It was refreshing to read the column written by high school senior Jasmine Rocha (“Burst your misleading media bubble,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 23). She is a credit to her school and parents.

Many older people do not understand the importance of looking into opposing views to better understand why people differ in opinions. Instead, they follow people they do not even know on social media and stay in the comfort zone of people who think like they do.

There always will be extremists in all political parties, but I think most of us are closer to the center divide than many people realize. Of course, we all feel strongly about an issue or two close to our heart, but an election is about many more issues than that. There is no such thing as the perfect candidate, but at least we can choose better candidates if we learn more about the major issues facing this country and where they stand on those issues. We need to go to several news sources, especially ones we think have views opposing ours, to better understand all the issues.

Diane VanderZanden

Hawaii Kai

Hatred of one another returns to cause harm

Now that the COVID-19 pandemic paranoia is starting to wane, it is back to our old nemesis: hatred. Yes, hatred of one another. We seem to be obsessed with xenophobia, homeless phobia and liberal phobia. What is wrong with our thinking when we fear the newcomer, the less fortunate and the open-minded progressive?

Are we so hung up on not-in-my-neighborhood and mine mine mine — and the concept that the haves do not have a responsibility to help the incapable have-nots — that we ignore our blessings and the spirit of aloha?

Michael Spiker

Waikiki

Balance of power would shift if everyone voted

There is one place we are truly equal: the voting booth.

Too many citizens, particularly the marginalized, believe the “biggest” lie about elections: that their votes do not matter.

During election season, I dropped campaign literature based on a list of registered voters. In wealthy neighborhoods, nearly every home was on the list. In poor neighborhoods, not even one-third of the homes were on the list. A coincidence?

Here’s the truth about voting: Those who are not at the table are on the menu. Imagine the shift in the balance of power if the 99% voted as regularly as the 1%.

Jo-Ann Adams

Waikiki

‘Trained person with gun’ may be shooter

Harry Ozols said, “I would run toward, not away from, a trained and certified person with a gun” (“Trained person with gun can make streets safer,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 25).

I’m curious as to how Ozols could possibly know whether or not the person with the gun was a trained and certified individual and not the actual shooter. Perhaps private citizens who are trained and certified should wear a sign stating that fact.

Carol Carpenter

Makiki

Mayor’s DPP priorities miss the mark again

While reading the article concerning the two possible results of enforcing the new short-term rental laws, I couldn’t help but wonder how this strategy is going to make things better for Hawaii residents (“Short-term rental law could hurt economy,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 24).

Recently our mayor promised to hire 80 more employees for the Department of Permitting and Planning (DPP). They have not been hired yet, and several have left, creating a greater need. He meets weekly with the DPP but all they do is talk.

How can we provide more affordable housing for locals when no permits are being issued? The wait time is now in years, not months. I know this from experience.

Every person who has waited more than a year for their permits has incurred tens of thousands of additional costs due to government failure. When this giant of a problem has been fixed, then we can use resources to chase short-term rental abusers. Let’s look at other states and see how they can provide permits in several months.

Greg McCaul

Waialua

Ige should withdraw from Israel agreement

It is my hope and expectation that Gov. David Ige, whose engineer’s measured approach to and execution of his incredibly challenging years in office I have long admired, is taking serious note of public outrage against the ill-researched, ill-advised “agreement” with the Zionist regime of Israel and will withdraw from it summarily (“Hawaii, Israel to share technology on range of shared issues,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 20).

Surely Hawaii’s indigenous population is on edge, occupied as it is similarly to Israel’s decades-long brutal and illegal occupation of the native Palestinian people’s holy land, where Jesus was born and ministered.

To me, the most dangerous portent of the agreement lies in the words “cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.” Israel has a long, sordid history of spying on us Americans and otherwise waging war by deception. I’m aghast at the implications for our Hawaii’s privacy, security and safety were this cancerous invasion to take over and metastasize.

Robert H. Stiver

Pearl City

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