The “fall” of Afghanistan is a tragic reminder of the fall of Saigon. Troops will be sent in to remove American personnel from Kabul and the president has told the Taliban to spare our American embassy.

Asking terrorists to please do something for us is egregious. Is the president in Washington while this complete breakdown is happening? No. He is taking a long weekend away from Washington.

Seven months into his administration and there is this failure in foreign policy happening, our border is being overrun with illegal migrants not wearing masks and many infected with and spreading COVID-19, inflation is soaring, crime is rampant, and the vice-president giggles when questioned.

You wanted them and now you have the result.

Donald Graber

Kakaako

Complaints about states’ voting laws baseless

The proposition that our “precious democracy” is threatened by states passing laws to protect the integrity of their elections is flawed, primarily because America is not a democracy (“Texas Democrats fled to defend democracy,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 12). It is a constitutional republic, in which state and local governments determine their desired policies with minimal federal government intervention.

That notwithstanding, the talking points of the left about deprivation of voting rights are utterly baseless. When asked what demographic was being denied any such rights, the fleeing Democrats themselves had no answer. The proposed legislation in red states seeking to secure their electoral process most times increases access to the right to vote, while ensuring that only legitimate votes are counted.

Requiring the ID of voters in states that currently do not, is one avenue suggested in current legislation. ID is required to vote here in Hawaii, as it is in President Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware. The idea that on that basis, for example, people are being denied their rights, is nonsense.

Stephen Hinton

Waialua

Let’s encourage all to get vaccinated

Let’s all join in to make any and many kinds of efforts to get our people vaccinated. We’re all smart enough to know the time has arrived to accept nothing less than absolute commitment to our community. I still have faith in our Hawaii. Let’s all do something. Today.

Alan Nitta

Mililani

We all share the air we breathe; don’t pollute it

The air that we breathe is a requirement of staying alive. We all share this resource, and we understand the importance of keeping it clean and free of pollutants such as hydrocarbons.

That said, COVID-19 also should be thought of as a pollutant. The air in a room literally becomes a shared resource, so controlling the spread of this pollutant should be the main concern of every breathing person.

If you find yourself in a room full of people and are concerned for your safety, wear a mask. At some point, you will have to inhale what someone else has exhaled.

Moses Akana

Aiea

Health care workers have hearts of God

Jerry Cerney said, “Believe in God and not the government” (“We have rights, and can take care of ourselves,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 13).

If this is the same God in the Bible, then we should be looking out for everyone in the community and not just ourselves — especially doctors and nurses, who need not “believe,” as they already have the heart of God in their selfless acts, tending to the sick and dying in ICU beds who fail to see and hear God’s message to love and care for one another, foe and friend alike.

Yes, “we have to wake up.” We need to get as much information from health care practitioners in order to make a well-informed choice so we can do our part to tamp down COVID-19 and get “back to living our lives” before another variant worse than delta shows up knocking on our front door.

Darcianne M. Ernce

Kailua

Religious institutions mislead flocks on virus

I find it extremely ironic that Christian leaders are quick to grab their pitchforks and torches over Gov. David Ige’s misspoken words about capacity limits in churches, crying over “rights and freedoms,” when several years ago these same individuals marched into the Capitol in an attempt to block Hawaii’s same-sex marriage equality bill.

As a heterosexual Christian, I cannot help but scoff at the state of these religious institutions and leaders who wield considerable influence over their populace and choose to endanger them. When the Black Death ravaged Europe in the 1300s, nuns and priests often were infected and died taking care of victims.

Nearly seven centuries later, pastors and ministers standing in high-tech multimillion-dollar megachurches, with proceeds “donated” by their flocks, poison their herds with disease, misinformation and masked religious dogma. How far we have come indeed.

Edmund Choe

Kaimuki

Churches major source of large-scale infections

I think it’s sad that Gov. David Ige has once again punted to the mayors the issue of COVID-19 restrictions for churches. Churches are one of the worst places for large infections. So worried about losing votes. If churches keep on holding superspreader events, you won’t have people to cast any votes.

Terry Hunter

Aiea

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