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During his inauguration, President Donald Trump promised to heal “American carnage.” He has repeatedly proven incapable of dealing with the COVID-19 carnage, a horrific national health crisis that so far has infected more than 5 million Americans with more than 162,800 deaths.
Following the horrific tragedy of 9/11, when 2,977 Americans were murdered by Al-Qaeda operatives, President George W. Bush established the Department of Homeland Security. Nothing even beginning to approach such a federal reaction to the current pandemic developed.
Trump ignored the detailed 69-page playbook that the Obama administration prepared to deal promptly and effectively with future pandemics.
Trump has repeatedly played down the crisis to this day, and completely failed to provide any prompt and effective national policy initiatives.
How many more victims of the pandemic will Trump’s blatant ignorance, incompetence and indifference sacrifice? The historic legacy of Trump and his enablers is American carnage.
Leslie E. Sponsel
Hawaii Kai
For sake of health, beaches should be open
I want to walk on the beach!
How does it make sense for gyms to be open and beaches closed?
Mayor Kirk Caldwell claimed the issue is with large, uncontrolled gatherings outdoors. OK, then ban large gatherings. But don’t ban individuals (e.g., a parent and a child) exercising or walking in the parks or on the beach.
For many people, parks are the only place to be outside. Someone said, “Parks are where people can exercise and keep social distance in small household groups — we need it especially when people aren’t working and are cooped up” (“Recreationists react to closures of city and state parks, beaches and campgrounds,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 7), Yes! Absolutely! We do! I do.
It’s good to be outside. We’re in Hawaii. We need to be outside. And I want to walk on the beach!
Carole Mandryk
Kaimuki
Shut group activities, not individual exercise
In the month following the reopening of Oahu beaches and parks on May 16, daily COVID-19 cases remained in the single digits. There is clear evidence that walking, jogging and ocean activities are safe, as long as group activities remain shut down. Now, with even bike paths closed, on my morning walks I come within inches of other walkers, joggers, stroller-pushers and bikers, sadly most without masks.
I urge officials to consider returning to a policy that was effective in limiting spread of the virus, while allowing for beach activities that contribute to the mental and physical health of residents.
Robert Pantell
Kailua
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