Repeating falsehoods won't make them true
I notice that in Monday's "State of the Union" comic strip by Carl Moore, he repeats the chorus from right-wingers that former White House aide Scooter Libby is the whipping boy of the liberal left and then contends that he was sentenced for a crime "never committed." These tactics remind me of this quote:
"By means of shrewd lies, unremittingly repeated, it is possible to make people believe that heaven is hell -- and hell heaven. The greater the lie, the more readily it will be believed." -- Adolph Hitler, "Mein Kampf"
William Ellwin
Kaneohe
House speaker should start impeachment
Cindy Sheehan plans to challenge Nancy Pelosi in the 2008 election for her House seat if she fails to introduce Articles of Impeachment against President Bush by July 23.
This is not a surprise when you consider that Pelosi has been a nonentity since being elected to the House and becoming its speaker. Advised of the impending challenge, Pelosi's spokesman says she "has repeatedly stated that her main focus has always been on ending the war in Iraq." As if that's the only issue?
That's fine, Nancy, but you have not been very successful since the war rages on with no end in sight. And by the way, the surest way to end the war is to impeach Bush.
Here is a president who is stubborn, arrogant, a liar and a cheat, and constitutionally corrupt, and in the past year has fallen to an all-time low of 25 percent approval rating by his countrymen -- the lowest of any president in the history of this country. And in that period he has severely damaged the aura and prestige of this country throughout the world.
Considering all of the above, if Presidents Nixon and Clinton deserved impeachment proceedings to be filed against them for their indiscretions, then unquestionably George W. should be summarily booted out the door.
So Nancy, if you don't have the stomach for it, and it sure seems that way, then step aside and let Cindy do it.
Hank McKeague
Honolulu
Hawaii volunteers show their generosity
The front page of the July 9 Star-Bulletin announced that
Honolulu ranks 42nd among 50 major U.S. cities in volunteerism. That wasn't big news -- after all, last year Honolulu ranked 44th, but unfortunately the headline was not "Honolulu climbs two places in national volunteerism survey."
No. The lead paragraph this year read, "A national report has ranked Honolulu as one of the 10 worst cities for volunteering out of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the country."
Not only did Honolulu's overall national ranking improve this year, but it ranked fourth in the nation for volunteer hours contributed by college students. It also showed volunteerism overall in Hawaii is holding steady at 24 percent, while it is waning in the western region as a whole.
As the 2007 study notes, 240,000 Hawaii residents now contribute 39.6 million hours of volunteer service a year. Based on the estimated value of a volunteer hour, $18.04, that represents a contribution to the community of more than $714 million per year. Not too shabby.
We thank local volunteers for their willingness to share their time and energy, making Hawaii charities and communities stronger. Whatever you call it -- aloha, kokua or volunteering -- the generosity of our people is outstanding.
John Flanagan
President and CEO
Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations
Councils should outlaw awful weed-blowers
Seems everyone on Kauai wants to stop something, either vacation rentals, big boxes, traffic, the Superferry, the bike trail or resort development.
I wish to add weed-blowers to the list. Although I never considered myself an "anti," I have become anti-weed blower. In fact, I believe I have developed "PTWD" -- "Post traumatic weed-blower disorder."
The exhaust is polluting and the sound is deafening -- you cannot conduct a conversation if there is a weed-blower within 100 feet of you. When a neighbor is weed-blowing, something snaps, like the brain goes in all directions. Your eyes grow big, you start to shake, all you can do is patiently wait to discuss this with your therapist.
My neighborhood is in a weed-blower frenzy. One neighbor blows weeds into another neighbor's yard and that neighbor blows the weeds and leaves back.
Whatever happened to the good old-fashioned rake, broom and shovel? At least raking is quiet, therapeutic, good exercise and you are disposing of the leaves, not just blowing them to a new spot only to have them return again.
I urge the county and city councils to consider making a law banning weed blowers in residential neighborhoods.
James "Kimo" Rosen
Kapaa, Kauai
Kaleikini stills spreads music at age 92
Up in the hills of Papakaleo, there lives a gentleman who is well-known among Hawaiian music lovers and entertainers. I am referring to Jacob Kaleikini, who is celebrating his 92nd birthday today.
Which brings up the question: How many musicians are there in Hawaii nei who are still actively entertaining at the age of 92? Jacob is indeed one of Hawaii's treasures. Happy birthday from his friend in Canada!
George "Keoki" Lake
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada