I recently met a candidate for the state House of Representatives whose flier alerted me to my proud wokeness. She seemed a likable enough young lady, but as a believer of science and secular humanist of open and broad mind, I’ve never seen a collection of downright dangerous viewpoints to which I was more diametrically opposed.

Among her list of grievances was the teaching of social-emotional learning (SEL) in our schools.

As a former member of a board of education, I was curious about this term I had not heard before. I found the definition from CASEL, the organization that coined it. These phrases jumped off the page: “to develop healthy identities, manage emotions” and most importantly, “feel and show empathy for others.” In other words, how to accept yourself and get along with people different from you.

Our world is a rich tapestry of cultures and individuals. Providing children the tools for peaceful coexistence is a valuable effort. The future of humanity is riding on it.

Kevin Johnson

Ko Olina

Letter-writers speak for themselves, not others

To Devon Chotzen-Hartzell, who complained about an anti-LGBTQ+ letter and demanded an apology from the Star-Advertiser (“Wrong to publish anti-LGBTQ+ letter,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 6): You seemed to have answered your own question by saying that “editors should not only print letters they agree with: a diversity of opinions is why many of us enjoy reading the section.”

Then you went on to say the letter lacked value and was just insulting.

That’s your opinion, correct? You don’t speak for me or anyone else, but only for yourself. People might agree with you, but unless you have everyone’s opinion, all 1.5 million Hawaii residents, it’s still just your opinion. So I guess your opinion is like what they say: Everybody has one.

Kip Anderson

Salt Lake

America losing touch with family values

America is in a free fall, plummeting morally and spiritually, with no repentance in sight. In mainland schools, young children are told they can choose their gender, boy or girl. But God Almighty, who formed every human being in their mother’s womb, have already settled the gender issue at birth: a male or a female.

A teachers’ union proposed to change “mother” to “birthing parent” to appease the transgender community. This is an outrage against all mothers.

We are seeing before our eyes the dismantling of America’s godly family values.

Melvin Partido Sr.

Pearl City

‘Originalist’ doctrine just a power grab by court

The letter, “Biden’s attack on court dangerous, despicable” (Star-Advertiser, June 30), is wrong on many levels. President Joe Biden’s criticism, as is his First Amendment right, is not the problem.

The problem is the radical political bent of the decisions, which fit their benefactors’ aims, of the new Supreme Court majority. The danger to civility and peacefulness actually comes from those decisions.

The originalist doctrine of the majority justices actually is a cynically divisive and dangerous attempt at a power grab. The Supreme Court should be a secularly neutral arbiter of constitutional law and not ideologically biased. So far, the harm by the court has been to women’s rights, gun safety, environmental mitigation, individual rights, voting rights and more.

Originalism? The court is supposed to provide legal protection for all, not just white Christian men.

Violence? Don’t forget our previous president’s insurrection in his illegal attempts to hold onto power. Talk about divisive and deadly.

We may no longer be a nation of laws if the power grab stands.

Melvin Sakamoto

Palolo

Population growth destroying our planet

In 1900 the world’s population was 2 billion. Today it is close to 8 billion — almost 6 billion more people in about 100 years.

Uncontrolled population growth is the cause of the world’s problems: Global warming, pollution, poverty and loss of the rainforests. No one is talking about this huge problem. Instead the U.S. Supreme Court says: Let’s overturn Roe v. Wade and force women to have unwanted children and help further destroy our planet. Insane.

Our living planet is overheated. It’s also overpopulated and getting worse every day. If we want to stop climate change, we must stop population growth. We add 80 million people to the planet each year.

If they want to stop abortions, the pro-birth protesters who offer no support after a unwanted child is born should be demanding free birth control for all women. Family planning for all is what we should be demanding to save our planet.

Tom Sebas

Waikiki

No right turn on red snarls Waikiki traffic

So some genius decided to make most intersections in Waikiki no right turn on red. This is causing significant traffic backups and will only get worse.

Some drivers I talked with say they ignore the sign; it’s ludicrous at many intersections. I know the city is going to say it’s for pedestrian safety, but pedestrians have a responsibility, too. They already ignore the Walk/Don’t Walk signs.

I watch the intersections of Ala Moana Boulevard and Ena/Kalia roads and Hobron Lane. A right turn on red only after full stop was and is more than sufficient. With the increase of condos in Waikiki and the return of visitors, traffic is already a nightmare and the city just made it worse.

Why can’t the city just apply common sense and do what’s best for the majority, and not for the few pedestrians who already disregard the Walk/Don’t Walk signs?

Clifton T. Johnson

Ala Moana

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