Every photo I see of tourists in the Star-Advertiser shows people without face masks, including comments of how great it is that tourists can now visit.

Face masks should be mandatory and the Honolulu Police Department should write tickets with fines and hand them out aggressively. The Star-Advertiser photos, without a notation encouraging the use of masks, is not helping promote our safety.

David Lee

Hawaii Kai

Don’t encourage tourists to walk without masks

The picture of the couple strolling through Waikiki without masks really upset me (Star-Advertiser, Oct. 23). Why publish a picture like this and give attention to these people? Other tourists reading the paper will now think, “Others are doing it, so it must be okay.”

This reminds me of the problems we have had when posts and pictures regarding dangerous trails are offered. People see them and are encouraged to commit similar acts.

If there is a need to publish pictures of tourists, publish pictures of tourists wearing masks and abiding with our state regulations.

Patricia Kubo

Kailua

Quarantine procedure caused unneeded delays

We flew home to Honolulu last week Sunday. We filled out the necessary forms to be able to go home to quarantine until our COVID-19 tests came in. Our negative test results (from a trusted provider) came in late Monday night and were uploaded to the QR form Tuesday morning at 7 a.m.

We were good to go — NOT. It had to be manually verified.

We read that the backlog would be fixed by Thursday or Friday. On Saturday we still were under quarantine. Hawaii’s COVID program is run by totally inept people.

Susan Thompson

Waikiki

80-plus elderly should be top vaccine priority

It is good that the governor and state Department of Health are formulating a plan for the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine when one becomes available (“Gov. David Ige announces draft COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan for Hawaii,” Star- Advertiser, Top News, Oct. 22).

However, I believe they should take another look at one group of people. My wife and I are nearly 88 and 87 years old and in generally good health, without any of the obvious “underlying conditions” to put us in Group 1, with those 65 and over who have such conditions.

However through our 60s and even 70s we felt almost as healthy as in middle age. But in our 80s, even without distinctive “underlying conditions,” our bodies are substantially weaker in many respects. I believe the vulnerability of everyone in their late 80s should place them in the first group. Many jurisdictions place all those over 65 in the highest priority.

Bob Meyer

Hawaii Kai

At the tipping point for an integrated America

Who benefits from the concept of “liberty and justice for all”? Since the American Revolution, this issue has been continually negotiated to include an increasingly more diverse population as immigrant minorities arrived. Concessions that did not challenge white dominance were made as to who benefited from equality.

However, the racial demographics are changing and white America is rapidly disappearing. We are reaching the tipping point. The minorities are becoming the majority and will no longer settle for concessions.

White America knows this, and for this reason so many whites follow President Donald Trump — no matter how corrupt or untruthful his administration. For them, it’s not about Trump, but about holding on to the only America they know. As a white person, I wish they could have the aloha experience of Hawaii where people of different races can live together, and it’s OK.

Fran Kramer

Ewa Beach

Trump has exceeded predictions of disaster

Four years ago, I wrote the last letter to the editor regarding Donald Trump published before the election (“Trump would be disastrous,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 6, 2016).

I warned, among other things, that “A Trump presidency would be disastrous for race relations, civility, environmental protection, economic equity, workers rights, civil rights, pay equity for women and minorities, rational gun regulation, international relations and national security.”

I was wrong.

Trump turned out to be far worse and dangerous. Who would’ve predicted his cruel family separations, destabilization of international relationships and alliances (including the murderous betrayal of the Kurds), support of white supremacy, and his inept, catastrophic failure to rationally deal with the coronavirus, just to cite a few of his worse debacles?

With his re-election still possible, it would be foolhardy to predict worse outrageous, devastating or immoral Trumpian policies, actions and behaviors. If emboldened by four more years of absolute power, Trump will certainly exceed all of them again.

Francis M. Nakamoto

Moanalua Valley

Tripler’s prescription services well organized

God bless the Tripler Army Medical Center for its unique pharmacy service during our coronavirus pandemic. To keep Tripler’s bedside patients and 2,000-plus staff safe from visitors, such as those picking up prescriptions, Tripler devised a parking-lot plan six days per week.

I counted eight Tripler individuals collecting orders and delivering prescriptions by foot and by motorized shuttle throughout the huge parking lot. You just park and you don’t need to get out of your car. It’s like a marching parade of troops without the music.

With thanks to the commanding general and his staff from a retired 93-year-old veteran.

Richard H. Rothrock

Kahala Nui

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