Letters: Women have right to decide on abortion; Fire sprinkler costs bloated by contractors; Military endangers its own families’ lives

If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns abortion rights, I believe it will be making a deal with the devil.

Women will take matters into their own hands and many will die. I also believe the majority on the court is turning this very objectionable matter into a political issue.

The law has been in effect for many, many years. It is a private matter for women to be able to make these decisions about their own bodies — no one else’s. These people (Republican justices) say they are pro-life, but not enough so to prevent these children — who they say they want to save — from being shot to death while going to school.

Kathie Young

Hawaii Kai

Tourism jobs not only important employment

Are tourism-industry workers in Hawaii the only ones considered to have any value? Based on Chief Economist Eugene Tian’s recent quote in an article of yours, it certainly seems that way (“Fewer visitors to Oahu in 2020 did not cause significant drop in electricity, water and sewer consumption,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 15).

“When the tourists don’t come, people are unemployed,” he said. “They stay home and locals start gobbling up all our natural resources and adding to our sewage treatment plants. So we should actually be inviting more tourists so people are staying at work instead of at home in their air-conditioned rooms watching Netflix all day.”

Ignoring how completely insulting and elitist this sentiment is, does he actually believe people don’t use the bathroom when they are working?

With HMSA being yet another local company that has announced it will be outsourcing local jobs, it certainly looks like “the experts” want us to be dependent on low-wage tourism jobs for good (“HMSA to shift, outsource and cut jobs for about 285 workers,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, Oct. 28).

Krista Vessell

Kakaako

Fire sprinkler costs bloated by contractors

Robert Griffon said that many condo owners can’t afford “tens of thousands of dollars to install fire sprinklers” (“Mandating sprinklers cuts affordable homes,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 30). I drank the grape Kool-Aid in accepting the bloated figures emanating from the contractors ($34,000 for my unit).

Finally, I decided to think for myself, picturing exactly what fire sprinklers are. I pictured some lean pipes (cheap) running across the ceiling of my condo. Add the sprinkler heads (cheap). Add affixing the pipes to a water source (already in place). My conclusion: cheap, nothing to it, and the cost would be a mere few thousand dollars.

Hence, I ran that by my plumber, and amazingly, with no prompting, he came up with a figure of exactly what I was thinking — $4,500. And that’s for a two-bedroom unit.

Make sure your board, probably gullible, doesn’t drink the Kool-Aid.

Lewis Hitchcock

Waikiki

Military endangers its own families’ lives

It is ironic that it’s the fuel contamination of water in the homes of military families that has brought the dangers of the 80-year-old massive, leaking Red Hill jet-fuel tanks to a head.

What has happened to the military families underscores the dangers to the 400,000 residents in Honolulu whose water would be contaminated by a predicted major leak from the underground fuel storage tanks. If Honolulu’s aquifer is contaminated with fuel, it is contaminated forever. Water from other parts of the island would have to be diverted and boatloads of water would have to be brought from the mainland.

National security is all about keeping citizens safe. When the military endangers the lives of its own families and fellow citizens by keeping the Red Hill fuel tanks open, then something is wrong.

Time to shut down the Red Hill jet fuel tanks for both human security and national security.

Ann Wright

Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves (Ret.)

Ala Wai

Police need to enforce city noise ordinances

From fireworks to bombs, little racer cars to mopeds, ninja motorcycles to Waikiki street performers, we have a noise problem. Is there a contest as to who can make the most noise? It sure seems like it.

We have current noise ordinances on the books but no enforcement. Although a mile away from the nearest freeway, I can hear the noisemakers loud and clear each and every night.

The Honolulu Police Department spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on ATVs but can’t afford to buy decibel meters?

Supply every patrol officer with one, pull over the noisemakers, have them rev their engines and measure them. If it exceeds the lawful limit, give them a ticket. Simple.

As far as the illegal bombers, we all know the hotspots. Send a police helicopter over the area to locate where the bombs come from. Coordinate with patrol officers on the ground and arrest the bombers, making them an example for everyone to see.

Extreme measures must be taken if we have any chance to stop the insanity.

Brian Yamane

Moanalua Gardens

COVID restrictions ignored in Waikiki

The lax restrictions regarding COVID-19 policies in Hawaii are resulting in the rest of the citizens and locals being forced to pay the price.

Strolling around Waikiki, it is evident that the rules put in place to prevent further outbreaks are constantly being broken.

Though many establishments require mask-wearing prior to entering their space, I have hardly seen any enforcement afterward.

The restrictions have become meaningless, and do not serve as deterrents for tourists, especially since there are no negative consequences. At the most, they will be told to put their mask on and even this is not commonly done.

More must be done to enforce these rules put in place to protect us.

Ethan Kim

Hawaii Kai

>> Contact: 529-4831 (phone), 529-4750 (fax), letters@staradvertiser.com, staradvertiser.com/editorial/submit-letter