Letters: Noisy motorcycles, cars need regulation, too; Panhandlers need help; Trump drawing U.S. closer to war

It’s nice to have new legislation regarding noisy scooters, but the law has to be enforced (“Moped muffler bill signed into law,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 19). I have been spending winters here, high above Ala Wai Boulevard, for 20 years.

Harley Davidsons bark their way through traffic daily and more recently, sport bikes scream at very high rpms. It’s a curious social policy that allows a vehicle carrying one or two people to make more noise than a bus. And now we have some Mustangs, Subarus and BMWs with very loud, expensive, factory-installed exhaust systems.

All of this noise is based on low self-esteem. I am now 81 years old. How long can normal adults be expected to tolerate completely unnecessary urban noise?

Safety inspections must address muffler systems. The first thing many Harley owners do is remove factory mufflers and install straight pipes. Safety inspectors must rev Harleys to 3,000 or 4,000 rpms, and sport bikes to 8,000 or 9,000 rpms to correctly assess muffler noise.

Murray Leslie

Waikiki

City will never stop illegal fireworks use

My guess is there were fewer calls to the police about fireworks because it is futile to call (“Fireworks-related calls to police declined 13% from previous year,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 4). Nothing will change.

One year I brought a responding police officer into my yard and showed him neighbors setting off illegal fireworks. He said, “But would you be able to identify them in court?”

I said something like, “That will be your role as the arresting officer.” His response made me realize we weren’t going to get anywhere.

While I’m hopeful that Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard may eventually get to it, she’s inherited a mess that needs to be cleaned up. And she did get right to work on that.

Lee Cataluna’s column talked about a new mayor who won’t be seeking photo ops but instead will “take care of parks we already have, fix and maintain roads, and who won’t be seen at bon dances and cocktail parties” (“Single-term mayor could achieve proper focus,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 5).

I’d like that.

Debbie Aldrich

Haleiwa

Panhandlers need help, not a monetary handout

Please stop giving money to the panhandlers on street corners around Honolulu. It might make you feel better to give them a few bucks, but you are not helping them in the long run.

They would be much better served by getting help with social services that are there to provide both physical and mental help. Giving money to them is not the help they need and just prolongs their situation.

Help them by making them get professional help.

Gary Nakanishi

Kapahulu

Choose renewables over Mideast oil war

Regarding the editorial, “Renewable energy faces challenges” (Star-Advertiser, Our View, Jan. 6): With the U.S. on the brink of an oil war in the Mideast, it behooves us all to spend the money, resources and incur the minor inconveniences to quicken the implementation of 100% renewable energy so that all of our sons and daughters don’t have to risk laying down their lives for oil.

Brian Malanaphy

Waimanalo

Congress must rein in irresponsible president

President Donald Trump has stated publicly that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue in New York City and get away with it.

Well, he has done exactly that on an international scale by assassinating Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani with no authorization from Congress. Is North Korean leader Kim Jong Un or Russian President Vladimir Putin next on Trump’s radar to remove because they have American blood on their hands?

The White House and a majority of the Republican leadership are now scrambling for excuses and justification for Trump’s irresponsible actions. Trump’s doubling down by bombing Iran’s cultural sites if Iran retaliates also is totally unacceptable. I’ve lived and worked in the Middle East and I know how people there truly think and believe the concept of “an eye for an eye.” I’m certain they will respond to avenge the killing of their leader.

We need bipartisanship leaders in Congress to stop this behavior of our president to keep America safe from foreign retaliation.

Hal Omori

Mililani

Trump drawing U.S. closer to war with Iran

A recent letter suggested that we should thank President Donald Trump for the assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani (“Killing of Iran general will prevent WWIII,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 6). The letter suggested that the action kept us from World War III.

I strenuously disagree. Every day Trump seems to draw us closer to a war with Iran, if not with much of the rest of the world.

It’s not just because of the assassination. It dates back to last year when Trump pulled us out of the nuclear agreement with Iran.

Granted, Iran has been a nemesis for four decades. We shouldn’t automatically trust Iran, but this agreement was a small step in the right direction toward eventual normalization of relations between the United States and Iran. Unfortunately, Trump decided to label it a “bad” deal, most likely because it was President Barack Obama who helped put the deal together as a member of the wrong political party in Trump’s simple, self-aggrandizing mind.

One of the keys to world peace will be voting Trump out of office in November. I just hope it won’t be too late.

Jim Gardner

East Honolulu

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