As a part of Women Cross DMZ, we just returned from a week in South Korea with 30 international women seeking peace in Korea. We held a peace symposium at the South Korean National Assembly and participated in the fourth annual peace walk at the DMZ. South Koreans want an end to the hostilities and a peace treaty. They are thrilled that South Korean President Moon Jae In has met twice with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un.

When President Donald Trump announced he was canceling the summit, we saw the dejection and concern on their faces. With the resumption of plans for the summit, spirits were high again for maximum engagement and diplomacy to address North Korea’s concern about its own security from U.S. regime change and the U.S. and South Korean concern about the North’s nuclear weapons.

As it is ultimately the Korean people who will be killed if diplomacy fails and countries resort to war, their lives are at stake.

And we in Hawaii, with the headquarters of the Pacific Command and five major military bases located in our islands, may also find ourselves as a target should diplomacy fail.

Christine Ahn

Manoa

Dr. Kalamaoka‘aina Niheu

Kaaawa

Ann Wright

McCully-Moiliili

—

Results of Trump’s decisions in Year 3

President Donald Trump, who knows? What will his independent actions to ignore or violate earlier treaties with our allies mean? What if the U.S. is not part of the G7? What if his policies allow us to deport thousands of Dreamers? What if his staff makes social benefits contingent on working? What if he proves that our elected constitutional representatives really don’t have much influence over the presidential actions?

There really isn’t any history to help project likely outcomes. But history has shown there is a life cycle for management decisions of about three years. This means when a new manager takes over a position or a job, the first year of the new term is a reflection of the predecessor’s actions and decisions. The second year, new policies are put in place. The third year, you can measure the results of the new manager.

2020 isn’t far away.

Greg Schmidt

Hawaii Kai

—

Taking knee doesn’t disrespect anthem

Retired Lt. Col. Pete Jenks said that as a Vietnam veteran, he stands proudly for the national anthem out of respect (“Stand proudly for national anthem,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, June 9).

As a Vietnam veteran and a lowly infantry sergeant, I would kneel respectfully with the athletes who are protesting racial bias and mistreatment of minorities.

They mean no disrespect for the flag or the anthem. They are exercising their freedoms that the flag and anthem are supposed to represent.

Trying to make America better is a greater show of patriotism than denying people those freedoms. These athletes are far better patriots than our president, who is bent on dividing the country for his political advantage.

Kenneth Link

Kailua

—

Understand different types of diabetes

I applaud the article by Michael Broderick describing the YMCA’s diabetes prevention program (“Partnerships change diabetes trends,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, June 10).

However, the piece was very misleading because it did not mention the very real difference between Type 1 diabetes, which cannot be prevented and is completely insulin dependent, and Type 2 diabetes, which can be prevented or reduced. Until the discovery of insulin in 1921 the only outcome of Type 1 was death. That is still true without insulin.

We should be doing everything we can to reduce the occurrence of Type 2 diabetes, but please do not confuse the two very different diseases.

Mary Berman

Waikiki

—

Thanks to those who are helping in Pahoa

Mahalo nui to all who have volunteered their time, abilities and supplies to help those in need in Pahoa. My age and location limit me to a monetary donation, small but important.

Mandy Bowers

Manoa

—

Talk about issues, not just popularity

After reading Richard Borreca’s column about name recognition in the 1st Congressional District, I truly thought perhaps this column would inform the readers of the candidates’ policies and issues (“Ed Case brings buzz, and name recognition, to crowded race for 1st Congressional District,” Star-Advertiser, On Politics, June 10).

In upcoming articles, please inform the public about the 1st Congressional candidates’ pros and cons of issues regarding education, tuition, health care for all, infrastructure repairs, jobs, homelessness, B&B investments and how it’s killing affordable rents, rent controls, clean air, water, regulations to protect the people’s welfare, unions, our environment and all the things that affect Hawaii.

Let’s not waste ink on popularity contests but instead, bring out the issues that affect our daily lives. We starve for these issues to be addressed in order to vote intelligently, not vote by popularity.

Brad Baang

Waianae