School trustees should be volunteers

Virtually all of Kamehameha Schools’ big morality problems would disappear if it just made the charitable institution’s trustees’ compensation pro bono (“Olds’ bid to remain trustee splits Kamehameha Schools,” Star-Advertiser, Lee Cataluna, Sept. 20).

If they did, their gallantry would be very quickly displayed — or not.

As I understand it, most charitable trusts work this way. If Kamehameha Schools did, Janeen-Ann Olds would need not be dissuaded from seeking to volunteer her services to the charity.

Yes, I’ll say it: I believe she is more concerned about lining her pockets with ill-gotten gains than contributing on behalf of Kamehameha Schools’ beneficiaries.

Stuart N. Taba
Manoa

Stop harassing charities, schools

Les Kondo, the executive director of the state Ethics Commission, seems to have a bone to pick with charities and public education.

First it was the Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraising in schools, then Aloha United Way to state workers, then it’s teacher travel, and now it’s questioning state Rep. Matt LoPresti for his excellent work in getting fans donated to schools.

Is it really a good use of a government office, staff and taxpayer monies to go after charity and public education?

There are more unethical things going on in government that warrant concern.

Stop wasting taxpayer money on going after charities and public education and focus on the real unethical behavior that I’m sure deserves more to be uncovered and publicized.

Kathryn Xian
Executive director, Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery

‘Clock’ incident showed ignorance

While the right and left joust over Ahmed Mohamed, a critical point seems to be missing (“Teen won’t face charges after uproar over clock,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 17). It is the basic fundamental lack of scientific knowledge.

Teachers at Mohamed’s school, a principal and police did not recognize a scientific piece of equipment. Instead, they jumped to the conclusion that a set of wires and a circuit board looked suspiciously like a bomb. An instant later, a connection was made that the device was created by a Muslim teen, and we have the situation as it stands.

The police and school doubled down on their claim that the device looked suspicious. And, according to officials, anything suspicious has to be taken seriously for the safety of all others.

While a laudable explanation, it stands as a blatant example of scientific ignorance. And this caliber of ignorance is sadly capable of yet more suspicion with all its accompanying foul relatives.

Mike Taleff
Moiliili

Iran deal is best for U.S. in long run

Phil Broms criticizes U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz for supporting the multi-country, carefully negotiated agreement with Iran (“Schatz ignoring the popular will,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Sept. 18).

However, the agreement has the support of reasonable people like Schatz, leading nuclear scientists and retired military leaders.

The agreement for long-term limitations and verifiable oversight of Iran’s nuclear power development acknowledges two realities: Iran is already developing nuclear power; and, without a negotiated agreement, the only way to stop Iran from pursuing a secret nuclear path is war.

Does Broms really think the U.S. should sacrifice thousands of lives and spend billions to defeat Iran and install a government that will do our bidding? For an example of how well we can do that, see Iraq.

This agreement has the potential to build international economic and social links with Iran that will lead to increased mutual understanding and cooperation.

As citizens, we should support these developments: how about an Iranian pen-pal?

Beppie Shapiro
Kaimuki

Will’s diatribe based on false assumption

George Will seems to make one huge error, among others, in his diatribe against Pope Francis (“Pope’s politically correct views would harm the poor,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 20).

He seems to imply that there is an infinite supply of fossil fuels on our clearly finite planet. How unaware can a person be?

Thomas Spring
Kaimuki

Not building TMT will hurt Hawaiians

Having worked 20 years in support of night-time observations on Mauna Kea, and seeing the good that came from the multinational collaboration and resultant dollars that made their way into the state as a result of it, I am astonished and saddened to see the Native Hawaiian community trying to assassinate the goose that leaves the golden eggs all over the landscape.

It would not surprise me to see all institutions abandon the mountain and leave it “as it was” and avoid the bother.

However, the Native Hawaiians who lose their jobs (and there will be many) and are innocent of using the big telescope as a flashpoint for insults real and imagined, may not be so sanguine about their brethren putting them out of work.

Ken Barton
Lebanon, Ore.