Letters: We must adapt, not just react, to climate change; Excessive coverage of anti-vaccine protesters; Restrict freeway access when accidents occur

Mahalo for your timely editorial urging that Hawaii move forward with a sharply focused adaptation plan (“Rebuild roads for climate change,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Aug. 11).

We agree.

We are indeed fortunate that the Biden administration is seeking to provide states and territories with a generous level of federal funding to improve the nation’s infrastructure.

In the past, much of the federal funding to deal with climate-change impacts has come in the form of disaster relief after the impacts have occurred. It is much wiser to use federal funds for adaptation planning to avoid or reduce climate-related impacts on lives and properties before extreme climate events occur.

Adaptation plans should promote nature-based solutions such as the use of parks and open spaces to absorb some of the water from the floods that occur periodically. Selection of adaptation alternatives also should be guided by consideration of their impacts on vulnerable communities, such as those with low-income or racial minority populations.

Dave Raney

Sierra Club Climate Adaptation and Restoration Team

We must promote the general welfare

Those who protested vaccine mandates at the state Capitol had a constitutional right to do so (“Vaccine-or-test mandates in Hawaii spur protest rally,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 10).

Normally it makes sense to take a stand for freedom and against threats to individual rights. But these are not normal times. This protest goes against the spirit of the Constitution.

The preamble states that one of the promises of the Constitution is to promote the general welfare. COVID-19 continues to take too many lives and compromises the health of nations. Therefore, doesn’t it make sense that this is a moment to place the common good above our personal needs?

Not that much is being asked of us. The only weapons we have against COVID-19 are vaccines and masks. The arguments presented by the protesters are those of people who prefer to be part of the problem. Being part of the solution will free us all from COVID-19. And freedom is not free.

Arthur Mersereau

Manoa

Excessive coverage of anti-vaccine protesters

I’d invite the Star-Advertiser to think carefully about its journalistic role and responsibility. The world’s greatest scientists issued a devastating U.N. report about climate change and the need for all governments to work together immediately to save civilization and the ability to survive on Earth. It wound up on Page A5 (“‘It’s a hammer hitting us on the head’,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 10).

Your front page featured a full-color front-page article giving a platform to a mob of anti-science, anti-vaccine ideologues who shouted down public officials and are dragging us back to the Dark Ages (“Vaccine-or-test mandates in Hawaii spur protest rally,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 10).

What you choose to put on your front page helps write our future. Please amplify the voices working to save humanity, not those putting us all at risk.

Josh Stanbro

Palolo Valley

We have rights, and can take care of ourselves

I knew Gov. David Ige was going to lessen our rights as Hawaii citizens (“Ige reinstates restrictions,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 11).

I was reminded of what U.S. Sen. Rand Paul recently said: “We don’t have to accept the mandates, lockdowns, and harmful policies of the petty tyrants and feckless bureaucrats. We can simply say no, not again.”

We have to wake up. With the delta- plus variant and many more to come, we must get off this insane roller coaster and go back to living our lives. I will take care of myself, the governor can take care of himself, and everyone can take care of themselves. Believe in God and not the government.

Jerry Cerny

Kaneohe

Let vaccine-requiring businesses open fully

Gov. David Ige could allow businesses to return to normal, with no restrictions, if they agree to require full vaccinations for employees, attendees and customers. This would allow businesses the option to offer a somewhat “return to normal” for vaccinated people, recognizing that we now have the more contagious delta variant.

This would not be a mandate but would offer both businesses and customers the freedom of choice for a totally vaccinated environment.

Dan Suehiro

Niu Valley

Restrict freeway access when accidents occur

Recently I spent more than 1 hour and 40 minutes sitting on the H-3, Honolulu-bound, due to an accident in the tunnel and subsequent cleanup.

I fully understand that accidents happen and sometimes traffic logjams can ensue.

What I don’t understand is why, knowing that traffic would be at a standstill, that police did not immediate block the few entrances to the highway, preventing access to traffic.

One police car, or closing the barrier at each entrance, would have prevented so much grief for motorists. Instead, hundreds of cars entered the highway with no way off.

Such a quick and simple attempt at mitigation was ignored and not even attempted. Why?

Peter Miller

Kailua

Get feral cat population on Oahu under control

Can you please update the public on the current state of the feral cat population and current control methods (which obviously aren’t working), on Oahu? I would like to see graphically, and by a new report, how our island’s wild cat population problem increased from under 50,000 animals to estimates of 500,000 or more.

How irresponsible of all of us in Honolulu to let this problem spiral. There is no humanity or common sense in allowing a population like this to explode. I’m getting tired of driving the cats captured under my own home to the Humane Society.

Mike Thorne

Kalihi Valley

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