Letters to the Editor | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Letter: Isle exodus is existential threat to all Hawaiians

None — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

More than half of Hawaiians now live outside Hawaii. This reality raises an urgent question: What happens to a lahui oiwi (ethnic group) when its people are disconnected from their ancestral home?

Letter: ‘Dead language’ remark offensive, discriminatory

None — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

At a recent Honolulu City Council meeting, testifier Kai Lorinc stated that the Hawaiian language is a “dead language.” Such a statement is discriminatory and reflects the colonialism of Hawaii’s history — that white America prevails with assimilation and land dispossession.

Letter: Bill of Rights still strong more than 230 years on

None — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

In a historic radio address on Dec. 15, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated, “No date in the long history of freedom means more to liberty-loving men in all liberty-loving countries than the 15th day of December 1791. On that day, 150 years ago, a new nation, through an elected Congress, adopted a declaration of human rights which has influenced the thinking of all mankind from one end of the world to the other.”

Letter: Don’t knock vaccines, one likely saved your life

None — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

When I was a student volunteer in a nursing home before the advent of the polio vaccine, I cared for patients in iron lungs. Then Jonas Salk’s vaccine became available, and over the years polio became a thing of the past.

Letter: Trump reign could spell disaster for democracy

None — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Well done, America. In an electoral choice between democracy and freedom and anger, fear and hate, you chose the latter. I hope you’re happy with that decision because it may be the last time you ever get to make it.

Letter: Fixing economy is easy, just roll back Biden snafu

None — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Fixing the economy and inflation is simple and easy. Simply lower gas prices by opening the Keystone XL pipeline, thus increasing oil production. This will bring down grocery prices, food costs and inflation, and cut interest rates.

Letter: Queen Theater seizure a step in wrong direction

None — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

As per the Dec. 13 article “Council OKs seizure of Queen Theater,” I agree that we should respect private ownership. Property owners Narciso Yu Jr. and Adoree Yu are making strides in improvement to make it safe and convert it toward their plans for the future.

Letter: Empty-homes tax bill is like fine for having more

None — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Empty-homes tax bill? What a refreshing idea. Maybe other similar tax bills can be created in the future.

Letter: Gabbard has made name for herself as opportunist

None — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Don King was the sleazy, self-aggrandizing promoter notorious for making millions off his fighters, only to be sued by them — highlighted in 1975 when he traveled to a bout with Joe Frazier, but left with the winner, George Foreman.

Letter: Gabriel misses out on Heisman, did Hawaii proud

None — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Heisman Trophy was awarded to Colorado University’s Travis Hunter, and in many ways he is a justifiable winner. However, Dillon Gabriel, in my opinion, would have been an equally justifiable Heisman pick. After all, it is very difficult to find a more important and pressure-filled position in elite level football than that of the quarterback.

Letter: Presidential candidates are snake oil salesmen

None — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

In American history during the Wild West days, traveling salesmen swindled hard-working people by peddling their snake oil and cure-all elixirs. The salesman didn’t care if he or she had to lie or if the product fell short of high expectations — as long as they made the sale and got their money.

Letter: Alternatives to landfill include more recycling

None — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

This perpetual search for new landfills is an endless exercise in futility, primarily because it deals with the symptom of opala overload rather than pursuing a goal of modernizing the handling of solid waste. Perhaps it is time for our modern-day planners to consider alternatives to landfills.

Letter: Bill 46 invades citizens’ basic right to property

None — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Whoever is proposing Bill 46 is a fool. Fascism starts when the government takes away property. This bill is an invasion of our basic right to own property. We have the right to keep that property empty or fill it with cats and dogs, or maybe even human beings.

Letter: Give public answers in Miske’s mysterious death

None — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Michael Miske’s death is still being investigated and so far there is no sign of foul play or suicide. An autopsy came back inconclusive. An exact cause of death remains under investigation. With modern technology and up-to-date equipment, the coroner is unable to find the cause and is keeping the investigation under wraps until an examination is complete.

Letter: More scrutiny needed for Aria Lane in Manoa

None — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The proposed Aria Lane development on the former Saint Francis School property in Manoa Valley has the potential of forever altering a beautiful, tranquil way of life for Manoa residents.

Letter: Singing praises of late, prominent Dr. Dierdorff

None — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

On Wednesday’s obituary page, I noticed a tiny mention of Edwin Prentice Dierdorff. This is Dr. Dierdorff, who was a prominent ear, nose and throat physician in Kailua for many years and was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He was known as the “Singing Doctor” for singing barbershop tunes and could often be found swimming in Lanikai, collecting shells, glass floats and interesting bits. Art was another of his interests; he was a true renaissance man.

Letter: Speed humps don’t follow fed guidelines

Derek Kalani — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

It was recently reported that a motorcyclist lost control while traveling over a speed hump on Farrington Highway. According to reports, speed appears not to be a factor in the crash.

Letter: Modern woes would sadden isle ancestors

Derek Kalani — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole sang a song entitled “Hawaii 78,” originally recorded by the Makaha Sons of Niihau. The first line of the song is our state motto: “Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono,” the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

Letter: Local man gives time to enliven community

Derek Kalani — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

I want to recognize Walter Thompson, who is so deserving in our community and does so much, especially during Christmas.

Letter: Use Red Hill tanks as temporary landfill

Derek Kalani — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The H-2 freeway ends south of Wahiawa and Schofield. The new landfill site is currently accessible by two-lane roads. Most Oahu garbage trucks would have to drive through Wahiawa and over the Karsten Thot Bridge or weave down Wilikina Drive through Schofield Barracks traffic. It’s already gridlock when surf is up and the tourists shut down Kamehameha Highway between Wahiawa and Haleiwa.

