Listen without bias to impeachment trial

To Donald Trump’s supporters standing in the ashes of the Republican Party: well done.

You waved the American flag as if it were yours. It was not. A majority of Americans, with their votes, said the flag belonged to all of us.

You believed somehow America needed to be made great again, with your MAGA ball caps. On that score you were four years early. We have much to repair now.

You believed that only you supported our military, police and public servants. Wrong again, because public servants are all of us.

As we watch the next trial of the failed president, listen to the charges and evidence without political bias. Think about what you witnessed on television, before, during and after the riot. It is the job of the Senate to act as jury, not to act as the defense. Honesty is still the best policy.

Edward McCauley

Hawaii Kai

Capitol riot a dark chapter of our history

As we move ahead with the impeachment trial of Donald Trump, it is important to note that history will record that Trump instigated, incited and encouraged open rebellion and insurrection against the United States and our democratic process.

No matter what many of the spineless Republican senators do — or, more accurately, don’t do — in the trial, no one will forget or should forget what Trump did to try to undermine our democracy. That will go down as an ignominious chapter in our nation’s history.

Steve Cedillos

McCully-Moiliili

Give school personnel priority for vaccinations

The “controversy” about when and how to reopen schools has an obvious solution: Include teachers and other school personnel in the prioritized categories of essential workers (or seniors) who should receive COVID-19 vaccinations first.

The adults in school settings are relatively more vulnerable than most students, so I side with teachers unions that refuse to reopen until their members feel safe. I think we all agree that in-person learning is necessary for good education, but vaccinate the educators first to make that happen. It’s really a no-brainer.

I’m writing this as a 74-year-old retired educator, who still has to wait. But as an educator for 35 years, I don’t mind waiting longer if I know the classrooms will be able to reopen with vaccinated teachers.

David Chappell

Kaneohe

Hawaii is ready for well-regulated gambling

Hawaii is the perfect location for well-regulated gambling.

Within five years, Hawaii’s revenues would jump and cover government deficits. Right now, Hawaii residents must make costly trips to gambling locations on the mainland just to participate in normal state-run lotteries.

Who put Hawaii’s backward-looking law into effect? Other states freely participate in multibillion-dollar public lottos.

It is now time to establish a gambling commission to regulate gaming offshore and on the islands.

Are we that tied to the notion that tourism would be jeopardized, when 75% vacancies are typical?

Families would have jobs and cash. Let us move forward.

Jay Pineda

Waikiki

Experience shows gambling a bad idea

I suggest that those who want to gamble do as Eddie Okamura did: Move to Las Vegas (“Hawaii is perfect place for fans of gambling,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 5). Please read what De Knudson from Sioux Falls writes: “What a disaster” (“Gambling a costly burden in South Dakota,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 5).

She comes from South Dakota, where gambling has existed since 1989. She should know; she’s lived through it.

Legislators, please heed her words. Do not succumb to this addiction. Ask yourself, who is pushing this and why? Follow the money.

Jean Toyama

Downtown Honolulu

Kemble does good job as state epidemiologist

Dr. Sarah Kemble should be retained as the state epidemiologist at the Hawaii Department of Health rather than looking for another person.

Dr. Kemble has done a great job in getting the department back on track and getting things in order and under control. She certainly displays wisdom and knowledge about the pandemic and when she speaks calmly, people listen.

Let’s hope for a permanent appointment to this key position at the department.

Clark Halloran

Kakaako

Support bill that allows earned paid sick leave

At a previous job, I couldn’t always take paid time off to take care of my kids when they were sick. It was a totally depleting experience.

It was so stressful because I thought, “How am I going to take care of my child, who obviously needs me, but also make sure that I’m getting enough money to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table?”

This experience showed me why House Bill 2 is so important. This bill would give working parents like me the right to earn paid sick leave, which we could also use to care for our kids when they’re sick.

I feel like humanity, compassion and empathy are lacking these days. We need to make that a priority, not just looking at dollars.

If workers like me know our kids are taken care of, then we’ll be less stressed — and better, more loyal employees.

Summer-Lee Kau‘ionalani Yadao

Ewa Beach

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