Neighbors also are to blame for abuse

I am so angry about hearing that another child is allegedly being abused (Star-Bulletin, Feb. 16). Our society seems to have little regard for children and treats them as if they are trash. How many children have to die or be injured mentally and physically before someone (friends, neighbors, spouses) speaks up and turns the caretaker or parent in for abuse? Any neighbors who knew about Alexis' alleged abuse are just as guilty as the caretaker and the family that was supposed to take care of her.

Also the blame should go to the agency who picked up the other children on Feb. 7. Alexis must have had wounds around that time. Imagine the scars for life on this poor child. Maybe we should start holding friends and neighbors accountable.

Academia seems to spawn odd viewpoints

The problem which is most unnerving about University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill and his invitation to speak at the University of Hawaii last night is his position as a tenured professor ("Lawmaker wants speaker blocked," Feb. 19). The concept of awarding a job for life at a public university is not a blank check for reckless behavior. A tenured educator, like an unelected judge, is expected to represent reasonable ethical standards. Like a drunken judge careening down a the highway, Churchill's views are not only odious, they bring disrepute to the university he works for.

The isolation bubble atmosphere of university life seems to breed and encourage views that come across as cockeyed to normal-thinking people.

Consider factors before adding sprinklers

Some things to consider by city and state lawmakers regarding retro-fitting of condo/apartment buildings with water sprinklers ("Mayor pushes sprinkler measure," Star-Bulletin, Feb. 5) ... Who will pay for the installation? How many years are left on leasehold units that would have to be retro-fitted? I live in a building that has a short span on its leasehold life. The cost of retro-fitting without a substantial leasehold extension or purchase of leasehold fee would indeed be very expensive for a minimal life use by unit owners.

Another item regarding the fire at the Consulate building; those floor-to-ceiling louvers enable the fire to feed from one floor to the next very rapidly. Those owners might consider retro-fitting the window configurations to minimize this risk. I hope any new legislation will take an honest look at all variables.

To increase recycling, repeal bottle bill

Let's face it. The bottle bill program is not working, and Linda Smith's Feb. 6 article, "Hawaii's beverage container recycling law can work if it's fixed," presented a fair criticism and useful suggestions. Instead of blaming each other, we need to work together to make recycling work for Hawaii. To do this, we must repeal the bottle bill and start again.

Under the current law, the state collects the money instead of the stores who are paying most of the expenses. Our first task is to make recycling cost-effective for all those involved, not just the state.

As Smith suggested, the best way to do this is to replace the bottle bill program with a comprehensive, curbside recycling program.

I suggest that we repeal the bottle law and turn recycling over to the City and County, who have already begun a curbside recycling program.

Don't cut funding to Akaku television

I highly value the services that Akaku Community Television provides to our Maui, Lanai and Molokai communities. Now its beacon of light is at risk of being snuffed out for lack of funding.

Those who seek to cut funding for Akaku by two-thirds, giving those funds instead to government-funded Maui Community College and the Department of Education, may be well intentioned, but, in my view, they are inadvertently chipping away at freedom of expression. The precedent that would be set should House Bill 784 and Senate Bill 959 be passed could have far-reaching impact on freedom of expression not only in Maui County, but also on the neighbor islands and perhaps throughout the nation. I ask lawmakers to oppose HB 784 and SB 959.