The proposition of raising the minimum wage can and has been argued from a number of emotional perspectives, ranging from fairness to moral obligation. Typically, these arguments fall short of the mark, as they fail to incorporate rational thought into the mix. Such is the case when suggesting increasing the wage as a solution to the battle with our cost of living (“Millennials struggle with cost of living,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 18).

Until symptoms such as living costs are recognized as the direct results of fiscal policy coming out of the Big Square Building, any actions other than replacing those who are responsible for that policy will simply be Band-aids.

Joan Rank

Waialua

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World Surf League threats a wipeout

The World Surf League’s threat to drop Hawaii surfing events from its tour schedule if denied a date change by the city only hurts itself.

Two things bother me here. First, we have an insensitive mayor who can’t see past the rail project to consider doing something nice for his people. Second and most bothersome, we have the WSL threatening to hurt the surfing community of Hawaii if it doesn’t get its way.

WSL’s threat makes it the villain here. Hawaii’s surfing community did it no harm. Whatever it does, it does at its own peril.

Hawaii is a prime surfing spot known worldwide for its rich surfing history and legendary surfing locations. It has produced many champions in the sport. If the WSL wants to drop Hawaii’s established surfing market, I believe other organizations would be very interested in picking it up.

Clarence Chun

Kalihi

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Add armed staff for school security

I doubt any new “gun” law passed by Congress would ever prevent a school massacre from happening again. However, I believe that locally, parents could make a difference by requesting their children’s schools provide enhanced security that will deter any potential perpetrator from ever considering it.

I suggest each school require their security guards be trained with using armed weapons. Schools should also encourage teachers to qualify for training and carrying concealed weapons. If anything, the Legislature should fund the program and ensure school employees are covered for liability and lawsuits.

I believe this policy would be more effective than wishing the problem would never be experienced in Hawaii.

Russel Noguchi

Pearl City

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Start at top on gun-related issues

Yes, I agree with our president that we need to prevent people with mental- health issues from securing guns.

The first place to start is with our spineless, sold-out congressmen and president, who care far more about the money they receive from the National Rifle Association than they do about the lives of innocent, young students.

How can they sleep at night?

William Metzger

Manoa

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Don’t let scofflaws taint medical pot

Like many people in Hawaii, I would like to see cannabis legalized in our state.

However, it’s a step backward for medical cannabis acceptance when people in the business flagrantly defy the current rules, as alleged- ly happened at the recent Hawaii Cannabis Expo, and distribute cannabis illegally.

We’ve come a long way toward acceptance and it would be a huge loss for those finding ailment relief if medical cannabis laws were reversed.

Public opinion makes or breaks rules in this country.

Anne Wheelock

Nuuanu

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Process balances out big-state votes

Doug Lamerson is one of the many people who still can’t accept the fact that Donald Trump won the presidency (“Trump elected only by Electoral College,” Star- Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 15).

Many like him point out that Trump lost the popular vote. He opined that Trump was voted in by the Electoral College, which he claimed is an anachronism that subverts the will of the people.

The Electoral College system favored the Democrats and it was Trump who said the system was rigged against him. Now that Trump beat all the odds and won, people like Lamerson now shout, “Foul!”

He claimed that Trump lost the popular vote by 3 million votes. What he failed to acknowledge is that virtually all of those votes came from just two states, California and New York. Without those two states, Trump would have crushed Hillary Clinton on the popular vote as well.

That’s why the Electoral College System was formed. It prevents a few large states from deciding elections.

Bert Oshiro

Hawaii Kai