As one who has extensive experience in providing maternal-child health care, I am appalled at the ignorance of these right-wing, judicial-religious zealots (“U.S. Supreme Court set to strike down Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights, Politico reports,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, May 2).

The unintended consequences of this ruling would, with 100% certainty, lead to countless, needless deaths of both women and fetuses. These zealots are, in essence, practicing medicine — not only without a license, but also without a clue. They will be guilty of inflicting pain, suffering, needless death and devastation on more citizens of this country than they can begin to imagine. It will also put medical care providers in extreme ethical conundrums, forcing many to actually do harm or leave the field.

The ruling would set up an unconstitutional imposition of specific (and definitely not universally held) religious beliefs on unwilling citizens, trashes the constitutional right to privacy, and disproportionately punishes those in lower economic positions. It is the single most abhorrent, ill-conceived, cruel, disgusting and ignorant move by any branch of government in our long and sordid history.

Sharon Sandell, M.D.

Makaha

Constitution doesn’t mention many rights

The U.S. Supreme Court may overrule Roe v. Wade (“Hawaii reacts to leaked Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade case,” Star-Advertiser, May 3). The Declaration of Independence provided that all men are endowed with unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This decision is said to state that because abortion is not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution, it cannot be a constitutional right.

Roe v. Wade is one of five cases granting rights based on the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment and, in four of the five, the right to privacy: Brown v. Board of Education (desegregated schools); Griswold v. Connecticut (contraception); Loving v. Virginia (interracial marriage); and Obergefell v. Hodges (same-sex marriage). Nowhere in the Constitution are the rights to desegregated schools, contraception and marriage mentioned.

Never in the court’s history has it overruled a case granting constitutional rights. Are we headed toward overruling the most significant constitutional cases in our history?

Nancy Grekin

Makiki Heights

In Hawaii, abortion was accepted before Roe

With the recent brouhaha involving the leaked documents from the U.S. Supreme Court, and the possible overruling of Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision of Jan. 22, 1973, legalizing abortion, it might be notable to remember that Hawaii was the first state in the nation to legalize abortion even before that — in 1970, and only for its residents.

Other states joined the 50th State after that and the law has been on the books for more than 50 years. Why this issue is being revisited is beyond me.

Chip Davey

Downtown Honolulu

Hawaii needs to stop real estate speculators

Your front-page headline Sunday referred to “Vanishing land” on Oahu’s North Shore, but theoretically it applies to all of Hawaii (Star-Advertiser, May 1). We have our lawmakers to thank for that, for not protecting our most precious asset from outside investors who buy up high-priced parcels to make a profit while us residents cannot afford to compete.

Our Legislature needs to follow the example of conservation-minded countries (e.g. Canada) that look out for their citizens and future generations by placing restrictions on outside ownership.

Hawaii has sold its soul to investors and it needs to stop. Enact laws that prohibit nonresidents with big bucks from stealing property from our people.

If you’re not going to personally occupy your purchase, then it’s a no-go. Speculators, stay away. We are not for sale.

Mary J. Culvyhouse

Kaneohe

Use up Red Hill fuel, then close it down

Many of the letters and articles addressing the decommissioning of the Red Hill fuel tanks, written by articulate and informed people, make it sound as though draining the tanks is a big deal. The main pipelines to and from the tanks seem to be sound, except for the leaky fire suppression system that somehow got fuel in it.

Deliveries out of the tanks to ships and airplanes do not seem to be the cause of the contamination. So can’t we just deliver the fuel out of the tanks for use and not replenish it?

Of course, the Navy needs to spread around that strategic supply to other locations around the Pacific, including PAR Hawaii handing quite a large portion of it. But since the decision has already been made to do that, let’s just do it.

Tony Hoff

Kaneohe

Mauna Kea bill could cripple astronomy here

A Star-Advertiser poll showed that 82% of those who took the survey favored keeping stewardship of Mauna Kea with the University of Hawaii, while 15% want a new oversight authority to take over management (“Do you support creation of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority to take over from the University of Hawaii?,” Star-Advertiser, Big Q, April 2).

If the poll represents the views of Hawaii’s citizens, why would the Legislature pass House Bill 2024 to take away management from UH?

Are our legislators so out of touch with the general public that they would go against its preference?

If our legislators represent the 15% minority on this issue, voters need to remind them in our next election that democracy is based on majority rule.

The central issue at stake is not do we want better management of Mauna Kea but rather, do we support Hawaii’s contributions to astronomy?

Mauna Kea is a gift from the state of Hawaii to the world. We may have squandered the opportunity for Hawaii to participate in future advancements in the science of astronomy.

Stuart Shimazu

Kapahulu

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