Disdain for graffiti on mural artwork

I was dismayed to see graffiti written on the mural, near the intersection of King and Dillingham streets, of a woman exclaiming, “Oh God, why can’t my boyfriend surf?” Graffiti may be a symptom of urban blight, but this was more.

To deface another person’s work of art shows contempt for another person’s efforts and it shows contempt for art in general. Do graffiti if you must, but don’t deface another person’s artwork.

I can’t express my hatred and disdain for this deliberate attack on something the graffiti-person could never hope to attain by his own efforts. It’s a sorry thing to see human beings act in this manner, and I hope other Honolulu residents will feel the same moral outrage and indignation that I do.

Thomas Kanell

Mapunapuna

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Population control is part of food equation

Kioni Dudley’s excellent commentary (“Hawaii food threat is real, so start planning now,” Island Voices, Star-Advertiser, July 10) clearly expressed the alarming world overpopulation problem seen through the lens of food supply. He is absolutely correct that we will have to mobilize all resources and achieve sustainable farming.

However, using one approach cannot by itself succeed. We need to move the dial on population control, to gain agreement that reducing the world’s population must occur, either with unquestionably difficult voluntary procedures, or else it will be accomplished with more difficult wars and famine and suffering.

Richard Stancliff

Makiki

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Trump policies hurt average Americans

During a recent U.N. World Health Assembly, the Trump administration would not support encouraging governments to promote breastfeeding because it could affect the $70 billion infant formula industry.

I’m sure Trump appreciates the media focusing on his daily dramas, while he and his administration quietly create policies that benefit corporations over humanity.

They take away environmental measures that will lead to communities having dangerous and costly results from chemical spills or the like. They take away financial measures that will lead to the average person losing out. People are put in office who personally take advantage of their positions. With his tariff war, he is hurting the farmers, who currently have the highest rate of suicide.

People who voted for Trump choose to ignore that he said he would help the average person and drain the swamp, but he is making the swamp much slimier. He is hurting the average American financially and morally.

Jeanne Lemon

Kailua

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Today’s immigrants don’t try to adapt

Lately there is a lot of talk on the immigrants’ issue. Personally, no prejudice involved, but let me bring up an important point of view. I’ll start by saying immigrants today are not like immigrants of the past. Immigrants of the past came seeking a new life; they left their past behind and really accepted the struggles of new in order to be come U.S. citizens. The immigrants today mostly are running away from war, etc. They don’t show the will to change to a new country.

Instead they want us to change to their way of life. I say no way.

Alexander Atienza

Kakaako

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Do what we can to keep families united

I very much support the need to keep children and parents together. I adopted and raised four children whose mothers had died, and am a proud grandmother and great-grandmother of their children as well as those of the two children I gave birth to. I know how very painful it was for my children who were separated from their mothers by death.

Five years ago my husband and I began the Beacon of Hope transition house for women coming out of prison, and have watched 25 women successfully rebuild their lives and reunite with their children. I am pleased there are organizations that help sponsor “kids day” at the Women’s Community Correctional Center to give mothers and children a chance to have fun together. Also, my husband, the Rev. Samuel Cox, founded and directed Hale Kipa, providing safety for boys and girls who ran away from their families.

Let us care for the welfare of all children, regardless.

Barbara Grace Ripple

Kaneohe

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Fireworks great, but not blaring program

Thank you Schofield Barracks fo an outstanding fireworks display. But could you please turn down the volume next year? Extremely loud and uncomfortable, although the music was good.

Bill Porter

Mililani

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Drivers don’t own the roads; we all do

Ann Kobayashi believes it is “unfair” that Biki docks are taking parking spots and not paying for them. News flash, Councilmember — neither are drivers. We ALL own the road and all taxpayers subsidize them through the general fund, whether we drive or not. Gas taxes and registrations don’t come close to covering the cost of our roads. Drivers don’t own our roads and as such, all citizens will decide how they are used and shared, by all modes of transportation.

I don’t own a car, so I am going to push for more bike lanes, wider sidewalks and fewer lanes. When Kobayashi agrees to charge market rates for precious street parking in her district, I will work with her to have Biki pay for their bike docks. Until then, the only thing that is “unfair” is Kobayashi opposing any mode of transportation besides the outmoded single-occupant private vehicles.

Jeff Merz

Waikiki