Is anyone else astounded by the news that our fumbling, bumbling Hawaii officials are still considering allowing trans-Pacific travelers to pre-test prior to flying here, and yet those of us who live here can’t leave Oahu to fly to other islands without being subjected to a 14-day quarantine?

Hawaii residents are not provided the same travel benefits as those outside our state. Let that sink in and remember in November — not only this year but in years to come.

Margaret Peary

Mililani

Open schools to younger students and teachers

Let’s consider reopening the schools to younger people and teachers under the age of 45. Any child who has elderly parents or grandparents living at home needs to continue to do distance learning.

Also, any child who has a chronic or pre-existing health condition should do distance learning as well. Older teachers and those at risk can choose to teach from home. None of these people should have any contact with those at higher risk for complications.

Expectations are that many students and teachers who return to school could contract the disease and that their course would be mild and uncomplicated. Herd immunity would be achieved and interactions between the young and old can gradually return to normal.

A vaccine is unlikely this year and chances are it will be similar to the yearly influenza vaccination, which has provided only 19% to 48% effectiveness over the last six years.

David Kwiat

Kailua-Kona

Trump worse than Italy’s Berlusconi

Years ago, I used to genuinely pity the Italians because they made the mistake of electing the clownish Silvio Berlusconi as their prime minister. As expected, he quickly proved to be a disaster.

Now that we Americans are saddled with a vastly more powerful and dangerous buffoon as our leader, the Italians — and the rest of the world — are genuinely pitying us. The only one who isn’t is Vladimir Putin, who is laughing with glee in the Kremlin.

There was joyous dancing in the streets when the Italians finally got rid of Berlusconi, and I hope we will be dancing in the streets of Waikiki — while wearing our masks, of course — on Nov. 3 or shortly thereafter. Make it happen by voting.

Tom Earle

Kaneohe

Stop rail at Chinatown; transfers still necessary

The commentary by Nancy Peacock and Janet Thebaud Gillmar is correct (“End rail line just before Chinatown,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Sept. 13). We should stop rail at Chinatown.

With the COVID-19 problem, we just cannot afford to build it all the way to Ala Moana Shopping Center. When the rider gets to Ala Moana, he still will have to transfer to reach his destination.

Roland Louie

Kaimuki

Common sense says that rail is too expensive

Growing up, most parents teach their children some of life’s rules and if we are wise, we pay attention. I think the city needs to pay heed to those rules too.

Rule No. 1: If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. We were fooled about the true cost of rail. What might have seemed affordable a dozen years ago is now wildly out of our price range with no end in sight to future escalation. With the economic downturn and resulting loss of tax revenue, we do not have the resources to pay for rail.

Rule No. 2: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. The way out of our rail dilemma is to stop at Chinatown, as was suggested several weeks ago in a Star-Advertiser commentary (“End rail line just before Chinatown,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Sept. 13). Stopping at the city’s edge, Chinatown, would put rail within walking distance of the heart of Honolulu’s business district.

Rule No. 3: Use common sense. Paying attention to Rules 1 and 2 would be to use common sense. We don’t have the money, so let’s stop digging.

Mollie Foti

Kailua

Rail will help people get to school, work

If I wake up at 6 a.m., I can get to my school in five minutes. But if I wait until 6:30, suddenly the drive takes half an hour. And I’m one of the lucky ones who lives close.

Lunalilo Freeway is a mess by 7 a.m., with people scrambling to get their kids to school. The parents then have to go to work right after; imagine if some of them have to be at work by 7:30.

Hardly any of the students I know use the city’s public transportation. If we were able to expand the rail to areas where traffic is bad, then the traffic congestion would be far better. Both students and parents could simply ride the train to work and school, taking many cars off the road.

You may hate the rail because of the cost, but let’s look at the benefits of how people could save so much time.

Ayden Yung

Mapunapuna

UH should maintain degree in religion

The University of Hawaii should not abolish the Bachelor of Arts degree in religion (“University of Hawaii at Manoa mulls possible cuts in programs, degrees,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 16). My M.A. in Religion is from UH-Manoa; my B.A. in Religion is from Mount Holyoke College.

In my undergraduate studies, I started as a major in a certain foreign language; however, to my mother’s dismay, I changed my major to religion. The study of religion turned out to be very useful when I lived in two Asian countries and across the United States.

Religions are practiced around the world, while a particular language is not.

Laura M. Fink

Makiki

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