OHA knew what it was getting into

It is hard to sit silently while state Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Peter Apo is allowed to spread blatant untruths through the media ("Killing OHA bill would be insult," Star-Advertiser, Letters, April 12).

I do not know about Kakaako residents, but the greater community is aware that OHA had ample time to evaluate its land settlement with the state. The board, its appraiser and its real estate agent made a mistake. They surely knew the 2006 law banned residential development there. They could have refused the settlement then. It is wrong to play the race card now to guilt the public. They cannot change the rules midstream.

If OHA wants to truly help the Hawaiian people, it can direct its energies toward the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Do not try to revoke solid laws passed by legislators with integrity who were focused on protecting our aina.

Jeremy Lam
Manoa

Don’t let developers buy exemptions

Is Hawaii for sale? It seems so.

Big developers believe if they give enough money, a.k.a. a bribe, they can get what they want. Rules mean nothing to them. It’s, "How much will it cost me to get what I want?"

The trouble is, our elected officials play this game and the people of Hawaii lose.If the City Council accepts the $1 million offered by the development partnership owners of King’s Village, it will set a terrible precedent ("Plan would raze King’s Village in Waikiki," Star-Advertiser, April 10). They might as well put up a billboard saying, "Hawaii for sale to the highest bidder."

Yes, billboards are illegal in Hawaii, but so were unrestricted building heights, no setbacks and unlimited density for Waikiki.

In theory, elected officials establish laws, rules and policies that protect and improve the lives of their constituents.

What good are they if nothing is enforced, or worse, set aside for a bribe?

Deborah Williams
Kailua

Snowden’s idealism was misplaced

I’m confused by how people can still refer to Edward Snowden as a "whistleblower."

A whistleblower is defined as one who reveals wrongdoing within an organization to the public.

In his misplaced idealism, Snowden technically is a whistleblower, but in doing so he committed treason. In a time of war, treason is punishable by death.

We are at war with worldwide terrorism. Snowden handed over to al-Qaida, the Taliban or any other wannabe terrorist group that would like to see a repeat of 9/11, the combinations for how the National Security Agency uncovers terrorist plots.

Snowden said in reference to the NSA’s investigations, "I don’t want to live in a society that does these sort of things."

I hope Snowden enjoys the freedoms that he will find in Russia, a country that arrested the punk group Pussy Riot.

We’ll see how Snowden fares under Russian President Vladimir Putin’s benevolent leadership.

Dick Boyd
Diamond Head

Political correctness becoming the norm

I agree wholeheartedly with David Shapiro ("Attacks on BOE chairman amount to religious bigotry," Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, April 13).

Shapiro points out that "gay rights activists and atheists" are attempting to punish Board of Education Chairman Don Horner for being a member of, and a volunteer Bible teacher for, a conservative Christian church that opposes same-sex marriage.

Reading the article, I thought: Here we go again with the will of a few dictating to the masses.

In our politically correct-driven society, that seems to be the norm.

Let’s see, when was the last time a small minority overrode the wishes of the greater population?

We can start with the Superferry.

Chip Davey
Downtown Honolulu

Emulate health care of New Zealand

We should emulate an effective model of socialized medicine rather than retain and modify our own costly, insurance-based system.

In August 2013, I suffered two broken legs while on vacation in New Zealand, undergoing five surgeries and spending five weeks at a public hospital free of charge.

New Zealand provides free medical care to victims of work, auto and personal injuries regardless of citizenship.

This program, financed through taxes, was $5 million in the black last year.

The absence of insurance companies and attorneys from the care-delivery system is probably part of the reason they are able to do this.

Private, insurance-financed medical care for non-accident-related conditions is available for those who desire it.

Those who don’t, the majority of the population, might have to wait in line to see public physicians for non-urgent conditions at a very nominal cost.

Toby Kravet
Kamehameha Heights

It’s no surprise rail needs more funding

How can anyone be surprised that once the rail transit system is built, its operations and maintenance must be paid for?

In 2017, the first phase of rail is scheduled to operate between East Kapolei and Aloha Stadium.The 0.5 percentage point general excise tax increase on Oahu is by law only to be used to construct rail.

To extend the rail GET increase beyond 2022, when it is scheduled to sunset, won’t pay for operation and maintenance in 2017 when it begins operation at the same time it is being built. Someone has to pay for both.

When you buy a Cadillac, you have to pay for the gas to drive it.

I have to thank those Windward, North Shore and East Honolulu property owners who will help us Leeward residents pay for rail with increased property taxes.

Pam Smith
Ewa Beach