Bill undermines stated TMT support

A Star-Advertiser poll found that the overwhelming majority of Hawaii’s people, including Native Hawaiians, support the Thirty Meter Telescope (“Support is building for TMT — even among Hawaiians,” Star-Advertiser, March 25).

Politicians should not confuse the loud, angry voices of a tiny minority as representative of the wishes of the majority of Hawaii’s people. While the state struggles to create non-tourism jobs for our young people, thousands of them continue to leave Hawaii every year to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

House Bill 1585, introduced by Hawaii island state Sen. Kai Kahele, which “would prohibit new construction on Mauna Kea until UH complies with tasks outlined in the bill and the state auditor completes a series of audits,” is a disingenuous attempt to kill the project.

Kahele, who claims he supports the TMT, nevertheless introduced the bill because of a “personal promise” he made to individuals. Like most young politicians today, the good senator is articulate and well-educated — and experienced enough to know that one should not say he supports the project while simultaneously introducing legislation guaranteed to kill it.

Ben Cayetano

Waialae Iki

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Military money feeds violence in society

The shocking graphic atop the front page of the Star-Advertiser — bucks for the military launched from a blazing bazooka barrel — reminds us once again of our addiction as a state and nation to military spending (“Feds shell out, isles cash in,” Star-Advertiser, April 10). It shows that we continue to nurture a culture of violence, where weapons of mass destruction proliferate and gun ownership is revered over human life.

Recent observances of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination featured well-known quotes from this prophet of nonviolence.

Here is an apt one: “A nation that continues year after year to spend more on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”

He also warned of the “triple evil of poverty, racism and militarism.” How long can we deny that we are indeed a militaristic nation?

Rather than reveling in Hawaii’s runner-up spot among all states feeding at the Pentagon cornucopia, I hereby request that my per-capita allowance of $5,865 be shifted to programs that promote health, education — and a clean and safe environment for our children and future generations.

Wally Inglis

Palolo Valley

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Don’t blame women for harassers’ actions

Sexual abuse and harassment is a power and control issue. Greg Fernandez demonstrated it very eloquently by the sentence, “Every woman or family member I know would not wait; they would come to one of their male friends in the family to have a ‘talk’ with the offender” (“More women should report abuse at once,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, April 10).

Furthermore, his statement that a woman is culpable is absurd. The offender is culpable.

Recipients often don’t report the problems because if it became known, their family and social circles would be torn apart, or their finances would be destroyed and bring further ruin to their family. There is also a fear of physical harm to themselves or others as a result of reporting. Finally, they are often not believed when they do report.

Women are not delicate flowers. We are practical. If reporting immediately every time worked, we would have been doing that all along.

Amanda Allison

Punchbowl

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HECO, match EV talk with charging walk

I read with interest the story of Hawaiian Electric Co.’s plan recently filed with the state Public Utilities Commission to reach the state’s admirable 2045 energy independence goal (“Electric cars overtake gas cars in isle road map,” Star-Advertiser, April 9). HECO claims its envisioned shift from gas-powered to electric-powered vehicles could save customers $60 million over 27 years and make room for nearly 200,000 more rooftop solar systems.

Brennon Morioka, as Hawaiian Electric’s manager for electrification of transportation, is spot-on that we need to be prepared for this global movement.

However, his trumpeting of HECO’s determination to reach the 2045 goal rings hollow in light of my shock and disappointment at HECO’s recent outrageous price hikes at its EV fast-charger stations. What previously cost $6.50 for a full charge has now been hiked to 49 cents a kilowatt hour.

Though somewhat slower (at level 2), Volta, meanwhile, provides free electricity for four hours, and Chargepoint charges only 7 cents a kilowatt hour after an initial free two hours.

HECO’s deeds need to match its rhetoric.

Craig Stevaux

Kaneohe

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Instead of handout, help with job training

If Hawaii has the lowest unemployment rate, then why do we still see people out there holding signs asking for a handout (“Low rate masks problems,” Star-Advertiser, April 9)?

We need stricter laws that prevent people from doing this and give them an opportunity to learn a skill and go to work.

If we accept this behavior and they continue to sit on a corner holding a sign asking for support, then why work?

Kathy Nicholson

Ewa Beach