Jones Act stifles U.S. shipbuilding industry
Rep. Brian Schatz wrote a cliché-filled letter praising the Jones Act (
Star-Bulletin, March 2), an old law meant to protect U.S. shipping companies and shipbuilders. Unfortunately, its real effect has been to stifle U.S. shipyards from competing with their international rivals.
Ocean commerce has hugely expanded during the past 40 years because of tremendous growth in global trading and world population. Today's passenger liners, mammoth container ships and tankers are marvels of technology. Because of the Jones Act, America missed out while Korea and Europe built these modern vessels. Our shipyards "protected by the Jones Act" have shrunk so much that now they build only small, domestic-only vessels or ships for the U.S. Navy.
This month's U.S. Naval Institute "Proceedings" magazine cover story proclaims "Shipbuilding, An Industry in Crisis."
Meanwhile, congressional candidate Schatz parrots the same old dead ideas that protect a few workers while never glimpsing the whole fleet of industries that briefly crossed the horizon. Apparently he learns more from lobbyists than from real life.
Patrick Grandelli
Kailua
Citizens should be able to protect themselves
Since some legislators are unhappy with concealed carrying of firearms, Senate Bill 2529, allowing Hawaii residents the right to openly carry a handgun, is for them.
Of course, any option giving the right to self-defense to a citizen is again strongly opposed by the Honolulu Police Department. Would that they arrive in time to save a life when 911 is called by a woman in danger.
Many states let their residents openly carry a sidearm. Of course there are a few rules as to where you can't carry.
Two states that allow open carry without a permit are Alaska in the west and Virginia in the east. Washington, D.C., is a suburb of Virginia, and it is far more dangerous than Virginia. Having visited both, the wife and I will take Virginia every time.
I guess HPD wants Hawaii to be just as "safe" as Washington, D.C., and is trying hard to be like the D.C. police when it comes to controlling crime.
Vernon Okamura
Honolulu
Hawaii needs broader secondhand smoke law
As a parent, I want to protect my young children and myself from the dangers of secondhand smoke, but find it increasingly difficult to accomplish, as smokers are free to smoke in and around places of business and in public areas. This secondhand smoke is more than a nuisance, it's harmful to my children's health as well as my own. Secondhand smoke has been classified as a Group A Carcinogen, a known cause of cancer in humans, and contains 69 carcinogens including formaldehyde, cyanide, arsenic and carbon monoxide. Everyone, especially young children who are still developing, deserves to breathe clean air.
Legislators, pass a bill to protect everyone from secondhand smoke. The laws in place currently only protect some of us, and only in particular situations.
Julie McKee
Honolulu
Public speaking builds students' self-esteem
Why don't we start in first grade to have each student stand up and say his or her name? This simple yet important act of standing in front of one's peers and saying something could morph gradually into small public speaking assignments. No child would be exempt. This would prevent any one child from being "anonymous" and would gradually give both self-esteem and public speaking ability to all children. Home room teachers, depending on the size of their classes, could make sure that each child got up and spoke at least once a week.
There would be no extra cost to the school system. Being able to speak in front of your peers and others is vitally important to self-confidence, not to mention the ability to articulate.
Shaunagh G. Robbins
Honolulu
Leeward dump could cost mayor dearly
One thousand, three hundred and fifty-four. Seems like a large number when written out. Let's try reading that same number again but in numeral form: 1,354.
The number above represents the margin by which Mufi Hannemann won the last mayoral election.
The people of the Leeward coast of Oahu, from Honokai Hale to Makaha, supported Mufi primarily because he promised to close the landfill. For most of us, this meant in 2008. Duke Bainum, his opponent, was less forthcoming and lost the Leeward Coast.
Now comes news that Mufi is refusing to honor his word.
A man's word is his bond. Mufi: Honor your word. If you don't, you will pay the price. More than 200,000 people live on the Leeward Coast of Oahu. There are more than 2,000 voters here upset enough to go the other way next time.
The City Council did what it should have done. You need to do what you need to do. No one should have to tell you what the right thing to do is in this situation. You got here by doing the right thing.
Don't stop now.
Elia Sooalo
Makaha
Is Bush inciting terrorists to attack?
President Bush should be smarter and try to use the right words. Just the other day, he said that we are winning the war against terrorism in Iraq. Right after that, the roadside bombings increased. Are the terrorists mad that he made this statement, and want to show that he is wrong? This only increases the deaths there by these narrow-minded terrorists. Does our president have the same mentality? It's like putting fuel to the fire when it's not really necessary, unless he wanted to make himself look righteous.
Maybe the terrorists have a point. There is so much corruption going on in our government and maybe they know more. There are always two sides to every story.
Francis K. Ibara
Kahului, Maui