Cash bail does not keep us or our businesses safe; it only punishes those who are poor. Faith Action for Community Equity, a nonprofit group, supported House Bill 1567, a bail reform bill, but is disappointed by how little change it would bring because of the numerous exceptions of who could actually be released.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi and state Rep. Gene Ward claim that HB 1567 “emboldens the criminal community” (“Bail reform bill ignores public safety, emboldens criminals,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, June 6). Studies show that in reality there is no correlation between public safety and cash bail. There is no such thing as “a criminal community.” Those who are held pre-trial on bail are legally innocent.

“Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us” (Luke 11:4). Many Sundays, I pray the Lord’s Prayer. Cash bail does not increase public safety, it criminalizes poverty. Where there is forgiveness, there is also accountability and aloha. We need to eliminate cash bail and invest in alternatives to pretrial detention.

Danicole Ramos

Waialua

Ige should veto SB 2510, support clean energy

Honua Ola Bioenergy is seeking yet another hearing with the state Public Utilities Commission in an attempt to reverse the agency’s rejection of the company’s energy project (“Honua Ola Bioenergy asks Hawaii PUC to reconsider rejection of project,” Star-Advertiser, June 3).

The PUC said in its denial that the project would produce “significant “ greenhouse gas emissions while its plan to sequester carbon is speculative and relies on “assumptions and unsupported assertions.” The commission also found that the amended power agreement is likely to result in high costs to taxpayers through its high cost of electricity as well as through displacement of other lower-cost renewable resources such as wind and solar power.

The request for a hearing should be denied.

Senate Bill 2510 seeks to mandate that one-third of the state’s renewable energy be generated from sources that Hawaii wants to avoid, with the effect of greenhouse gases already producing climate shifts (“Reject inflexible clean-energy plan,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, May 31).

I strongly urge Gov. David Ige to reject SB 2510 and show his strong support for the state’s 100% renewable energy goal.

Leonard Lepine

Kailua

No one needs an AR-15 to protect themselves

I have nothing against handguns and rifles in general. There are laws in place now and more proposed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally unstable. However, semiautomatic assault rifles are a different matter.

Gun advocates say they need assault rifles for self-defense and to use for hunting.

Using an assault rifle for self-defense is definitely overkill. Are they afraid of being attacked by an army?

Using it for hunting purposes is not very sporting. Where is the hunting skill if you are using an AR-15?

Since our government is in deadlock regarding this issue, we must choose leaders who will do the right thing and ban assault rifles. Joe Biden helped pass legislation that resulted in a decade-long ban on assault rifles that unfortunately ended in 2004. Let’s support Biden’s efforts to stop the carnage in the U.S.

Stuart Shimazu

Kapahulu

Schools can’t be turned into hardened prisons

I read Russel Noguchi’s letter with great empathy (“Train teachers, guards, and harden all schools,” Star-Advertiser, June 2). Yet I must disagree on several broad counts.

First, we already have the secure facility Noguchi describes. It is called the Halawa Correctional Facility. Do we really want to convert our schools into prisons?

Second, is it really wise to arm teachers and expect them to also function as security specialists?

Third, based on recent events, depressing as they are, must we do the same for grocery stores, movie theaters, hospitals, parks and more? More physical security is not the answer, nor is better policing (an after-the-fact response).

The start to finding a workable way forward that balances individual rights with societal needs begins with both political parties, at all levels, talking through the issues, together, for the betterment of our country.

Arnie Warshawsky

Kailua

Vote against those who take money from NRA

We can no longer wait for Congress to take action on gun violence. On the issue of gun violence in America, Congress has shown it is incapable and impotent.

Now that we know how much money the National Rifle Association has given each U.S. senator who has received a passing grade from them, we can no longer accept politicians’ idiotic arguments against enacting meaningful gun laws.

A passing grade from the NRA is a failing grade on public safety. It is time for voters to act and end the reign of minority rule that is destroying America. Vote out any politician who has earned an NRA passing grade, end the filibuster, keep so-called Second Amenders off ballots, and vote for people who have the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and the integrity to refuse taking any money from them.

Arthur Mersereau

Manoa

Madrid homeless don’t clutter public spaces

The problems leading to homelessness are hardly unique to Honolulu. I recently returned from a trip to Spain and there were homeless there as well. The big difference was that there were no unsightly mounds of stuff blocking public areas, such as I see in Honolulu. So the question is: Why are our city officials so unable or incapable of enforcing laws that already are on the books?

I understand rights, but there is no right to accumulate piles of junk on our sidewalks. This is not only unsightly, but unhealthy as well. We need more aggressive enforcement. If officials need to figure out how to do that, maybe they should contact their counterparts in Madrid for advice.

Olivia Yule

Waikiki

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