Sheehan uses son's death to get attention
It seems to me that Cindy Sheehan ("Anti-war activist cheered,"
Star-Bulletin, Jan. 5) appears to show signs of a variety of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome (MBPS), an emotional disorder characterized by mothers who revel in and become addicted to the sympathy and attention given to them due to a sick or dying child. Sheehan's comment that she will be a grieving mother the rest of her life, as well as her estrangement from the rest of her family during this period when her husband and other members are in extremely painful grief, is very telling.
Clearly, Sheehan had no role in her son's death, but in the worst cases of MBPS, some mothers will even secretly injure, poison or even kill their children to continue receiving the gratification of sympathy and attention.
Gary F. Anderson
Waimanalo
Follow their example, but do so with caution
A question for Hawaiians: What do Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King have in common? They both initiated dramatic social change by using "passive resistance."
I believe it would be beneficial for the Hawaiians to study and learn from both of these enlightened leaders' tactics if they wish to make change. But beware! Both of these great men were murdered because of the power of change they inspired in their people. Will Hawaiians be as committed?
Roy Dean
Pahoa, Hawaii
Senior citizens need tax break now
I don't think the mayor understands the high property tax issue
in regard to senior citizens. If seniors have to wait until August to receive property tax relief a lot of senior homeowners will be homeless.
Elected public officials were voted into office by the senior vote. The senior voting bloc can determine if politicians get re-elected or not. Seniors need the property tax break now, before the next billing period, not in the summer.
If politicians want to keep their jobs they better do something right away, wikiwiki.
A very wise kahuna from Kailua once said, "The power to tax involves the power to destroy."
Eric Po'ohina
Kailua
Tobacco kills more people than fireworks
Please inform these individuals who want to ban fireworks to do their homework. More people die from tobacco products than fireworks. Almost 500,000 people die each year from tobacco products.
Alvin Wong
Pearl City
Don't let women take toilets from the men
New building codes require event facilities to provide twice as many toilets for women as for men, which is a good idea as long as this law is not allowed to be perverted.
Under Title IX, which was created to ensure equal opportunities in college athletics, inherent gender differences are ignored and equality is achieved by eliminating more than 20,000 men's positions, several college football programs, 350 wrestling programs, and out of the 250 gymnastic programs offered in 1970, only 19 remain.
State law requires only seven stalls at the Blaisdell, but due to long lines, accommodations were increased to 34, so during the next renovation, eliminating 17 toilets for men would be seriously considered if City Councilman Charles Djou's law is implemented in the same manner as Title IX. Guys better get use to the idea of "peeing" in the planters and hope that there's no need for larger bushes outside.
Ryan Anakalea
Kapolei