Kaiwi is wild, free and gorgeous. It can render all who witness its beauty, mauka to makai, speechless.

As a University of Hawaii graduate and a member of Livable Hawai‘i Kai Hui and the Kaiwi Coalition — two organizations that fought for decades for the protection and preservation of Kaiwi — it was heartbreaking to learn of the illegal gathering of allegedly 300 to 400 people, including UH students, at Kaiwi below the wahi pana of Kapaliokamoa (“4 cited after hundreds attend unauthorized event at Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, Aug. 29).

Not only is Kaiwi a fragile ecosystem, it is a fragile cultural system and a place where kupuna iwi have been laid to rest. This area was put at risk by these people.

The complete lack of care for our larger island community during the time of COVID-19 by the students and others, gathering and creating a potential super-spreader event, is the anti- thesis of aloha.

Please find those who promoted this gathering and hold them accountable.

Ann Marie Kirk

Maunalua

Thiessen dishonest about Afghan prisoners

Readers have suggested replacing the regular Friday column authored by Marc Thiessen. The time has come that these suggestions be implemented — not because of the radical right-wing position that he often takes, but because of his blatant dishonesty.

In a recent column, he blamed President Joe Biden for the release of the 5,000 to 7,000 prisoners held at the Bagram air base in Afghanistan, saying that Biden handed the base over to the Taliban. This is disingenuous at best, and an outright falsehood at worst.

The Parwan Detention Center was turned over to the Afghanistan security forces in December 2014, and as late as July of this year, they reported that the prison was secured by 3,000 troops, more than the entire U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan when Biden became president.

Bagram fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15, as part of the collapse of the Afghan government. To blame this on Biden is more than a stretch; it is unfair, and clearly dishonest.

Bring back George Will, an honest conservative.

Tony Tarrant

Ewa Beach

Biden, Kerry should lead by example

I read that climate envoy John Kerry is visiting Japan and China to discuss climate change with those countries’ top officials (“U.S. climate envoy visits Japan for emission talk,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 31). I don’t understand why he has to do this in person, rather than doing it over the web with something like Skype or Zoom.

Even President Joe Biden uses the web for vital meetings with his security advisers and his Cabinet. Kerry should lead by example to reduce his carbon footprint by not flying when things can be done virtually.

Louis Faulkner

Hawaii Kai

Give vaccine-requiring businesses your support

One of our favorite restaurants just directed all its employees to be vaccinated.

Want to help end this pandemic? Give your support to those businesses that act responsibly and require wearing a protective mask and being vaccinated against COVID-19. We certainly will enjoy eating at this restaurant more often, and highly recommend it to our friends.

Bernard Kilonsky

Kaimuki

Impose universal 10-day quarantine for travelers

On July 9, vaccinated tourists were exempted from testing. Two weeks later, with nearly 900,000 untested visitor arrivals in July, our current surge began. Then the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped its bombshell: Vaccinated individuals with delta variant breakthrough infections carry high concentrations of the virus in their noses and throats.

One minimally symptomatic vaccinated tourist potentially infects six other people, causing 36 infections in the second generation and 216 in the third. Exponential spread is ignited. Trans-Pacific and interisland flights, restaurants, bars and packed beaches filled with unmasked visitors have rapidly made Hawaii into a cesspool for COVID-19.

“Safe” Travels has let in every variant to date, and is not the answer. Vaccines take time, hospitals are overflowing, people are dying.

Gov. David Ige can reinstate a universal mandatory 10-day quarantine enforced by the Hawaii National Guard. Ethical leadership can rescue Hawaii from this calamity.

Ellen Sofio, M.D.

Manoa

Keiki under 12 should get distance learning

Hawaii’s COVID-19 numbers are at their worst levels since the onset of the pandemic. The highly contagious delta variant now makes up the lion’s share of new infections.

Does it make any sense to send unvaccinated keiki to school under these circumstances? Common sense would indicate that until our keiki under 12 years old can be vaccinated, they should remain at home and participate in distance learning.

Yes, it’s unfortunate our keiki can’t attend school as normal, but a worldwide pandemic isn’t normal.

Richard Zarbetski

Waialua

Kolea return to rooftop after long migration

I saw my first kolea (Pacific golden plover) today. She was on my neighbor’s roof, where she has been for several years, and she looked kind of beat up. I think she probably just arrived from Alaska.

The first thing she did was chase away the pigeons that have been sitting on “her roof” for the last several months.

I’m so happy to see her home safe and sound, and I will get to watch her while I do my morning exercises — at least for several months.

Kathleen Ebey

Aiea

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