If a major tsunami was headed for Hawaii, every resident and tourist alike would agree that’s an emergency. If our home was on fire, each of us would concur that’s an emergency. Dec. 7, 1941 and Sept. 11, 2001, were state, national and global emergencies that will always “live in infamy.”

While we debate the merits of declaring an emergency on our southern border, when will we turn our attention to obvious emergencies, such as ameliorating climate change, stopping gun violence and the scourge of drug-overdose deaths, or reducing the high cost of health care to allow the same benefits that citizens of many other countries enjoy?

What about reducing wealth disparity in the U.S. and worldwide that allows 100 people to accrue the same wealth as more than 4 billion people, or providing equal access to educational and employment opportunities for everyone? Are those not emergencies worthy of our attention?

Robert Griffon

McCully-Moiliili

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