Given last week’s rally, I’m evidently in the minority (“Hundreds rally for Honolulu police officers accused in fatal shooting,” Star-Advertiser, June 26). But I’ve become very tired of the “give the police the benefit of the doubt” trope.

Since time immemorial police have been getting the benefit of the doubt. Think about Tulsa in the 1920s, Chicago in the 1930s, Los Angeles in the 1940s and 1950s, Detroit in the 1960s, New York City in the 1970s or virtually any Southern city from 1865 forward. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of officers behaving like criminals. The few who have been held accountable are the exception, not the rule.

Given all the misconduct we have seen now that everyone has a camera in his or her pocket, imagine what went on when police knew they weren’t observed.

Did Rodney King get the benefit of the doubt? Tamir Rice? George Floyd?

Police officers are just people like you and me, except with more power. With that power comes responsibility and should come come with accountability. If police officers believe that accountability hampers their ability to do the job, they should find another profession.

Jim Keefe

Waikiki

Volunteers can fight other invasive species

I was happy to read about the effort to eradicate ants on Johnston Atoll (“U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service eradicates yellow crazy ants from seabird wildlife refuge,” Star-Advertiser, June 24).

I think the main Hawaiian islands have a huge problem with a variety of invasive creatures of all types, and the native species are in danger.

Would it be possible to use volunteers for eradication of the many plants and insects and animals that have established themselves here? Would it be possible to replant and repopulate the islands with native species?

We need a bold plan and synchronization on a larger scale, but we can now see that it’s possible.

Eric Phillips

Kapahulu

Democrats don’t really want to make progress

President Joe Biden started out strong by passing the stimulus, but has faded by trying for bipartisanship. There is no such animal at this time.

Both Barack Obama and Biden talk the talk, but when it comes to walk the walk, they fade. By stomping on the For The People Act, the Republicans won a huge victory. Their Republican state legislators can undo a vote they don’t like by invoking the voter suppression laws they passed recently.

The filibuster has to go, but the Democrats won’t do it, so no progressive legislation will get passed. I feel the way I did when Obama was president: that the Democrats really don’t care. They have well-paying jobs and get a lot of hopeful people like myself to vote for them.

And what about the infrastructure bill? Another one bites the dust, a victim of the myth of bipartisanship, as a bridge in Washington collapses.

Judith Pettibone

Makiki

Focus on inspections of beachfront hotels

The devastating collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Fla., will probably be the deadliest incident in America since 9/11. With nearly 160 people missing, the death toll will surely rise to account for the missing residents.

Engineers are looking at sea-level rise as a cause of the collapse. They believe the rise of the sea level caused the shifting of the ground under the foundation, weakening the structure.

Could Hawaii’s numerous tall hotels along the beaches be susceptible as well? Our hotels are a lot taller and impose a lot more weight on the under- lying soil. Another factor is that the buildings are close together, causing even more stress on the ground.

Will the predicted sea level rise from climate change impact them as well? Imagine the horror if a fully occupied hotel was to collapse in the same manner as the condo in Florida. I pray that the owners are inspecting their buildings.

Jon Shimamoto

Mililani

Air conditioners can add to global warming

Yup. It’s time to buy our first air conditioner. It’s getting hotter and hotter.

But wait! Energy from burning fossil fuels is needed to produce the parts, ship to a factory, assemble and package the parts, ship to certain countries, and transport to stores. Then we can buy one, install it and run it all day, using energy from fossil fuels.

With all the suffering happening and bound to worsen for species around the planet, do we really want to add to it with an air conditioner for our home?

When do we stop the shop?

William Metzger

Manoa

Should Kamehameha’s name be stricken, too?

I graduated from McKinley High School and I understand why some people want to change the name of my school. However, let me give my viewpoint and the reasoning.

President William McKinley signed the bill that annexed Hawaii. We in Hawaii know that it was the businessmen in Hawaii who were behind the annexation.

McKinley was the sitting president; whoever was president at the time would have done the same.

Ancient Hawaiians understood the strongest survive. King Kamehameha understood this very well. He fought to unite the islands under his rule. Not everyone was happy that he ruled the islands. Those Hawaiian families he conquered hated him because he killed their family members.

Kamehameha probably killed more Hawaiians than any other person. Do we take his name off our streets and buildings?

Where does it end? That’s all I’m saying.

Derek M. Oshiro

Nuuanu

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