Giving 8 leis of aloha to celebrate May Day

Aloha to those who grieve, for love will comfort them.

Aloha to our essential workers, for they sustain life in our communities.

Aloha to our first responders, for they save countless lives.

Aloha to our dedicated kupuna caretakers, for they deserve our trust.

Aloha to our medical and health care professionals, for their kokua for us is beyond measure.

Aloha to our leaders who follow science and the facts, for they earn our support.

Aloha to the vaccine express engineered by scientists, for it is aloha fast and furious.

Aloha to those who follow all health protocols, for they live aloha.

Guy Lee

Kalihi Valley

Race or gender a poor basis for public policy

What’s disturbing about the partisan divide in the U.S. is this idea that people of one race or gender need to be allied with one side or the other. Both the left and the right come up with boneheaded policies from time to time, and they tend to overreach when they get power.

So here’s the problem: If bad policy becomes associated with racial or gender identity, doesn’t that make the partisan fighting even worse?

It’s the old “divide and conquer” method. But if we keep on that path, forget about returning the U.S. to unity.

That’s what happens when leaders trade in “From many, one” as a motto for “drunk with power, awash in dirty money.”

Lloyd Lim

Makiki

Vaccination should be mandatory for students

Make it mandatory for all students 16 and older to get vaccinated if they are to attend classes at public and private schools, including universities. Maybe if you want a driver’s license or the right to vote, you need to be vaccinated.

I know some people will complain about their right to choose, but what about the rest of us trying to make Hawaii a safer place for all?

Ernie Itoga

Waialae Iki

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