Suspected car thief is not the victim
This is in regard to the police shooting in Pearl City ("Road melee ends in gunfire by HPD," Oct. 14). Suspected car thief Thomas Greene was shot while in the driver's seat of a stolen car. He allegedly disobeyed direct orders from the police and almost struck a few police officers while trying to escape.Before you feel sad for Greene, remember who the real victim is. Don't forget about the person who paid for the car, only to have it stolen, and other insurance policy holders, who are all paying for it in their premiums.
I hope this sends a message to others who are contemplating or committing similar crimes. If you are in a stolen car and you don't obey the police officers' commands, be prepared to suffer the consequences.
It's sad that the youth of today seem to think that nothing can happen to them. Take this as a wake-up call!
Honolulu
Essence of humanity leads toward peace
The idea of living at peace while denying the essence of the human condition is totally absurd. Only this essence can put the chaos and strife within the human soul in order, and when there is no peace within, there will be no peace without.There are many ways for settling disputes between people and nations with the aim of establishing peace. The highest goal is to lead the soul to the "abode of peace," by guiding people to live virtuous lives and establish inner harmony. The goal is to save the human soul and consequently to establish inner harmony and peace in society. Thus people can live virtuously, and live and die "in peace." This statement, with only a few changes, was written by the Muslim scholar and writer Seyyed Hossein Nasr and expressed here, by me, a humanist with no religious affiliations.
In whatever guise, peacemakers must come together in the knowledge that peace and love are the only answer.
Please allow a political message. None of us know what John Kerry can do, if he can do anything, about the mess we're in. But all of us know what President Bush and his war profiteering and fear-mongering merchants of death and destruction have done and will do.
Honolulu
Mufi makes some feel like outsiders
I have lived in Hawaii for 33 years. I raised my family here and put my kids through public school. I pay my taxes promptly. I support Honolulu's museums, symphony and charitable organizations, support countless scouting organizations and soccer teams, help clean up our beaches and support our police. And I always wear green and support the Rainbows, even after the name got changed.In short, I love this place with my heart and soul and will spend the rest of my days here. How sad that after pouring my life into this city, if Mufi Hannemann is elected mayor, I won't be considered part of his Honolulu. Why? Because I wasn't born here, I came from the mainland, I'm haole, not "local." And he's made it abundantly clear that he believes there's no place for us here.
Honolulu
Candidates should fear people, not deities
Regarding Becky Fischer's letter of Oct. 13: Fischer thinks that for a candidate to be worthy of our vote they have be "God-fearing," when in fact our elected representatives should not fear God -- they should fear the people they represent -- especially when they try to alter our founding documents to enshrine discrimination in them.
Ewa Beach
We need to end local-global nightmare
The Associated Press reported on Oct. 9, "The deaths brought the number of Palestinians killed to 94 since Israel began its offensive in northern Gaza. Nearly half of those killed were civilians; 18 were age 16 and under."Ninety-four deaths, indiscriminate killings in less than 10 days ... homes and refugee-camp infrastructure reduced to rubble ... untold psychological trauma to children. And the trigger for this wholesale destruction of Palestinian lives and property by official Israeli government action, the murder of two Israeli toddlers by Palestinian resistance fighters who indiscriminately lobbed a rocket over the Gaza Apartheid Wall on Sept. 29. Three other Israelis, among them military troops, also have died; that's 94 to 5.
This typical disproportionality contributes to the increased fear and isolation between Israelis and Palestinians, and biased reporting to the rest of the world.
When will U.S. leaders and we the people sicken to the justification of this sustained carnage? It is obvious that neither U.S. party is ready to acknowledge a concern for all Israelis and Palestinians, just a chosen few. The political ignoring of the Palestinian people reminds me of the days when the U.S. position on China was one of nonexistence.
When we begin to acknowledge that one Palestinian child is just as precious in God's eyes as one Israeli child, we may be ready to employ substantive and inclusive local/global strategies for peace.
Honolulu
President shouldn't act as a physician
In the last presidential debate between John Kerry and George Bush on Oct. 13, President Bush was asked about the shortage of flu vaccination. His reply was that the young and healthy do not need to be administered the flu shot. Since when does a president of the United States practice medicine by giving medical advice?We don't need a president giving advice outside of his expertise. He should have simply replied for us to seek medical advice from a certified medical physician.
Kailua
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