Let APEC leaders see our homeless

I am trying to understand the desire to hide the overwhelming issue of homelessness in Hawaii from the world leaders coming here in November for an economic summit.

Isn’t homelessness an issue for a summit on global economics? Every country has this issue, no matter how wealthy and powerful. If the heads of these powerful nations can’t address the reality facing a growing population, due to lack of resources, drug addiction and a disenfranchised segment of society, why are they in charge? And why are our tax dollars going toward protecting them and covering up the realities surrounding us on a day-to-day basis?

The local and federal budgets for this summit are astronomical. Security alone is $45 million. This is another example of the use of federal and local funds to protect the interests of corporations and elite leaders looking to maximize profits from the world population.

Mary Greenberg
Kahala

Medical community here seems insular

Last week, one of the Nobel prizes in medicine and physiology was awarded to Bruce Buetler of University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where we are celebrating him here as our fifth Nobel Prize laureate.

Yet when I speak to my friends and colleagues in Hawaii of the news, this place — UT Southwestern — is largely unheard of. How is it that an institution ranked by Thompson Science Watch as No. 1 in the world for its impact in published clinical research, with more than $1 billion in its endowment — a place responsible for so many seminal discoveries in modern medical care from the Parkland Burn Formula to Citrical — has gone virtually unnoticed?

Is there something Hawaii could learn from the culture of innovation at places like UTSW? As we push forward with the development of Ed Cadman’s vision of a world-class biomedical research community at Kakaako, I hope we’ll look outward to learn from other systems, models and cultures that have worked.

Stephen Chun
Resident physician, UT Southwestern Medical Center

America’s rich lack noblesse oblige

Bob Lamborn protests the Democratic demand for rich people to pay more taxes ("Better to emulate than envy the rich," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Sept. 29).

I can empathize with the desire to not pay more taxes. However, there is a trend in America that is spoiling the character of this nation.

Throughout the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, the average compensation for the American CEO crept upwards from 24 times average worker pay to 35 times and finally to 71 times, respectively.

After the greed era of the ’90s, the average CEO compensation ratio has surged to more than 400 times the average worker’s compensation. Meanwhile, Japan’s and Europe’s CEO ratios have maintained a range between 10 times and 30 times through to now.

More taxes would not be so necessary if true responsibility to the community by corporations was taken seriously. Noblesse oblige is sorely lacking, and would go a long way toward restoring faith in America’s corporate leadership.

Mary Livingston
Waianae

Obama right to have Al-Awlaki executed

I cannot let Bob Miyake-Stoner’s letter go unanswered ("America has fallen into moral abyss," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 4).

Anwar al-Awlaki chose a way of life and vowed allegiance to an organization dedicated to the total destruction of free speech or the right to follow any but the Muslim religion, the imposition of Sharia kangaroo-court style law to enforce women to wear burkas in public, men to be polygamous, and no rights whatsoever for children.

No, for once, I find President Barack Obama did something right to order al-Awlaki’s execution.

Samuel M. Smith
Kailua

More case managers needed for homeless

Here is a suggestion to solve our homeless problem: Hire more case managers.

I believe that case managers are the first line in combating homelessness; they see the problem daily and have the compassion to help the homeless. Case managers will keep their clients accountable and will ensure that they get the proper help they need.

I also believe that government needs to fund organizations like Care Hawaii, North Shore Mental Health and the Affordable Housing and Homeless Alliance to hire case managers to help get the homeless off the streets and into assistance. Right now there is a shortage of case managers and the current case managers are running thin. New case managers are needed to help the homeless.

Alan Kim
Wahiawa

Skateboarders are sidewalk hazard

I’m glad I’m not alone on the feelings for bicycles and skateboards on the sidewalks.

These are terrible situations, and I have been in and seen quite a few bad incidents that could have been worse.

At a shopping area the other day, a lot of us shoppers walking along the sidewalk were suddenly overcome from behind by six skateboarders who were doing their thing and the heck with us. They didn’t care about anything or anybody but themselves. They came weaving their way through us. They did not stop or slow down, even around a man with a walker.

I am a senior and hope not to get hit. Otherwise, I will never walk again. Sidewalks were made for walking.

Audrey Montgomery
Waikiki