Treat the mentally ill for their own good

The American Civil Liberties Union says that a severely mentally ill person should not be treated with medications against his will because doing so violates his civil rights.

Schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder are biological diseases that can be controlled with medication. The individual can then enjoy the civil rights enjoyed by others in our society.

It is because of attitudes such as the ACLU's that so many mentally ill people are medicating themselves with street drugs and alcohol, wandering our streets, forced into jails and prisons, or just staying at home listening to voices in their heads.

It is time to focus on restoring civil rights to severely mentally ill people by designing a system of treatment that is respectful of the ill person, yet requires him to take the needed medications. It is only then that people with debilitating mental diseases will be able to enjoy their civil rights, lead productive lives and contribute to rather than be a burden to society.

Fredda Sullam
Honolulu

It's no surprise that Iraqis are retaliating

It's people like Paul Mossman who don't get it ("Naysayers don't get it; this is a real war," Letters, April 15). The war in Iraq and the war on terrorism are not the same thing.

Like many other lies the Bush administration told to justify an unprecedented pre-emptive attack on another country, it has become quite clear in the past year that Iraq had absolutely no connection to international terrorism. Our pals the Saudis, on the other hand, are not only financing terrorism and harboring one of the most extreme forms of Islam, but they provided almost all the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks. Why aren't we bombing them?

We brought the war to the Iraqis. I'm horrified, but hardly surprised, that some Iraqis are responding violently to the invasion and occupation of their country by foreigners. What do you think Americans would do in the same situation?

Beverly Johnsen
Lahaina, Maui

President is trying to protect America

"Blame games" about our involvement in Iraq are not in the best interest of our fighting forces who are doing their job for our country.

Criticizing while our country is at war only emboldens our adversaries in the Muslim world and causes terrorism in our democratic civilization. Our casualties on the battlefronts stemmed from our divided conviction that the Bush administration recklessly gets us into a quagmire in the Muslim region.

The president only acted to protect Americans. The best defense is to go on the offense. The bastion of Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida terrorist group has been eliminated in Afghanistan and democracy is about to become a reality there. Pakistan became a major ally and Iraq is about to become a democratic sovereign nation. There are obstacles, blood and sweat to be sacrificed and President Bush has the will and fortitude to accomplish the job.

The comment "Iraq is Bush's Vietnam" cannot be entertained in the minds of Americans who love freedom. There's no comparison. For example, a week's casualties in Vietnam is more than a year's casualties in Iraq. We cannot be like a dog that tucks its tail under its belly and runs away. We never had to ask permission from a toothless world body that cannot enforce its will. We decide to protect our way of life and civilization, not others. In time of war, we must back our fighting men. United we stand, divided we fall.

Bernardo P. Benigno
Mililani

Offramp at Kaonohi would lessen delays

The state Highway Division is about to add a lane on the H-1 Freeway between the Aloha Stadium and Pearl City offramp. This will not help too much for the westbound afternoon traffic. What we really need is an additional offramp onto Kaonohi Street, and the state can eliminate the extra lane. This also will help us to save gas by not being in traffic so long.

Jimbo Miura
Mililani

Energy bill is good for Hawaii and nation

Our country grows increasingly dependent on foreign oil for energy, and the need to develop alternative fuel sources grows stronger every day. About 90 percent of Hawaii's energy comes from oil, and all of it is imported to our state. As a result, our energy costs are higher than anywhere else in America and we are more vulnerable to price hikes and supply disruptions.

Hawaii is a national leader in the development of hydrogen resources, and its continued viability as a competitive energy source is critical to our state's long-term energy future.

The comprehensive energy bill now being debated in Congress provides significant investments in renewable fuels research, including hydrogen research and development. In addition to expanding renewable energy research and production, the bill invests in efficiency and conservation research and measures, modernizes our energy infrastructure, increases energy supplies and increases energy security.

We need the investments and commitments that only the federal government can provide. All of this is expensive, long-term research that addresses pressing national energy needs. Supporting the energy bill is paramount for our future.

James Swoish
Kailua