Kids are endangered by trigger-happy cops
I am one of those lucky parents who didn't have to be told that one of Hawaii's finest (some gun-toting cop bred into the John Wayne Syndrome) had shot my child. I am so lucky that on the day of search and seizure, those trigger-happy boys weren't playing around with their guns.Instead, for burglary, bail was set at more than $160,000. Now that the search is over, we are still wondering where some of our personal belongings went to. The items still remain unaccounted for. Yet, I'm a lucky parent because those lawmen could have shot my child in the head or back.
We can't get some kids to respect authority. We can't get a lot of people to live by the commandments of the highest being. But if you don't heed a power-hungry, badge-toting cop, you may become, permanently, unlucky.
Debbie White
Police always defend their 'right' to shoot
With respect to the police shooting in Haleiwa, our police force is the greatest damage control artist in the state. They protect their own. They talk non-lethal, but their training and actions betray them.The letters to the editor that condoned the shooting must consider several things:
For a traffic offense, would you be willing to follow the officer's directions to lie down in the dirt?
On your own land, you can reach for any object you want to. And because walking requires movement of hands, our police can always justify their shootings by saying the person was going for a gun.
Ken Chang
Kaneohe
Officer was justified in firing on fleeing suspect
A man with a concealed handgun disobeys a police officer, but the police officer is not in danger? Who wrote your May 8 editorial, anyway?So, in your view, it is perfectly OK for the criminal to ignore the police and to flee the scene. What a rational, responsible view point.
Jeffrey Shockey
Kailua
Gas prices should lead political agenda
Oil company interests in this state hide behind the standard phrase that "it costs much more to get the product here," etc.That may be true, to a degree, but to the tune of 50-75 cents a gallon over mainland costs? I doubt it. These companies are absolutely exploiting the peaceful, non-confrontational aloha spirit that makes Hawaii so wonderful.
The energy cost issue should be at the very top of the political agenda in this election year. If you hear any politician say that the state will lose revenues if gas prices are cut, that politician is putting government ahead of the people, and should be thrown out of office at the polls.
Getting in people's face about the wrongs we see will only perpetuate the aloha spirit, not threaten it.
Les Harris
Kapalua, Maui
State ought to get back all its gas tax payment
I read in your May 8 edition that Hawaii had been paying a tax on gas that it did not need to pay. When I read about reimbursement, I was glad. We should get back the money that we did not really need to pay. Then I noticed that we would be paid only for three years back, $600,000. This sounds wrong. I think that we should get a full refund. We deserve to be reimbursed. It just does not seem right that we only are paid for three years' worth.Daniel Bridges
Mililani High School
Community group didn't deserve criticism
Your April 27 editorial opined that the Community Revitalization Coalition (CRC), a consortium of health and human services, environmental and community groups, was "way too late" in expressing its views on the economic revitalization measures currently being debated in the Legislature.Any astute and seasoned participant in the legislative process knows that key decisions can and are made at the 11th hour of the session. The CRC's proposals were released in the beginning of House/Senate Conference Committee deliberations, ample time to advocate lawmakers whom CRC had met with since January.
It's also not true that CRC proposals would not be considered because "deadlines for introducing legislation are long past." Proposals sought by CRC can be readily amended through existing bills, so missing the cutoff deadline doesn't necessarily mean proposals will be ignored.
Your greatest wrong, however, was ridiculing citizens seeking to meaningfully participate in the public arena. In a matter of several weeks, the CRC convened nearly 50 "focus groups" that engaged about 300 citizens in discussion about Hawaii's economy.
At a time of low voter-turnout and public discontent with government and elected officials, the efforts of the CRC and other community-based activities should be encouraged.
William M. Kaneko
Firms are right to offer benefits to gay employees
Congratulations on Susan Kreifel's excellent May 8 article on companies offering benefits to employees in same-sex relationships. It's good to see Bank of Hawaii and Hawaiian Electric backing away from earlier positions that did not reflect the aloha spirit.I wonder how many voters will remember your front-page photo of Ward Stewart and George Vye when it comes time to reject the ugly restriction on equality proposed in November.
Richard Miles
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