Politicians supposed to protect all of us

A huge mahalo for the collaboration of two of Hawaii’s best and most powerful media outlets for keeping our state’s tragic ground-zero homeless state-of-emergency crisis in the forefront, hopefully forcing the powers of local government finally to act now (“To our readers,” Star-Advertiser, July 26).

It is bizarre for elected officials to walk around the homeless community, taking pictures and videos of an abundantly clear human injustice, especially for the babies, keiki, youth, elderly and veterans.

This is not what we have entrusted them to do for us. They have been given jobs to protect the overall welfare and quality of life for all people, regardless of their circumstances.

This humiliating situation erodes the unique spirit of aloha the world has grown to love.

Let our love for one another and our compassion for the poorest of the poor in our communities be stronger than any anger or bitterness that will make it harder to bring some critical resolve to ending homelessness in the most amazing place on earth.

Janet Grace
Waikiki

Word is out about moving to Hawaii

The Star-Advertiser asked its readers for “comments, observations and suggestions” concerning the homeless on Oahu (“To our readers,” Star-Advertiser, July 26).

Much data, sympathetic and unflattering, concerning the homeless have been printed.

During my 35-year airline career, I encountered homeless folks traveling to California to be homeless there.

When I inquired why they were moving to California, most replies were: Why be homeless in the snowy Northeast or Midwest, when given the reasonably good weather in Southern California, life will be easier there?

It is no secret the word around the Pacific Rim is: Get to Hawaii any way you can, and the generous folks there will take care of you.

In all the articles about the homeless, there has been no information about their origin: Are local people or transplants taking advantage of Hawaiian generosity?

Oahu residents cannot be seen as a source of unlimited money.

Can you say “rail project”?

Arthur Warren
Keaau, Hawaii island

Hawaii a small part of world pollution

Apparently NextEra is not enthusiastic about Hawaii being 100 percent on renewables by 2045.

Nor am I.

NextEra will feel pressured by such a goal to make uneconomical decisions.

I think the electric company should concentrate on supplying us electricity at the lowest rate possible, while complying with national laws about pollution and making use of Hawaii’s resources where it makes sense.

Hawaii constitutes about 1/5,000th of the world’s population, so in the big picture, extra efforts by Hawaii are diluted by about 1/5,000, which is insignificant.

NextEra is probably wondering why we pay up to two to three times more for electricity than the rest of the country when the cost of the fuel is maybe only 20 percent more, and fuel is only half the cost.

It might see some room for improvement there.

Harold Loomis
Kaimuki

Don’t remove rocks; crush them instead

Thanks to the Star-Advertiser for publishing the mayor’s recent thoughts concerning improvements to the “people’s park,” Ala Moana Beach Park (“Short-term fix compiled for Ala Moana Beach Park,” Star-Advertiser, July 16).

The article mentioned removing rocks and potentially later replenishing sand.

But many of the rocks are coral pieces, destined to eventually become sand.

Why not use a rock-crushing machine to reduce the rocks to pea-gravel size, which is not uncomfortable to walk, jog or lie down on?

Even rocks that aren’t coral wouldn’t be a problem, if reduced to pea size. And it would reduce the amount of sand needed later for beach replenishment.

Richard Stancliff
Makiki

Better enforcement of park rules needed

Regarding one of the Ala Moana Beach Park showers being closed (“Ala Moana shower is closed because of runoff,” Star-Advertiser, July 25), I am surprised that nothing was done in the past about this runoff from this shower, which is adjacent to a lifeguard station.

As your story indicated, the city posted warning signs that using soap and shampoo was against the law, but there has been no enforcement.

I see these violations occur on a weekly basis.

I also have been seeing more dogs frequently at the beach, which is against the law.

Why have these signs been posted if no enforcement is being done?

Michael Young
Mililani

Photo of remains was in poor taste

I thought there was a rule that pictures of dead U.S. soldiers were not fodder for media publication.

Whether true or not, I found the Star-Advertiser’s front page picture of the remains of a soldier killed in World War II to be distinctly lacking in good judgment, class and empathy.

To make matters worse, this was a Medal of Honor recipient whose name and military picture were also provided in the article.

How you could do this, on the front page or any other, is beyond me.

Jim Mistysyn
Palolo