Letters: HPD does dirty work; Archbishop will help immigrants’; Navy fuel tanks

Shame on the police for doing the dirty work of AES, the huge Virginia-headquartered power conglomerate, and arresting on Thursday-Friday 26 community defenders who were protesting the huge intrusive wind turbine array being dumped on the community (“Hawaii lawmaker decries ‘aggressive’ police tactics as 26 wind farm protesters arrested in Kalaeloa,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, Nov. 15).

And from the video of the Nov. 14 arrests, it appeared the bike-mounted police mistreated a good many protesters, including several women pushed to the ground.

AES should back off. It is a major polluter on the Leeward coast with its coal-burning plant. We should not trust these profiteers and polluters to provide affordable, alternative energy for our communities.

More than 125 community residents and supporters have been arrested since Oct. 17. The police are serving AES and not the people. A moratorium should be placed on the unwanted wind farm project, and the AES coal-burning plant on the Leeward coast should be shut down.

John Witeck

Kamehameha Heights

Archbishop Gomez will help immigrants’ cause

I was delighted to read the article on Archbishop Jose H. Gomez (“U.S. Catholic bishops elect Hispanic immigrant as leader,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 13).

I have kept up with Archbishop Gomez’s steady progression in the Catholic Church hierarchy in the U.S. for years. He was the auxiliary bishop of Denver where my family resided for several years before relocating home to Hawaii; he then was elevated to archbishop of San Antonio before becoming archbishop of Los Angeles. He is a Hispanic immigrant, and naturalized American citizen, who has defended immigrants. He has done well for himself and the Catholic Church.

Certainly, this is a crucial period where immigrants and less-fortunate people need a voice for justice and compassion. Several hundred thousand Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigrants, who came to the U.S. when young, might very well be booted out if the Supreme Court sides with Trump. I hope Archbishop Gomez will continue to be a loud voice that will be heard by President Donald J. Trump and his administration.

Lawrence M.O. Chun

Kailua

Brazen crimes reflect loss of public safety

Thanks again to Lee Cataluna (“Rash of brazen crimes a foundational problem,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 15).

These brazen crimes are out of control and have been for a long time, but has since gotten worse since Police Chief Susan Ballard announced that the police would not investigate minor crimes like some thefts and burglaries.

When the police cannot protect us, the people will take it in their own hands. The city is prosecuting a citizen who was protecting his home because these crimes are so rampant (“Teens recount fatal shooting in Kalihi as hearing begins,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 15). We do not feel safe in our homes, businesses, shopping centers and other places.

Where are the mayor and City Council? They should be demanding a safe place to live. We never had this kind of crime before. Cataluna is correct: “Public safety is a foundational issue. If people aren’t safe … nothing else matters.”

Wake up, politicians. Protect the citizens who pay your salaries and unfortunately voted you in. Where are your priorities to the people of Hawaii?

Marilee Y. Lyons

Haleiwa

Give input on worrisome Navy fuel tanks issue

“We should protest everything!”: The Thirty Meter Telescope, Kalaeloa, Sherwoods, Red Hill fuel tanks. Wait, what?

The Navy has 18 underground tanks full of fuel sitting 33 yards directly over the Moanalua/Halawa fresh water aquifer. Each 75-year-old, quarter-inch-thick welded steel, single-walled tank holds 12.5 million gallons. Multiplied by 18, that means 225 million gallons of gasoline sit directly over the water we depend on to live.

Should the fuel leak, it will contaminate 25% of Oahu’s drinkable water. Oh wait, it’s already leaked, several times, most recently 27,000 gallons in 2014. Double-walling the tanks with sensors between the walls was proposed as a fix, which the Navy is now resisting with its latest proposal to line the thin steel tanks with a polymer.

Concerned? Give your comments to the state Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency at a meeting at Moanalua Middle School tonight, 6-8 p.m. See www.boardofwatersupply.com for more information.

Melanie Lau

Downtown Honolulu

Tell us what are you thankful for

Maybe it only seems that things have gotten more divisive. Maybe we’ve become too focused on the negatives instead of the positives. Here’s your chance to reflect on things to be thankful for, and to share with fellow readers. Today through Nov. 24, we’ll be accepting “Be thankful” letters (150 words max) or essays (500-600 words). A collection of these will run on Dec. 1, Thanksgiving weekend. Email to letters@staradvertiser.com or send to 500 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 7-210, Honolulu, 96813, c/o Letters.

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