Letters: Imagining full stadiums brings home death toll; Feds failed protesters on 1st Amendment right; Sandwich Isles deal bad

It is difficult for most of us to conceive of what the death toll from the coronavirus represents. The enormity of the death of more than 97,000 Americans just does not register. But when combined with a visual representation of something familiar, it becomes all too clear.

The Aloha Stadium seats about 50,000 fans. Soon, the national death toll could reach 100,000. That’s twice the capacity of the stadium. Perhaps the media should be using such representation to emphasize the horror of so many deaths.

It really hit me when I looked at the Rose Bowl Stadium and found that it could hold 80,000. Seeing row after row of empty seats, each representing a man, woman or child who died, was horrific.

Eileen Glaholt

Kaneohe

Feds failed protesters on 1st Amendment right

Brian Koebele’s letter asserted that the federal government “failed” to assist the protesters at the Hawaii State Capitol (“Federal government failed to help protesters,” Star-Advertiser, May 11). He believed that the U.S. government should have been providing universal basic income, which presumably would have satisfied those individuals holding signs demanding the right to be able to go to work.

I agree the U.S. government failed to help the protesters, but for an entirely different reason. The feds failed to protect their basic constitutional rights: The First Amendment guarantees “the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Mark Saxon

Kahului

No clear plans adding to our quarantine fatigue

After being holed up in our homes for more than two months, people are starting to experience quarantine fatigue. They are getting tired of staying home and are itching to get out.

It doesn’t help that Gov. David Ige hasn’t given us solid information or direction or schedule on what his plans are to open up the state. People might not get as antsy about staying at home if we had an idea what Ige’s plans are. Many of us think Ige doesn’t even have any firm plans, instead relying on others to do the work that he should be doing.

David, instead of giving businesses just two-days’ notice on reopening, how about giving them two-weeks’ notice on potential openings so they aren’t caught off guard and have adequate time to prepare to reopen?

We cannot allow tourists from out of state now, but we can reopen businesses to locals.

Stan Sano

Makiki

Put traveler’s resident host in quarantine, too

Many letters address the issue of visitor tracking after arrival. One suggestion I have not seen is to quarantine any friend or family members that the traveler stated they would be staying with.

Of course a photo, phone number and address of where the traveler is staying should be obtained, but also a call to the friend or relative to verify they exist and also to inform them of their participation in the quarantine should be mandatory.

Also, I’d say 50% of the people I pass on walks or trips to the grocery story do not wear masks in public. This should be mandatory and clearly stated by the government. If only half of the population is wearing a mask, it puts the other half at risk.

The government requirements have been very vague and wishy-washy. Joggers also should be wearing masks. Another thing: The backside of the airport form for tourists should be mandatory, not optional.

Joanne Lee

Ala Wai

Closing off isles is only sure way to avoid deaths

Can we please face facts?

No one really knows what they’re talking about. People with medical training can make educated guesses about severity, contagion, treatment. Sociologists can make suggestions about how to maintain a semblance of normalcy. Politicians can make statements.

Statistics can be used to back up anything. Fewer “confirmed” case does not mean fewer cases. Saying we should open our doors “like before” because we have had fewer deaths than other states, is against logic, and, frankly, ghoulishly greedy.

It’s reported that American Samoa is almost case-free because it used its experience and geography. Coming out of a measles epidemic, it knew what was necessary: living in the middle of the ocean, it was able to close its doors completely. Hawaii, in the same geographical situation, continues to grab at dollars. Yes, their economy (and ours) will suffer, but fewer people will die.

Dare I a$k which is more important to our leaders?

Thomas Luna

McCully

Sandwich Isles deal bad, lacks enough bandwidth

The creditors of Paniolo Cable Company, Sandwich Isles Communications (SIC), and Paniolo’s bankruptcy trustee reached a settlement agreement recently that preserves connectivity for homesteaders on Hawaiian homelands.

The agreement stipulates that Paniolo lease a maximum two fiber pairs to SIC for statewide connectivity for $1 a year, plus office, administrative and management costs.

SIC can lease additional bandwidth at market rates. Sandwich Isles leased capacity from Hawaiian Telcom for connectivity pre-Paniolo for $1.9 million a year.

This agreement provides insufficient bandwidth for growth on Hawaiian homelands.

The homesteaders are already receiving shoddy service from SIC. This agreement will continue this going forward. The only winners from this agreement are Paniolo’s creditors, who have agreed to this sweetheart deal. They’re able to auction the Paniolo asset without any significant capacity constraints.

I strongly urge the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to object to this agreement when it is reviewed by the bankruptcy judge on June 1.

Aaron Stene

Kailua-Kona

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