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Police should avoid use of deadly force

Once again, our police are shooting and killing fleeing motorists and repeating the old standby, "He tried to run me over." Whether it's 2 feet, 20 feet or 100 feet, it seems to make no difference to them.

Witnesses always differ in what they saw. Reporters are never 100 percent accurate. Letter writers and police reports about the suspect's crime record indicate and conclude that he deserves to be shot anyway.

Police are oblivious that a desperate person will drive in any direction to escape. Proper training should tell them that they are not required to jump in front of a fleeing car merely because it is stolen.

Ken Chang

Lingle has been strong GOP leader

If Ed Lee were a registered Republican in Hawaii, he would know that Linda Lingle's leadership as head of the GOP has been most successful (Letters, Oct. 5).

Never has the Republican Party been so organized and active as it is today under her leadership. Since she became head of the party in Hawaii, it has gained more than 2,000 new members.

There may have been some primary election races in which there was no Republican running, but that wasn't due to Lingle's efforts. She made every effort to get good, qualified people to run.

She has supported Republican candidates more than 100 percent. She's been out sign-waving with them early in the morning and late in the afternoon. She attends their fundraisers and other functions they sponsor. The lady has unending loyalty and energy.

Katherine Shotwell

Quotables "There's something about snakes that people react to. They are either intrigued or deathly afraid." Renee Iijima HONOLULU ARTIST PICTURED IN A SELF PORTRAIT, TITLED "SLEEP" About one of the pieces in her one-woman exhibit at the Academy of Arts "He was sort of like our savior, but I guess out there he's the devil." Stephanie Hauki ACTING VICE PRINCIPAL UNDER CLARENCE DE LUDE AT AIEA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL LAST YEAR On how De Lude was popular at the Leeward school, in contrast to his being replaced as principal of Makaha Elementary School this week. His critics say De Lude's heavy-handed style was divisive.

Military retirees deserve nation's thanks

Your Oct. 7 story, "Military retirees get good news on health coverage," is indeed good news for all military retirees. They served their country at great personal sacrifice and did their duty with honor, only to find their country betrayed and abandoned them after making hollow promises.

The politicians are quick to send us into battle but slow to keep their word. My thanks to Congress and the members of the Hawaii delegation for their efforts to restore promised health coverage and the dignity of veterans.

Richard M. Irwin
U.S. Navy (Ret.) Kalaheo, Kauai

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Divide over
gay rights reopened

Don't blame gays for vandalism

Rock Riggs' Oct. 7 letter is, indeed, a sad commentary on our society as a whole and even sadder in Hawaii, where the spirit of aloha is supposed to be the rule rather than the exception.

With no proof, he and others have cast guilt on the gay and lesbian community for the vandalism of Carol Gabbard's campaign material. To follow Riggs' ridiculous approach, one might say that perhaps Gabbard loyalists committed the acts to generate sympathetic support for their Board of Education candidate. Neither premise should be given any credence.

To compete in the marketplace of ideas, as Riggs suggests, one needs logic and reasoning, not name-calling.

Bill Hoffman
Princeville, Kauai

Destroying signs is retaliatory gesture

How soon we forget. Is turnabout not fair play?

It seems Rock Riggs (Letters, Oct. 7) has forgotten how members of the Alliance for Traditional Marriage and Values tore down signs during the same-sex marriage vote. He has forgotten the hatred and bigotry they professed during that hate-filled campaign.

Standing along the side of the road listening to so-called Christians drive by calling us "faggot" and "scum" was not pleasant. Christian sign-wavers did everything in their power to keep us from exercising our right to freedom of speech.

Now Riggs and his friends know a little bit about what it feels like to be hated. Doesn't feel good, does it, Rock?

George "Keoki" Gosselin
Kapaa, Kauai

Gabbards are fighting for majority values

Mike and Carol Gabbard have been maligned, threatened and persecuted simply for speaking out for the traditional values that the vast majority of people hold dear. They are not paid for their work, but continue to fight for Hawaii's families out of the goodness of their hearts.

Now they are being subjected to a campaign of hate by activists who want to shut them down. So much for free speech and tolerance.

Carol's political signs around the island have been defaced and mutilated, in a fascist attempt to intimidate her from participating in the political process. It's outrageous that any candidate would be subjected to this form of harassment, which is a grave threat to democracy.

Carol is a mother of five, an upstanding citizen and a teacher at both public and private schools. I am thankful that primary election voters have recognized her to be the caring leader she is, and am confident they will continue to support her at the polls.

Evette Shamon

Gabbards don't hate homosexuals

Andrew Thomas wrote in his Sept. 27 letter about "the little bit of aloha that dies each time a Gabbard achieves prominence."

When the Gabbards came forth to serve in the public square, it's true that lack of aloha became prominent -- namely, on the part of homosexual activists.

While I respect homosexuals' right to do as they wish in their personal lives, the organized homosexual lobby has brought hate and intolerance to Hawaii.

Beginning with their nationally orchestrated campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in this state, and always falsely playing the role of victims, they continue to act as aggressors in our community.

They forcibly promote acceptance and approval -- not tolerance -- of homosexuality, through whatever means possible. And if you dare to speak out on the spiritual, moral and health dangers of the homosexual lifestyle, they start firing insults and accusations: Hater! Homophobe! Bigot!

We don't hate homosexuals; but we reserve the right to act through our democracy to preserve common moral and spiritual values.

Rebecca Saltzburg

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