Working poor people deserve compassion
This is in response to Jim Reed's letter to the editor, "Birth control might be a basic need, too" (
Star-Bulletin, Dec. 19). What a thoughtless thing to say, that families in need require birth control.
I'm willing to bet that most of these parents are hard-working folks just barely making it. Perhaps a married couple and one spouse cheats on the other and leaves the family, not paying child support as a judge might require. What's that parent to do? They already work full time and now will probably have to take at least a part-time job to make up the funds just to get by. Meanwhile, the kids need clothes, a computer to do their homework and a toy or two to help pass the time while their parent is working the second job just to pay the rent.
Many families in Hawaii are one paycheck away from homelessness. Many are called silent homeless because they crowd into a large family home. For those who try to make it on their own, more power to them. Can't we give them the helping hand to get on their own two feet? It sets a good example for the kids, who will know the value of hard work and the gratitude for others' generosity. When they grow up, these kids will be the compassionate ones who help others in need.
Emika Celshall
Aiea
Killing pets should bring severe penalties
I am outraged, disgusted and heartbroken about the theft, slaughter and eating of Caddy (
"2 nabbed after dog allegedly stolen and eaten," Star-Bulletin, Dec. 19), who by all appearances was a loved family pet. Pets, especially dogs, are like family to many people -- myself included. They are capable of giving unconditional love to their owners and family. No other animal in the world can be hit or beaten one minute, and then the next minute want nothing other than your unconditional love.
My own dog and cat are part of my family, and I would not want anything less than a maximum punishment for someone "allegedly" responsible for stealing and slaughtering (in this case, animal-related words for abducting and murdering) either of my pets. If the men arrested are found guilty, I hope they receive both the maximum prison time and fine allowed by law. Frankly speaking, I don't feel it is a severe enough prison term or fine under the current law.
We need to send a loud and clear message that this type of behavior is not acceptable in Hawaii. I realize in parts of the world this might be culturally and economically acceptable behavior, but in the United States it is not, and should not be tolerated. There are no acceptable excuses! To many people it is no different than if this had happened to a family member, and if you are a true pet lover, you know exactly what I am talking about. It's time to stand up and be heard, and let the world know that cruelty, abuse, abduction and murder of people and animals is not acceptable in Hawaii.
Let justice prevail for Caddy!
Larry Ham
Kaneohe
How does state spend all that tax money?
I see where Gov. Linda Lingle wants to spend 842 million tax dollars for harbor improvements (
Star-Bulletin, Dec. 19). Huge sums of taxpayers' money are being spent for public work projects without scrutinizing where the money is going, who is receiving the money and what the money is spent for. I remember during the gubernatorial debate in 2006 that Lingle was quite proud of her $736 million surplus. What happened to that money?
The government is many times incompetent. The war on drugs is ongoing; we have wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; the government cannot win anything. Billions and trillions of tax dollars for all sorts of programs, and half the time the government cannot even give an adequate explanation of where the money went.
What is the point in paying our taxes when George W. Bush and Lingle spend trillions, billions and millions of our money without batting an eyelash? I have tried asking the Internal Revenue Service for an accounting of where our tax dollars go, but they do not seem to know. Can you tell us, Gov. Lingle, where our money goes? All most politicians know how to do is "get the votes," without much training in fiduciary duty and finances.
Phil Robertson
Honolulu
Fire in veep's building sounds suspicious
Regarding the fire Wednesday in Vice President Cheney's ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C.: Cheney must have located some more CIA torture videos.
Rob Robnet
Honolulu
Columnist repeats same old criticism
Cliff Slater ended another of his anti-transit columns (
Star-Bulletin, Dec. 16) with a familiar argument: that "the city is forecasting in the Alternatives Analysis that future traffic congestion with rail will be far worse that it is today. What else do voters need to know?"
Slater has hammered this argument for years. He reasons that because traffic congestion will worsen even if the transit project is built, transit itself will be a failure.
If Slater can recycle material, so can I. As I wrote 16 months ago in response to another Slater column: "Highway congestion will continue to grow; how can it not, with increases in population and automobile counts? But those who wish to avoid that traffic and enjoy personal mobility will use rail. That's the benefit, and Slater knows it. ... He simply ignores the millions of commuters who zip past traffic congestion in (mainland) metro areas each day on their way to and from work."
Slater at least is consistent. The problem is that he consistently ignores transit's promise as an alternative way to commute between the growing population and employment center in West Oahu and downtown.
Doug Carlson
Honolulu