In response to Clifton Johnson’s letter about congestion in Waikiki (“No right turn on red snarls Waikiki traffic,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 11): For more than a generation, Waikiki has had an official “pedestrian first” policy. Unlike car-choked Kapahulu or Kapolei, the car does not dictate how we get around our neighborhood (we walk, roll, scoot, bike and bus), nor how we develop it (people first, pedestrian focused).
Under these types of policies, pedestrians, bicyclists, buses and universal access needs are prioritized over the flow of personal vehicles in transportation planning.
I live on Hobron Lane and know most of the cars backing up at those intersections are not from my neighborhood. They are simply drivers racing through as a shortcut out of Waikiki, all too frequently failing to make complete stops and endangering my neighbors.
So I agree: Let’s “do what’s best for the majority.” The majority in the Hobron community prefers that our streets be limited to residents only.
Jeff Merz
Waikiki
Hawaii can’t help much against global warming
There’s a myriad of environmentalists and others, concerned about the effects of global warming, who want to impose stringent measures to encourage renewable energy as well as fostering the recycling of products.
Of course, all these changes come with significant cost increases and since we have reached the point of diminishing returns, raising prices are no longer viable.
Unless a major portion of the world embraces these practices, the proposed changes in Hawaii will have an insignificant beneficial effect. If anything, the effect will be economically disastrous to those who can’t afford it.
Third World countries are not interested in saving the environment and want their share of the economic benefits that others, such as China, Europe and the United States, have reaped by ignorantly polluting the environment. As such, only the naive and uninformed think they are improving the environment with these changes.
Carlton Chang
Kaimuki
Induct UH ‘aunties’ into Sports Circle of Honor
Curtis Murayama wrote a great article about Lauretta Sewake, Lenora Yagi, Florence Kim and Ellen Tamura (“Forever an ‘aunty’, Lauretta Sewake is 100% aloha,” Star-Advertiser, July 11). These remarkable women should be enshrined in the University of Hawaii’s Sports Circle of Honor.
To UH President David Lassner, Athletics Director David Matlin and other powers that may be, please make it happen.
Michael Kato
Kaneohe
Biden’s comments about justices disrespectful
President Joe Biden has made derogatory comments about Supreme Court justices for their recent decisions. Instead of accepting the decisions made by the court, he is on a crusade to overturn the results of the court’s decisions by any means possible. He seems uninterested in drafting legislation that can be accepted and passed by a bipartisan majority of Congress. Criticizing a co-equal branch of government for performing its judicial function is disrespectful and unacceptable.
The president and certain members of his Cabinet have not spoken out against the actions of certain ultra-left organizations who are harassing and threatening those justices who made what they deem unfavorable decisions. Since when is it acceptable to threaten and harass Supreme Court justices for merely doing their jobs?
The lack of civility and decorum can only lead to innocent people being hurt and physical harm to those justices who have been unfairly demonized. It is sad that the Justice Department appears unwilling to protect the safety and well-being of our justices.
John Tamashiro
Pearl City
Rational gun control will need sustained effort
Even as we celebrated our country’s birth this past Fourth of July, we were painfully reminded by the Highland Park, Ill., shooting that random gun violence can take innocent lives anytime, anywhere.
The possibility of a mass shooting hangs over every gathering, whether it be in schools, churches, stores and shopping malls, entertainment venues, parades and more. If freedom is truly important to us, we need to muster the political and social will to reverse the rising tide of gun violence.
Our nation’s greatness will be measured by our willingness to confront this plague that is claiming too many precious lives. Stronger laws can be passed at the national, state and local levels to promote safety without jeopardizing the rights of law-abiding gun owners, but it will take a prolonged, sustained effort.
In addition, we need to examine honestly the extent to which gun violence is embedded in our culture, and make needed changes. With courage, strength and sacrifice, we can make America safer.
Stephen Lung
Kaimuki
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