Others also chose to act against gay unions
I religiously read the comics in your newspaper for a little humor in my otherwise dreary day. But before I even got to that section, I found myself laughing hysterically at
Andrew Thomas' letter to the editor in the July 28 edition.
Basically he blames Sen. Mike Gabbard, who led the battle to protect traditional marriage, for the current downturn in tourism and the economy. Hmmm. Seems I recall about 70 percent of the people passing a constitutional amendment back in 1998 helping to retain the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.
So if you want to play the blame game, don't forget to point your finger at our state lawmakers who voted 70-6 to put the amendment on the ballot, our congressional delegation who all voted yes on the amendment, and the overwhelming majority of residents who did the right thing to protect the sacred institution of marriage.
Sara Coombis
Waipahu
Ugliness drives some residents out of Hawaii
Thank you for having the courage to publish Andrew Thomas' letter about our loss of state revenue because of the Hawaii homophobes who refuse to honor gay marriage. My partner, a professor and dean at the University of Hawaii-Manoa for the past 30 years, and I, a businessman for the past 16, will be heading off to California to marry soon. In a year or so we will be spending his considerable pension elsewhere.
Good riddance to Hawaii and the limited intelligence and aloha of its citizens. Discrimination is economically stupid, besides being very, very ugly.
Hans Anderson
Waikiki
Michelle Wie somehow brightens any green
Michelle Wie has only a minuscule chance of making the cut against the men; and less than nil of a chance to win a men's golf tournament; but it's her presence that gives color to any golf game
(Star-Bulletin, July 26). That's the crux of Michelle Wie being in the game.
Tetsuji Ono
Hilo
Anti-Limbaugh column full of misinformation
I read with amusement the diatribe by C.W. Griffin
("Limbaugh and the audacity of mendacity," Gathering Place, July 22), whose qualifications are a "retired consulting engineer." It is little more than envy and misinformation. The price of oil has gone up during the Democratic Congress due to failure to allow drilling in domestic areas, build many nuclear energy plants and allow greater coal use. As to oil/gasoline use, California alone uses more than any country in the world, China included. It is true that demand from China's and India's growing economies is probably increasing the cost of oil, but, again, the Democrat-controlled Congress could allow domestic drilling.
In defense of Limbaugh, he has been a breath of fresh air, educated millions of us and deserves whatever pay he receives from Fox News, Griffin's envy and bitterness notwithstanding.
William F. Moore Jr.
Haleiwa
Helemano doesn't deserve bad press
Do you realize that when Helemano Plantation founder Susanna Cheung began receiving government funding in 1980, it was understood that if she were successful, Helemano Plantation as it is today would be the result? So now she is being investigated for building what she was funded for
(Star-Bulletin, June 22-23)? Does this make sense?
Do you realize that with an "in house" guardian, Helemano clients who develop medical emergencies in the dead of night can be rushed immediately to the hospital? "In house" guardians can sign the release immediately.
Furthermore, do you realize that Sze Ming Suen ("Volunteer doctor was jailed in '01 for fraud," June 22) paid his debt to society and, being retired, wanted to give back? Your article unfairly crucified him, opened old wounds, and he has resigned. Now the state will have to be billed for services he provided for free.
Where is the sense in all this?
Amy M. Sakihama
Honolulu
Vandals don't need ferry to hit Kauai
Thank goodness the knee-jerk wanna-be hippies on Kauai (bankrolled by shipping interests, no doubt) stopped that evil Superferry! Otherwise you just know who'd be getting blamed for the recent disgusting discovery of damage to public facilities on Kauai's North Shore beaches (in one instance the vandals left a pig's head in a toilet).
I hope the community can find it in its heart to bring those responsible to public attention. On all of our islands, a minority has been destroying public facilities for decades, and I do wish these jerks could once get the punishment they deserve -- that all of their neighbors recognize who is behind the shameful ruin of our public areas.
Why do people wreck the very assets we all have invested in, that our families use? Selfish? Sick? Stupid? All of the above.
Dan Weyant
Kaaawa