Military justified in use of Makua

The article by Audrey McAvoy ("Army seeks to nurture dialogue as stewards of Makua lands," Star-Advertiser, June 21) raises questions. Is the opposition to the Army using Makua for training (from) Hawaiians or protesters? I believe that we Hawaiians of the VFW, American Legion, Disabled Veterans, families of active duty service men and women and the silent majority of Hawaiians all support our soldiers using Makua.

History tells us Kamehameha II abolished the Hawaiian religion and its gods, and ordered the destruction of heiau. If that’s right, what makes anything in Makua sacred?

Was our military justified using Makua during World War II to practice strategies requiring coordination between planes bombing and strafing, ships firing on land targets, and troop beach landings to accomplish their objective of regaining islands lost to the Japanese? We believe they were and we shouldn’t forget the thousands who died in defense of our islands.

Unions control elected officials

Oahu residents have suffered the effects of teacher furloughs and now will have to endure city employee furloughs. Furloughing is a weak-kneed response to the current budget crisis brought on by the recent economic downturn. In the 1990s, when the economy tanked in the wake of the first Gulf War and the bursting of the real estate market bubble, then-Gov. Ben Cayetano responded with government worker layoffs. This was done largely through attrition so as to minimize the impact on government workers.

What is different now? Public union leaders are in charge of government, not our elected officials. Union officials refuse to accept pay cuts and layoffs. Furloughs allow less-than-full-time employees to keep their jobs and generous benefits. Our elected officials, who are supposedly in charge, are gutless lapdogs of the public employee unions.

The tipping point has been reached. We taxpayers and voters need more politicians like Cayetano, who have the courage to do the right thing and oppose public employee union leadership.

McChrystal flap has steep price

Recent negative comments have plagued President Barack Obama about his lack of command/control ability and indecisiveness.

More fuel was added to the fire in recent days as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., raised the possibility of a middle-class income-tax increase; Labor Secretary Hilda Solis stated she would protect the salaries of both legal and undocumented workers; the lack of progress in the Arizona immigration dispute; a federal judge overturned the moratorium on deep-water oil drilling; and Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his staff made disparaging comments to the press.

The president responded by suing Arizona over its controversial law, filing an appeal to reverse the drilling decision, and summoning Gen. McChrystal to Washington. Since the president needed to demonstrate immediate leadership, sacking McChrystal may be the way out. However, it all comes with a very steep political and military price.

Truckers on hills are reckless

Recently, while driving from Kaneohe to town, I have watched in horror as large trucks seemed to fly up the highway to the tunnels. The first one tailgated me on Kahekili Highway, then changed lanes and took off town-bound on Likelike.

I caught sight of the truck again on the Kalihi side of the tunnel, as it swerved in and out of traffic, changing lanes. I wondered if it would ever be able to stop if a light turned red. Thankfully, it did stop. I wonder what shape its brakes are in now.

Later, a large tanker truck was behind me on the Pali Highway coming up from Kailua. The driver changed lanes and then took off, just like the other driver.

The three main thoroughfares to town – the Pali Highway, Likelike Highway and H-3 – go downhill. I believe these reckless drivers are accidents waiting to happen. Who regulates them? Are they the "ainokea" generation? I think so. I fear for the public’s safety.

U.S. government above wild shifts

In the election of 1800, Americans expected a revolution as Democratic-Republicans overtook the Federalists as the majority party. They believed that Thomas Jefferson’s firm conviction in support of states’ rights would reduce the importance of the federal government. The Revolution of 1800 never occurred because the Federalists set the precedent for our time-honored tradition, the peaceful transfer of power.

Jefferson also used an abstract interpretation of the Constitution to increase the power of the executive branch beyond his predecessors with the Louisiana Purchase. This event is a powerful reminder of the purpose of our federal government. It was not built to shift at every change in the political landscape. Rather, its strength is drawn from the consistent reassurance that it doesn’t change radically with the shifting wind of public opinion.

It applies today: Elected officials should refrain from self-serving attempts to repeal regulations or over-legislate.

‘Insight’ articles insulted Obama

The recent commentaries by David Sanger, Joel Mathis and Ben Boychuk on President Barack Obama’s Oval Office speech sounded more like right-wing talk-show, anti-Democrat rants than "insight" ("Is he right for the job?," Star-Advertiser, June 21). I found all three articles "insultingly vapid and outrageously mendacious," to quote Boychuk.

Seriously, do we want our president inviting corporations to drill for oil in our oceans and Arctic without real safety measures and oversight in place? Shouldn’t our president’s primary concern be for protection, healing and justice for people, animals and the environment, rather than prostituting our country to gigantic corporations, not to mention making sure this never happens again?

I hope to see more intelligent, informed and insightful articles in your "Insight" section in the future.