful he is alive due to the skill of the emergency responders and the doctors (“Man suffers massive heart attack during false alert,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 16).

The need for four stents tells me this man may have had clogged cardiac arteries and not known it. He might have gone on his merry way for some time longer, only to have a heart attack anyway.

Because of the false missile alert, his heart attack just came sooner than possibly later.

Rather than blame the missile alert, the man should be thankful. He is a survivor.

Alex Yray

Waipahu

—

Amendment needed for money in politics

Ed Case correctly identified the core problem with our democracy today — money in politics (“Time to reform money in politics,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 7).

Many of our representatives have been co-opted by special interests, wealthy donors and large corporations.

Those who write the checks expect a return on investment, and they get it.

Witness the recent tax reform legislation giving trillions to those who least need it from those who can least afford it at a time when our economy least requires it.

Yet Case fails to see that the solutions recommended by him and his group, the ReFormers Caucus, are just more of the same. Pouring more money into politics is not the answer, and the idea that Congress can and will police itself is, frankly, ludicrous.

The solution is a constitutional amendment to get money out of politics once and for all.

We need publicly funded elections so our representatives are beholden to the public, not the powerful.

Charles Ciszek

Kailua

—

Cranberries singer lit up the local stage

The obituary for Cranberries lead singer Dolores O’Riordan brought back the memory of her brief appearance on the stage at Nicholas Nickolas, more than 20 years ago (“Songwriter was lead singer of the Cranberries,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 16).

She arrived with a small entourage, a striking dark-haired beauty with a pronounced Irish accent. A couple of our house band’s (Augie Rey’s) guys had the temerity to approach her and ask if she would do a number with them.

She readily agreed (“Just one”) and there followed a brief confab on a song everybody knew, the Patsy Cline/Willie Nelson standard, “Crazy.”

I dimmed the lights and Augie announced her presence. After a round of applause, she belted this great American classic in a strong, slightly tremulous voice, and brought the house down.

Pure magic.

Skip Lambert

Kapahulu

—

Investigate Chin’s campaign manager

As a former constituent of U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, I view Dylan Beesley’s actions since Takai’s passing as deplorable, immoral and possibly illegal (“Payments by Takai’s campaign questioned,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 12).

After 1-1/2 years, to say that he attempted to make contact with Takai’s widow, Sami, looks like he hadn’t started trying until this story broke. How many staff and how long does it take to wind down a deceased candidate’s campaign?

Then to read the very next day that state Attorney General Douglas Chin is standing by Beesley as his campaign manager shows a lack of judgment on his part (“Chin sticks with campaign manager,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 13).

At the very least, Beesley and his firm should be investigated and Chin should reconsider his choice. This is just another reason why we voters need to really scrutinize our candidates and candidates need to scrutinize the people with whom they surround themselves.

Louann Asam

Aiea