It was with great dismay that I read U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz’s comment about the recent crash at Dillingham Airfield (“2 dead in Dillingham Airfield plane crash,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 23).

He wants to shut down the airport because there was a plane crash.

Having flown out there many times, I can attest that there may be challenging conditions, but the airport did not make the aircraft crash. It was possibly pilot error or a mechanical failure, but that is for the National Transportation Safety Board to decide. We don’t close the H-1 because of a car accident; there is no reason to close the airport, either.

We need voices of reason, not knee-jerk reactions because there was an unfortunate accident.

Alan Poepoe

Kailua

Thanks to those who saved Ala Moana park

Feb. 19 was a historic day for Ala Moana Regional Park, the “People’s Park”: The Honolulu City Council voted to keep it a passive park devoid of zip lines and a dog park (“Ala Moana park plan OK’d without playground or dog park,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 21). The Council restored our faith in government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Thank you to the Council members for listening to the people and for standing up to the special-interest groups and the mayor.

Thank you to two grassroots organizations — Malama Moana and Save Ala Moana Beach Park Hui — for your hard work, respectful protest manner and persistence.

You have left a very important legacy for our future generations by ensuring that the character of the park will be maintained. Mahalo nui loa with much appreciation!

Geri F. Cheng

Waialae-Kahala

Trump gets job done, but not in a good way

Regarding, “Trump’s no saint, but he gets the job done” (Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 17): So true!

He’s no saint: He lies (fact-checkers record more than 16,000); he crudely name-calls and taunts anyone he doesn’t like who tells truth to power and honors their oath of office.

He bullies from the safety of his office and says he can do anything he wants as president (the definition of a dictator).

He gets the job done: He withdrew from the Paris climate accord and Iran nuclear deal, making America less safe and less able to deal with climate change; he insults allies, praises dictators and embarrasses America.

His wall takes funds from the Defense and Homeland Security departments, and from programs that benefit all America. He’s separated families, leaving children in cages or lost. His Cabinet appointees decimate departments of career experts with real knowledge that helps decision-making.

When he doesn’t like the facts reported, he replaces the messenger with someone more loyal, qualified or not.

You don’t have to believe me. Read his tweets and hear his words. It’s all there.

Judith Goldman

Kakaako

Paid sick leave would reduce risk of epidemic

Now that we have had a crash course in epidemiology courtesy of the COVID-19 virus, let’s look at the cost of doing nothing to prevent possible future epidemics.

If you have no paid sick leave, you will go to work when you are sick. Bills have to be paid. Germs will spread to lots of unsuspecting people.

“Oh, but it will be hard on small businesses,” you say when mandatory paid sick leave is mentioned.

Not if we are willing to pay the actual cost of the goods and services we are buying, which should include mandatory paid sick leave.

If people have the ability to stay home and get well, the chance of an epidemic goes way down and the cost of dealing with an epidemic goes way down. Think about it.

Ann Marten

Kailua

More adults should use contemporary mopeds

We have great weather and most facilities we need to access are located on flat roads, but a remarkably small number of adults avail themselves of contemporary mopeds — 4-cycle, don’t burn oil, no insurance needed, $25 registration fee, easy find-a-nook parking everywhere.

Most users are young, helmetless, and seem to ride in a careless fashion — not smart.

I may be a rare bird: an 84-year-old who uses a Soleil Pro moped every day on every road (except freeways, the Pali Highway and Likelike).

Sixty-five miles to the gallon. Can be goosed to 40 mph with the wind at my back. Yes, you need to ride defensively and duck in somewhere if it rains.

But I’ve taken one car off the road.

Bob Jones

Diamond Head

TMT protesters don’t speak for all Hawaiians

The construction delay of the Thirty Meter Telescope continues because protesters want us to believe Mauna Kea is sacred and that they have a cultural and spiritual need to practice their faith up there.

The truth is Mauna Kea is not sacred and what they are practicing has nothing to do with Native Hawaiians. In 1819, according to our history books, King Kamehameha II ordered god images burned and heiau destroyed on all the islands, thus ending the killing of Hawaiians for sinning (breaking the kapu). Moreover, there has never been a church practicing a Hawaiian religion.

These protesters do not have the right or the authority to speak for all of us Hawaiians. Protesters also have been an embarrassment to Hawaiians by their unjustified actions.

Gov. David Ige should treat them as he would any lawbreaker by imposing the consequences of their actions.

Bill Punini Prescott

Nanakuli

Telescope held hostage to Hawaiian grievances

I agree with your Thirty Meter Telescope editorial: Building another telescope to explore the universe is not incompatible with believing that the mountain is sacred (“True progress on TMT still elusive,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Feb. 21).

But I think the grievance is much deeper than just the telescope, and that the telescope is being held hostage to redress these historical grievances. While I can be sympathetic, I think the protesters should realize that they lose their leverage if the hostage dies (TMT moves to the Canary Islands). Tick-tock.

Richard Manetta

Wilhelmina Rise

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