Religious fighters should learn to share

I don't want to sound like a tree-hugging hippie, but there would be total peace in the Middle East -- and the world -- if purported members of divergent religions would simply learn to share with each other.

There are hundreds of millions of Christian, Muslim and Jewish practitioners around the globe who never go to their common holy land. That being the case, it is self-centered, not God-centered, for members of different religions who live in close proximity in their common place of religious origin to inflict tragic harm upon their fellow man.

Each round of death targeting a rival member of the human race desecrates the shared love of the almighty. The Lord weeps over the violent deaths of all who fall victim so.

Stuart N. Taba

Skate park would serve community

Are Honolulu drivers aware that they will be severely affected by the Halawa zoning change being heard in the City Council on Wednesday?

If you are an Aloha Stadium fan, will you be able to wait on the side of Kamehameha Highway until the gates open? Lani Enterprises has a surprise for you. The right-hand lane will be a deceleration lane so that you can conveniently turn into the proposed Aloha Market traffic circle. Will that new traffic circle cut into the frontage road that serves waiting fans?

The Halawa community has been told the market will serve their needs, but there is a deck on the two-and-a-half-story proposed Aloha Market that has a view of Pearl Harbor, and it would make a wonderful beer garden. How does that serve the low- and moderate-income population near this commercial enterprise?

There are no adequate parks for all the children. Mayor Harris, the children in the Halawa-Aiea-Waimalu-Pearl City areas need a skate park on that land.

Wouldn't that be a Mele Kalikimaka for these communities?

Lela M. Hubbard
Aiea

Police should focus on catching speeders

How wonderful it is that our police officers have nothing better to do than ticket people for not having their seat-belts on. If Hawaii is so adamant about saving lives, why are we not getting after the speeders and reckless drivers?

When we had the van cams out on the highways, speeding was minimal. However, some rather important people received speeding tickets and cried foul so loudly that the van cams were removed from the highways. Then the speed limit was increased on the H-3 from 55 to 60 mph. Those who would have driven at 60 to 65 mph are now driving at 75 to 80 mph.

Why don't we have police officers there to put a stop to the speeding, and the occasional racing there and on other places on Oahu?

I have noticed the same mentality the Big Island, where everyone lets go like crazy and the cops don't care. Now that we have a new governor, we can only hope and pray that she can put Hawaii back on the straight and narrow.

Curtis R. Rodrigues
Kaneohe

School takes bold step with gay-straight club

As officers of Kamehameha School's Amnesty Club, a service organization dedicated to serving and elevating all segments of our society, we are often dismayed by the growing intolerance toward the gay and lesbian communities in Hawaii.

At a time when it's easy for young people to remain uninvolved in the unjust and often hateful world around them, we are encouraged to hear of the newly established Gay Straight Alliance at Kalaheo High School.

The maturity of this organization's founders is impressive, and their perseverance should inspire others, young and old, to follow their bold example. We wish the alliance success.

Danielle Kawalu-Key
Leah Wang
Jenae Reyes
David Elia
Shelley Muneoka

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