Dawn Morais Webster bemoaned the fact that “more than half a million registered voters did not feel motivated” to vote (“Democracy faces a crisis in Hawaii,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 24).
Hawaii is a state with a reported average of 86% of voters casting ballots for Democrats. Where is the motivation? Elections are a foregone conclusion. With Hawaii voting for a usual choice of familiar faces, motivation is even less.
Is the result, then, that Democrats here create their own “democracy crisis”? Who else is to be blamed?
Donald Graber
Kakaako
First ladies can play key role in government
I beg to disagree with Makana Hicks, and there are quite a few first ladies who also would disagree (“Native Hawaiians aren’t just the ‘host culture’,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 24).
The position of first lady is not decorative, as evidenced by Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Sarah Polk, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, just to name a few. The position of first lady is whatever the first lady makes of it.
John Laslo
Waikiki
Keep e-scooters, e-bikes off public sidewalks
A cautionary note to those folks enjoying their daily walks: Recently, a senior woman on her daily walk was hit from behind by a young boy riding his electric scooter on the sidewalk on Kealahou Street. He came up very fast behind her and knocked her off her feet. She was bruised, battered and shocked, but not as seriously injured as she could have been.
It is urgent to call attention to the law against riding bikes and scooters on the sidewalk, especially the new e-scooters and e-bikes. They are very fast and dangerous to walkers. The boy said he was sorry, but did not give aid until she asked him to please help her up.
Parents should be told that their children cannot ride their e-scooters and e-bikes on sidewalks.
Mele Welte
Hawaii Kai
Military branches pollute Hawaii’s water
It’s not only the Navy at Red Hill.
It’s the Army at Aliamanu with a suspect water distribution system (“Water at Aliamanu Military Reservation was 3 times state’s safe limit,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 16).
It’s the Marines at Marine Corps Base Hawaii with wastewater pollution (“Marine Corps, EPA team up to manage stormwater runoff,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 17).
From a source in Wahiawa comes word that the next military boot to drop could be at Wheeler Army Airfield. Every so often, while driving to Mililani, he would smell gas under a bridge that leads to the training area, thinking there might be a leak somewhere.
So much for homeland security.
Richard Lum
Waikiki
Letter writers have wrong take on morality
Whoa! A twofer on Aug. 23.
One writer sought votes help him impose his religion on us, because he knows the definition of morality (“Christian voters would put GOP in power here,” Star-Advertiser, Letters).
The other writer tried to gaslight us (“Fake news distortions about abortion, Trump,” Star-Advertiser, Letters). First he said Roe v. Wade was overturned solely because abortion isn’t mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. There are many other unenumerated rights protected under the Ninth Amendment, just as abortion should be.
The reality is that five religious extremists imposed their religion upon the rest of us because they had the power to do so (“Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade; states can ban abortion,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, June 24). And many states will enforce those mandates without allowing their citizens to vote on them, because voters would turn them down, just as they did in Kansas.
He went on to say that several congressional investigations have absolved Donald Trump of criminality, which is laughable. The Mueller report alone outlined 10 cases of possible obstruction of justice.
I believe these two writers have their morality backwards.
Jim Keefe
Waikiki
Urge candidates to be more forthcoming
Thank you for your editorial, “Voters need more from candidates” (Star-Advertiser, Our View, Aug. 15).
During the upcoming campaign, your paper should be asking hard questions from the leading candidates, especially Lt. Gov. Josh Green, because of lingering questions about his $1 million-plus outside income that he earned while serving as the lieutenant governor. You are in the best position to ask him the hard questions to give the voters a full explanation that they deserve.
Similarly, the Star-Advertiser should be getting details from him about how he is to address homelessness and lack of affordable housing within the first 100 days in office if he is elected. The voters deserve to know.
He promises to make “significant” changes at the departments of Hawaiian Home Lands, Land and Natural Resources, and Health. He is in the perfect position to give the details about his plans, since he was a legislator and lieutenant governor for the past 20 years. Require Green to be more transparent.
Melanie Akeo
Kapolei
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