I am writing as a concerned citizen, law-abiding human being, and longtime taxpayer in the County of Hawaii.
Thousands of people have testified in opposition to vaccination passports. The people have spoken and the government is ignoring us.
Please remember that the government is not above the people or above God, who promised us free will.
My father, brother, uncles, grandfather and great-grandfathers, and several friends, were soldiers who fought for the United States, putting their lives on the line for our freedom. May the energy they gave not be in vain.
Whether you got an experimental vaccine or not is none of my business. And it’s none of anyone else’s business who got it. We deserve the right to choose what we put into our bodies. Vaccine passports are discrimination! This country was built on freedom, and we the people still have rights.
Donna “Davina” Dufault
Captain Cook, Hawaii island
Unvaccinated deny others hospital care
The governor and mayor are reluctant to impose greater restrictions to reduce COVID-19 infections because they want to keep the economy open. I think they feel even a temporary shutdown will penalize the 70% of the population who are vaccinated, and there may be some truth in that sentiment.
However, they fail to recognize that many of us who are vaccinated are, or will soon be, denied access to necessary health care because of the dire conditions hospitals are facing with the lack of ICU beds, and the inability to obtain oxygen due to an abundance of COVID-19 patients.
I also believe many of us who are vaccinated are putting off important procedures requiring hospital visits because we’re fearful of the large number of unvaccinated people currently in or visiting hospitals.
Do not deny those of us who are vaccinated necessary health care. Listen to our health-care providers and impose more restrictions now.
Ginny Ching Edmunds
Niu Valley
No right to endanger others by risky behavior
Did I really see packed football stadiums around the country this past weekend? Or were the games repeat telecasts of games before the COVID-19 epidemic? Or were they large Donald Trump rallies but without Trump?
What is wrong with us as a people?
You have a right to pretty much do as you please in this country and Hawaii. But your freedom ends when it infringes on my right to live.
You can go ahead and kill yourself by getting COVID-19, but you don’t have the right to engage in activities, like attending events in packed stadiums, that put other lives at risk.
And in Hawaii, I believe that the local Aloha Freedom Coalition is a totally gross misnomer. They may be a coalition, but they exhibit zero aloha and they totally distort the concept of what true freedom really means.
Roman Leverenz
Aliamanu
Bring in a Mercy ship for COVID-19 support
The United States Navy has two Mercy-class hospital ships specifically designated for COVID-19 support. Hawaii is well-positioned to receive such a hospital ship for any island, and, with staff and hundreds of beds, it could provide needed relief to our hospitals, which are full and even exceeding licensed capacity.
I urge our local and state officials to seek every mobile, flexible and responsive option during the pandemic, including requesting a Mercy ship. This innovative approach would allow dedicated space designed for patients with COVID-19 to receive care and free up resources for routine and preventative care to continue on land. This is a floatable short-term solution that benefits the entire community without constructing additional hospitals.
We are toward the end of hurricane season. Let’s try something new.
Christina Vallianos
Kaneohe
New book reveals lies about Afghanistan
A newly released book, “The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War,” by Craig Whitlock, details 20 years of lies and spin by three presidents (George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump) along with the diplomats, intelligence officers and Pentagon officials who were involved in the war.
Whitlock highlights the corruption and drugs in Afghan society, simple mismanagement and bribery, the ignorance of U.S. planners, and the blatant dishonesty of the military and diplomatic corps. They all told the general public that we were winning this war.
Whitlock’s newspaper, The Washington Post, had to sue to get these documents released, allowing the author access to transcripts from more than 400 officials, who thought they were giving an oral history and lessons- learned account that was off the record. They were brutally honest.
After reading this book, it is easy to see why the Taliban took over the country so rapidly. American hubris is exposed at every level of involvement.
Jim Wolfe
Nuuanu
Reward those who ID illegal vacation rentals
Why not pay rewards for turning in illegal vacation rentals? Most of the complaints about loud parties, crowded streets and parking problems are made by neighbors of the offending units.
Instead of complaining and never getting satisfaction, the neighbors could report the rentals and be paid, once the complaint is verified and the owner charged with violating the ordinance.
As for the 180-day minimum, some allowance should be made for those moving to the island who are not in the military. It takes time to find a new residence when moving here and some flexibility should be allowed for these new folks.
Eileen Glaholt
Kaneohe
EXPRESS YOURSELF
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