This year’s State of the Union speech moved me greatly and I was so proud to be an American.

I am a naturalized U.S. citizen and count my blessings every day to be able to live in this wonderful country. I was not a supporter of President Donald Trump at the beginning, but now I firmly believe he is leading the country in the right direction.

It was sad to see our Hawaii delegation sit on its hands throughout the entire speech, never once acknowledging some of the legitimate accomplishments of this president. Shame on them.

It’s time for us not to behave like the Hawaii delegation.

We as Americans have the obligation to ourselves and to the country’s future to make the best out of the president we have, even if it was not the one we voted for.

Mari Berry

Kaneohe

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No reasoning with pro-Trump zealots

It never ceases to amaze me how alt-right conservative Republicans continue to overlook President Donald Trump’s behavior.

It’s like they have blinders on.

Trump lies. He calls Haiti and some African nations “s***hole countries.” Then denies saying it when others heard to the contrary. Sure.

He’s a racist, reluctant to denounce white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis for what happened in Charlottesville. He placed blame on both sides. This shows a wanton lack of understanding.

He knows what those groups represent. He denies being racist. Uh-huh.

He’s a misogynistic chauvinist. During the campaign he was recorded talking about grabbing women’s private parts. He denies it. Yeah, right!

Baseless claims? To the alt-right, yeah. Because everything to them is fake news.

You can’t argue with zealots. They believe what they want to believe.

Robert K. Soberano

Moiliili

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Don’t capitulate to far-left positions

In response to John Bickel’s letter, “Pass progressive laws for Hawaii” (Star-Advertiser, Jan. 30), I must disagree. The collective response of Hawaii’s liberal demographic must not be to push further left.

In the aftermath of President Barack Obama’s 2008 election, we all watched as the far-right tail (tea party) wagged the entire Republican Party.

Republican primaries became contests of purity and about which candidate could be the most conservative. That should not be the future of the Democratic Party in Hawaii.

Bipartisan politics, whether you agree or disagree with its efficacy, relies on the existence of opposition parties so that we may find the middle. The middle moderates the extremes of both ends of the political spectrum and we are all better for it.

I am a liberal. I am not a progressive. And I don’t believe that my party’s leaders should capitulate to the far left in order to survive primaries.

Jared Ellis

Mililani

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HSTA shouldn’t seek to take other funds

The Hawaii State Teachers Association wants the Legislature to tax private individuals who own investment homes. Shouldn’t the HSTA make its financial requests known and let the Legislature come up with a plan?

Now any union seems to think it can look over who has money in Hawaii and say, “Let’s take some of theirs,” without even considering that investment properties house renters.

If you tax these properties excessively, the owner will bear the brunt of the decision, and the renter will at least share some of the pain.

Maybe Hawaii residents should look over union revenues and suggest to the Legislature that it look to the unions to help pay for some of our expenses, such as the rail and solutions for the homeless. How would the HSTA like that?

Kathy Novak

Moanalua Valley

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Visitors should have more entertainment

Your fun feature, “Vegas, Baby!” (Star-Advertiser, Jan. 21) listed 83 unique nightlife attractions in the tourist mecca. By contrast, Oahu offers less than a handful, if one doesn’t count the ubiquitous luau. Are we boring our valuable tourists, the driver of the state’s economy?

There are a number of economic factors at play. Entertainment is high risk; it requires an experimental environment. Oahu rents are debilitating high. The growing consolidation in the hotel industry engenders less risk, cookie-cutter management and fewer showrooms.

Bloomberg reports that Las Vegas visitors are now spending less on gambling and more on entertainment. The Hawaii Tourism Authority evidences a very low expenditure for nightlife attraction. Would they spend more if there were a choice? Can Hawaii react to new market tastes?

With all of the creative talent in Hawaii and a rich culture of storytelling, can’t we give our beloved tourists a choice of something unique and entertaining? After all, don’t we want our guests to visit more than once?

Gordy Grundy

Makiki

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Filipinos must help Native Hawaiians

Filipinos in Hawaii must wake up and not remain silent as the indigenous Native Hawaiians justify their ethical right for self-determination and defend their rightful sovereignty.

The Philippines has had a devastating colonial history: first with Spain, then with the Philippine-American War, in which scores of innocent Filipinos were killed by the U. S. military, and then by the heinous crimes of the Japanese occupation.

Therefore, Filipinos here in Hawaii must morally support our Native Hawaiians as they oppose their unlawful ethnocide and exile by our powerful, non-Hawaiian deceptive political settlers.

Filipinos have to take a stand against these injustices or remain afflicted with “colonial amnesia.”

Mel Domingo

Kakaako