Letters to the Editor
Keep focus on shooting victims
With all due respect, I believe Bob Prasser is severely misguided as it relates to the recent shootings by Toby Stangel.
I understand he is attempting, in the Christian spirit, to provide support for a family and a misguided young man, but what he has really done is to take away the focus from those we should be concerned with: the victims.
Stangel has repeatedly shown selfish disregard for the law and been given multiple passes by the court system. This mentality of treating the culprit as a victim is the root cause of repeated criminal acts by offenders. Until responsibility is demanded, criminals will continue to offend.
Michael Kemna
Honolulu
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Report lacked full analysis
The report "How Much Does Military Spending Add to Hawaii’s Economy?" has a clear bias, not only reflected in who wrote it (the RAND National Defense Research Institute), but also in the very question it asks ("Military pays out $12.2B in Hawaii," Star-Advertiser, June 1).
For example, suppose the military was driving huge armored vehicles up and down my street on a regular basis and it also put up 75 percent of the $1 million annual costs of our road maintenance and repair.
Would we then applaud the $750,000 contribution the military makes to our neighborhood? What if, in the absence of these tanks, road costs were only $25,000 a year? Then it becomes a wash.
This might be a report on spending, but without a cost-benefit analysis, the report is not an accurate snapshot of the true impact of the military presence in Hawaii. The people deserve such a full accounting.
Nancy Aleck
Honolulu
Kawaiahao staff loving and kind
Lots of negative publicity and bad behavior was aimed at Kawaiahao Church regarding the handling of human iwi interred on the church grounds. Through it all, the kahu, staff and everyone involved maintained a high level of professionalism and decorum and did not lower themselves by acting in kind.
I am a direct descendant of J. Moanauli, whose family iwi were recently unearthed. My liaison, Lani Ma’a Lapilio, has always notified me on the status of my ohana iwi.
On Friday, Lani, Kahu Curt Kekuna and others joined my mom, husband and me in solemnly viewing the iwi, presenting hookupu and saying a pule. It was a truly powerful moment, connecting with my ohana and being surrounded by such a loving gathering. The archaeologist who climbed down the ladder into the 7-foot trench so respectfully placed a lei around each set of iwi.
The actions of those at Kawaiahao Church confirm that they are extremely professional, yet loving and kind.
Rosina Moanauli Valencia
Mililani
HPD chief doing outstanding job
Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha is doing an outstanding job, even with some of the negative actions brought on by some of his personnel.
He has a good working relationship with State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers ( SHOPO), and the morale within the rank and file is outstanding.
He is in the process of forming his own administrative team, whether it be by promotions, demotions or the reshuffling of his high command personnel. They all have to be basically on the same page, contributing to and not short-circuiting his command decisions.
Every new chief does this to assure adherence.
Steven Burke
Former SHOPO president, Pearl City
