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I regularly take sunrise and sunset walks along Kailua Beach. On a recent evening, I was distressed to see a large number of young adults socializing and playing volleyball in the beach park with little evidence of social distancing and with little wearing of masks.
I doubt this is an isolated incident, and a couple of weeks from now I won’t be surprised at all to read that the incidence of coronavirus cases is surging again.
By now, how can anyone have failed to get the message about what we collectively need to do to keep the pandemic from spiraling out of control? The police were so vigilant about citing even minor transgressions while the stay-at-home orders were in effect, but where are they now when real threats to public safety are so blatant?
David Kemble
Kailua
No masks, enforcement at popular park, beach
To all the folks out on a beautiful Saturday at Kapiolani Park and Waikiki: The beach was filled at San Souci, and not a mask in sight. We saw a group of more than 20 young people playing volleyball and having a barbecue. No masks.
Plenty of people were walking down Kalakaua Avenue and Paki Street, maybe 1 out of 10 with a mask. I saw police drive by the gathering and just keep on going with nary a glance.
There was a lighted sign at the Kalakaua/Monsarrat split announcing the “rules” that were clearly ignored.
People, get it together or this will be around much, much longer than necessary.
Michael Rosenberg
Downtown Honolulu
Public entitled to info about Trump’s condition
“First, do no harm.” For physicians, this is a moral and ethical promise to promote good health, save lives and refrain from harming people.
It is infuriating that, following President Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis, his personal physician and others have honored those promises to Trump but not to the much-more vulnerable public.
Dr. Sean Conley refused to provide information about Trump’s dependence on supplemental oxygen. He refused to discuss evidence of lung damage or pneumonia. All because he wants to be “upbeat” for the president’s sake.
We all must have access to the objective facts and life-saving science that are being concealed. We are all entitled to life-saving information.
John Hoshibata
Mililani
Trump right to cancel racial sensitivity training
A writer decried President Donald Trump’s order to end racial sensitivity training in the government (“Americans must learn about our racial history,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 2).
Trump made the right call on this one. What the program does is promote resentment by unjustly singling out one race as fundamentally flawed simply based on the color of their skin. The country has matured into one of the most harmonious and diverse anywhere in the world.
Preferably, we look for ourselves and not just accept the media gaslighting us about what a flawed country this is.
America as a systemically racist country with police brutality is a canard promoted by Barack Obama to divide the country and take it backward. Millions of minorities have immigrated to the U.S. and untold millions more would jump at the chance as well.
What contorted explanations of this phenomenon might be offered if the U.S. was still such a flawed, racist country?
John Fernie
Kailua
Electoral College guards against mob rule in U.S.
In response to Carol Schmus (“Every vote should count; dump Electoral College,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 5): It’s disturbing to me how naive the general public has become over this subject.
Contrary to what many people think these days, the Electoral College is as vital now as it was more than 200 years ago. It ensures that those elected have the support of the entire country, not just the heavy populated cities and coasts, and allows the states to act as sovereign entities in our federal system.
Our founding fathers understood that a pure form of democracy could be dangerous, which is why we are a republic. It’s been said that democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where 51% of the people may take away the rights of the other 49.
Don’t lose sight or appreciation of our unique system of government.
Eric Nedzweckas
Ewa Beach
Fewer people could enhance life in isles
The departure of some of our best and brightest to find good jobs on the mainland is nothing new for Hawaii (“Economists anticipate Hawaii’s shrinking population will decline further due to coronavirus,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 4).
But we have reached a new point in the history of this beautiful land. As we bring the virus under control and as we enhance conditions here for both visitors and residents, the economy will grow even if the population declines. The numbers game for tourists is not how many tourists there are but how much money each will spend.
We will enjoy the reduced number and so will the visitors. It’s the same game for residents, as people able to work anywhere in the world with a laptop computer will spend more in order to live in the most beautiful and safest place in the world.
Walter Wright
Kaneohe
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