Who knew that it would take high school students to wake up this nation (“Across the nation, masses call for an end to gun violence,” Star-Advertiser, March 15)?

I am so very proud. My 14-year-old granddaughter, who attends SOTA, the San Francisco performing arts school, participated in the walkout. Even though she is an “A” student, she didn’t care that she would be marked with an unexcused absence.

The walkout was very organized. The SOTA students first did a mass calling to Congress. My granddaughter was able to speak and argue with U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, trying her best to convince him of the merits of gun control. Apparently, she aggravated him enough that, hopefully, he is considering some of her points.

Afterward, the SOTA students marched from City Hall to Ghirardelli Square.

With this type of massive action by high school students throughout the country, including our Hawaii students, I believe America will be smart again!

Elizabeth Jubin Fujiwara

Downtown Honolulu

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Get better handle on foul sewer spills

There are far too many sewer spills this winter all over Hawaii. The city and other entities said they aren’t able to contain sewer spills. Why not? No good reason is ever given except that we had rains.

One only has to walk along the Ala Wai Canal during a rainstorm and wonder how long residents and visitors can put up with very brown water and visible trash heading straight into our crowded beaches and marinas.

Tourism in Hawaii depends on efficient water management and safe water to drink and swim in.

Jay Pineda

Waikiki

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Gift of children must be loved, nurtured

Children are our most precious resource. If we cannot nurture them to be the future healthy adults they’re destined to be, we will see more aberrant behavior unfolding in troubled adults.

Society will pay many times over the cost of dealing with these maltreated persons if practices to help manage present insufficient services are not changed with rising demands.

The situation in East Hawaii is one such example. In Hawaiian culture, children are considered as gifts we give to each other. Let’s make sure our gifts are loved, cherished and nurtured in every way we can and in every day we plan.

Gabrielle L. Makuakane

Moiliili

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Death-with-dignity autonomy is unclear

Jeff Merz defended the absolute authority of personal autonomy in the death-with-dignity bill debate (“Christians can’t legislate to others,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 14) and is consistent with his humanist values. While I affirm the importance of personal freedom, as a Christian I see human life as the overarching authority. As life is given by God, we individuals have no moral authority to take our own lives.

One is certainly free to dismiss God, to reject the sanctity of human life, and even to be wary of dogmatic Christians trying to legislate their morality.

However, it is not clear to me that death-with-dignity advances individual autonomy; rather, it seems to offer contempt for the sick and dying: “You may continue to live (selfishly) if you like, but we see no reason why you must.”

We end with a perverse result where one not only has the “right” but the “duty” to end life.

Dave Beers

Waipahu

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Abortion not equal to death penalty, war

Leslie Sponsel perpetuates the canard of conflating abortion with capital punishment or war (“Pro-lifers’ selective about protecting life,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 15).

Abortion is the intentional killing of an innocent unborn human life. Capital punishment is justice administered to heinous criminals after exhaustive due process. War is righting a wrong during which loss of innocent life is usually avoided and always regrettable. Equating these three losses of life is intellectually dishonest.

By the way, the term “physician-assisted suicide” is an oxymoron because the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians specifically prohibits prescription of deadly medicine.

Rhoads E. Stevens, M.D.

Hawaii Kai

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Put ICE agents where they are wanted

A few weeks ago President Donald Trump said he was thinking about pulling all ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents out of California. What a great idea.

Unfortunately, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is going in the opposite direction by suing California. If all ICE agents were pulled out of any city or state that claimed to give sanctuary to illegal immigrants, it would be a win/win for everyone.

The ICE agents could be moved to cities and states that are not sanctuaries, thus beefing up arrests and deportation of illegal immigrants in those areas that don’t want them.

In order not to be arrested, they could flock to the sanctuary municipalities that protect them. Those sanctuary areas would have to take care of any criminal illegal immigrant without any federal support.

Carl Bergantz

Kaneohe