School shootings are now routine

The U.S. might be the only country where, after a new school shooting, viewers change channels out of boredom.

Thank you, National Rifle Association and bribed congressmen.

Jeff Bigler

Wailuku

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Waianae camp can be dangerous

Pu‘uhonua o Waianae is a home for thieves and robbers, not just a self-governing camp of homeless (“Waianae encampment seeks help from state,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 15).

They steal more than just the toilet paper from the pier. A friend related to me how his wallet was stolen by a person living there and whom he had temporarily employed. When he talked to the police, he was told not to go there to try to get it back. He did anyway and was beaten up. Nothing is safe around them.

I do favor “safe” or “ohana” zones with sanitation facilities and even mail boxes. These should include Class “D” accommodations for those who insist on no rules: druggies, drunks, deranged and dogs. Those who want better need to accept rules appropriate to the standard of living to which they aspire. The city should have the right to choose where the zones are located, and all of them should be regularly patrolled.

Rousting the homeless is not enough without providing an acceptable alternative.

Dan Carpenter

Waianae

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Homeless man confronts driver

My husband and I went shopping at Home Depot Pearl City. Because of traffic, we decided to enter the entry on the Diamond Head side of the main entrance.

A hooded male with two grocery shopping carts blocked the entrance. I motioned to him that I wanted to drive through but he started to flail his arms wildly, swearing words I prefer not to repeat. I started to go around him but he moved his entire body and carts to block the way.

It was obvious he was not mentally stable so I did not confront him. He pounded on my car and continued to swear.

This traumatic event showed me that no matter how much the government attempts to assist the homeless, we must all admit they are overtaking our neighborhood.

How many people must emigrate before our elected officials open their eyes? Am I the only taxpayer who is tired of being treated as a second-class citizen to the homeless?

Stella Yasuda

Aiea

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$15 minimum wage won’t be destructive

Let’s hope the new $15 minimum wage will come to pass. It’s not only the morally right thing to do but also good policy.

Income inequality was one of the factors that led to Donald Trump’s rise to power. Do we want to see a similar scenario in Hawaii?

When the minimum wage in Hawaii was raised from $7.25 to present day $10.10, many opponents predicted there would be mass layoffs and an inordinate amount of businesses shutting down their doors.

I’m sure some businesses closed or laid off workers as a result of the increase in the minimum wage. But it’s nowhere near the level that the fearmongers would like us to believe. Let’s pray that our lawmakers will do the right thing.

Tuan Tran

Makiki

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Cataluna stirs up public resentment

The day after the missile false alert, Lee Cataluna said, “It’s the time for outrage,” and that the “fury” of those affected “will demand retribution” (“Somebody needs to get fired over false alarm,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 14).

One month later, after many reported death threats against personnel at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Cataluna advised the death-threateners to “go take a shower” and wondered why agency employees are “all aflutter” about the threats (“Threats taken more seriously than false missile alerts,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 14).

It is striking that Cataluna sees no connection between her own fanning of the flames of public frustration and the outraged and outrageous responses of the people who issued threats. And it is puzzling why she recommends that people targeted by death threats take comfort in her hunch that “in most cases it’s just people talking big and blowing off steam.”

But what is most troubling about Cataluna’s columns is the consistency with which she panders to people’s base impulses. On many issues (crime, homelessness, tourism, immigration), she chooses to stir the public pot of resentment rather than illuminate the subjects about which she writes.

David T. Johnson

Kailua

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False missile alert was a death threat

While acknowledging that death threats are wrong, it is ironic that Hawaii Emergency Management Agency employees are now complaining about receiving death threats after threatening the entire state with nuclear annihilation by issuing an erroneous missile attack alert.

Rhoads Stevens

Hawaii Kai

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Mapunapuna floods haven’t been fixed

When is someone going to step up to the plate and fix the flooding problem in Mapunapuna? I have worked in the area for more than 30 years and the problem hasn’t been fixed.

Some years ago, the city spent several hundred thousand dollars to install a “duckbill” fitting to alleviate the problem. This fix worked for a little while, but without the proper maintenance the problem still exists.

Water on the corner of Ahua and Kilihau streets comes from a drain and is still there, even when it doesn’t rain.

There are little tilapia swimming in the water. The corner that has all the water is also full of potholes that cannot be fixed unless the area is dry.

The city also needs to put up signage warning motorists unfamiliar with the area that the existing water is salt water and caution should be exercised before driving through it.

Cynthia Endo

Kuliouou