Readers share ‘Count your blessings’ letters

Radley Kanda — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

With the holidays just around the corner, our readers share the blessings in their lives.

Letter: Trump presidential win was divine intervention

Derek Kalani — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The liberal Democratic Party is still turning on each other for failures after the presidential election loss that brought Donald Trump back to the White House.

Letter: Time ‘Person of the Year’ touts man with no morals

Derek Kalani — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

In what should be the straw that broke the camel’s back, Time magazine just named a man found guilty of 34 felonies, who cheats on his wife with porn stars, is an adjudicated rapist and draft-dodging coward “Person of the Year.” But, then again, this is the same magazine that called Hitler “Man of the Year” in 1938 before he destroyed the lives of three million Jews and reduced Germany to a smoldering pile of rubble.

Letter: Kailua roundabout gives residents the runaround

Derek Kalani — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

To anyone living near it, the roundabout construction in front of Kalapawai Market at the corner of Kailua Road and Kalaheo Avenue must seem endless. Started in November 2022 and scheduled for completion in May 2025, the construction that has occurred hardly seems to justify the time involved and the inconvenience to local residents.

Letter: Treat guns like cars: license, insurance and all

None — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Political incompetence is responsible for an escalation in gun crime incidents in Hawaii. Failure to pass common- sense legislation means protections for Hawaii citizens and visitors do not exist.

Letter: Hawaii Supreme Court takes stand against guns

None — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Applause for the Hawaii Supreme Court, particularly Associate Justice Todd Eddins, for taking a stand against carrying firearms outside the home, as reported in a recent editorial (“Court reiterates gun safety stance,” Star- Advertiser, Our View, Dec. 10). Hawaii’s history and aloha spirit can inspire all.

Letter: Schools can help kids on brink of obesity crisis

None — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The medical journal Lancet recently released a study that predicts that by 2050, 2 in 3 adults, 1 in 3 teens and 1 in 5 children in the U.S. will be obese. Ask any family physician: most of our work is obesity-caused illness. This is a horrendous public health crisis that is being ignored. There is lots of blame to go around, but the biggest blame goes to those of us who don’t teach our children how to eat well.

Letter: Is a landfill better than housing for Dole land?

None — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

When David Murdock bought Castle & Cooke in 1985, he had his eye on building houses, which we need, on Dole’s agricultural land in Central Oahu. But everybody said no, way back then.

Letter: More funds for libraries make better Hawaii citizens

None — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

There is something missing when our goal is to increase enrollment at our universities, community colleges and preschools, but we cut our library system budget. Having a good library system is critical to allow young minds to explore the world and help to prepare for higher education.

Letter: Flip-flopping Gabbard was Dem in name only

None — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Donald Trump calls Republicans who don’t like him “RINOs,” or Republicans in name only. Tulsi Gabbard in 2022 declared she was leaving the Democratic Party to become an independent, then joined the Republican Party this year. Gabbard is a DINO, or Democrat in name only.

Letter: Worst drivers in nation in need of tough love

None — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

A recent article claiming Hawaii’s motorists are the worst in America is only partly correct. I have lived in a number of major cities in the U.S., as well as Japan. My own observations agree we have the worst drivers, but we also have the best.

Letter: Save money on Ala Wai bridge, use it for Skyline

None — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

This is regarding the “world-class” bridge under construction in Kakaako (“‘World-class’ pedestrian bridge nears completion after much delay,” Star- Advertiser, Nov. 24). I am not sure what a “world-class” pedestrian bridge is, but why can’t we put the same type of bridge over the Ala Wai Canal? We could save a lot of money that we will need to bring the rail to Kewalo Basin Harbor and Ala Moana Regional Park.

Letter: Little fire ants are big problem for state DOA

None — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Hawaii Public Radio reports that this year the Hawaii Ant Lab detected 19 new little fire ant (LFA) sites on Oahu and eight new sites each on Maui and Kauai.

Letter: Call audible on losing UH football team strategy

None — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Don’t get me wrong, I really am a fan of University of Hawaii football. But when you travel 4,000 miles to throw five interceptions and lose 55 to 10, one has to wonder if we really need a team. It ended the season 5-and-7 — another mediocre season. It’s been same old, same old for a while now.

Letter: Americans lulled into dangerous position

None — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

It seems our policymakers are coaxed into bad decisions on almost everything from finance to national defense.

Letter: Ineffective empty homes tax opens can of worms

None — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Why did the City Council pay $500,000 for outside counsel regarding pending Bill 46 and then choose to not wait for the results of the consultation? If Bill 46 passes, at least 20% of the monies collected will be used for affordable housing, and the remainder will be used for other, as yet undefined, related purposes.

Letter: Leave taxpayers out of blue-state Trump scheme

None — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Is Gov. Josh Green virtue signaling on the backs of our weary taxpayers? His proposed budget calls for dedicating $20 million over two years to “file potential lawsuits against Trump administration policies” (“Hawaii joins ‘blue state’ coalitions to push back against Trump policies,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 8).

Letter: Biden’s pardon of son Hunter an easy choice

None — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Anyone who criticizes President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter should have his heart examined.

Letter: CEO shooting raises questions of capitalism

None — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

This is about full-day TV coverage about a shooting in New York. Apparently, a disgruntled, ticked-off person killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Letter: Back Ukraine to put lid on Russian aggression

None — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Russia and America failed to build sustainable governments in Afghanistan that could withstand internal revolt. Mirroring the American failure in Vietnam, the Russians have now watched the crumbling of their efforts to support a despised government in Syria.