Taxpayers shouldn’t subsidize cars, parking

Drivers can delude themselves all they want, but “free” parking is never free. The externalities of driving induced by “free” parking continue to add up with every new study, e.g., polluting our air; oil and solvents flushing into our oceans and streams; noise pollution; sedentary, obese lifestyles; wasting land that could be used for affordable housing; lost hours in traffic; emergency response to wrecks from careless, speeding drivers.

I want the city to operate our parking like a private business and maximize our returns on taxpayer-funded infrastructure, both street and structured parking. So charge what the market will bear and while you are at it, raise the gas tax to actually cover road expenses. That is what I call a “glorious Hawaiian paradise.”

It is time to wean drivers off the dole. Taxpayers have been subsidizing cars and parking for too long.

Jeffrey Merz

Waikiki

Celebrate Hawaii’s other baseball winners, too

The entire state enjoyed watching our Little League team storm through the World Series yet again (“Hawaii’s Little League World Series champions welcomed home,” Star-Advertiser. Aug. 30).

The mayor is organizing another parade to honor them and it is well-deserved. I hope the planners also include the many other Hawaii youth baseball teams that also excelled on the national level this summer, including the Junior Little League team from Oahu that won the West Regional and played well at the World Series, the 13U Maui All-Stars that made it all the way to the U.S. championship game, and the U13 Honolulu Babe Ruth team that won it all at their World Series in Virginia.

And while we’re celebrating the anniversary of Title IX, let’s be sure to include the amazing softball alum from Campbell High School and Oklahoma, Jocelyn Alo, the two-time NCAA player of the year and ESPY award winner.

Hawaii is a mecca for youth sports, but baseball in particular seems to have a special place all its own. Hats off to the players, coaches and parents for their hard work and inspiring achievements.

Matt Nakamura

Hawaii Kai

Pro-life means opposing U.S. warmaking abroad

If one assumes that life begins at conception for everyone, regardless of post-natal nationality, language, religion or nonreligion, color or culture; and that everyone, beginning with fetal personhood, are all human beings created by God, then killing fetuses is homicide. And so is killing pregnant women, babies, children, sick people, old men and old women in declared and undeclared wars.

Carried to its logical conclusion, all those who believe this, as well as in God’s Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” are pacifists and take an equal stand against our endless wars, none of which are fought to defend our American homeland.

Instead, we take our wars to other countries in the name of “American interests” and kill their post-natal human beings — and always increase support for the Department of Defense to make even more powerful killing machines for our use, or to give away or sell.

Carol Han

Punchbowl

Trump may finally face requirement to tell truth

For decades, Donald Trump has been involved in controversies, scandals and litigation. He responds in the media. Usually the truth is the opposite of his statements.

During his inauguration, he promised to resolve “American carnage,” but instead generated it, especially on Jan. 6, 2021.

He said that the violent white supremacists demonstrating in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 12, 2017, were “very fine people.”

He declared climate change a hoax. The increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events proves the opposite.

Trump continues to claim that he won the last election, his biggest lie, among more than 30,573 falsehoods during his presidency, as documented by The Washington Post.

Finally, he might be forced to tell the truth in a future court trial, perhaps for insurrection or espionage.

Leslie E. Sponsel

Hawaii Kai

UH football coaches need time to get on track

The University of Hawaii Warriors football team proved up to the competition in the first half (“Vanderbilt runs away from Hawaii in Timmy Chang’s coaching debut,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 28). Only two miscues put Vanderbilt ahead. However, it was obvious in the first half Vanderbilt could run on UH due to poor tackling. The edges were penetrable and quarterback misdirection had eager UH linemen overplaying the ball.

The Vandy coaches made the halftime adjustments, but Hawaii did not.

Hawaii fans need to keep in mind that this will take time. Vanderbilt’s budget pays coaches seven times more than UH coaches receive, and a team budget that turns a $4 million profit a year does make a difference.

Sure, Hawaii coaches are capable and will be able to close the experience gap, but it will take time. Show the coaches your appreciation now, when they are not winning. Or when they do find success, it may be too late and they will have little allegiance and chase the pot of gold.

Bill Santos

Kaneohe

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