Use APEC forum to help save oceans

Forty years ago I viewed a children’s film entitled, "On a vole mon ocean" (Someone stole my ocean). This phrase resounds in the headline, "Shell cleared to drill for oil" (Star-Advertiser, Aug. 5).

Consider the drilling in the Arctic, the ocean mud drilling off small Pacific islands, ocean thermal energy conversion’s gobbling ocean depths for cooling waters, the undersea cables planned to transfer energy from winds, and the massive amounts of debris in ocean waters.

Yes, we are stealing our ocean. For an island state, dependent on a healthy ocean, we must demand leadership to prevent this rape of our ocean. Hopefully, Hawaii representatives at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting and internationally will work to lead ocean communities to protect and save these waters.

Mary I. Piette
Kailua

Articles on Israel lacked balance

The headline on Nicholas Kristof’s column reads, "U.S. policy toward Israel needs to be more balanced" (Star-Advertiser, Aug. 8).

Maybe so, but it looks like your coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian issue needs to be more balanced, given that most of a page was devoted to articles critical of Israel.

Kristof faults the United States for opposing a Palestinian plan to seek recognition of statehood by the United Nations, although this would only make it more difficult to succeed where it really counts — at the negotiating table with the Israelis.

The other article, which defended the attempt to break the Israeli sea blockade of Gaza, ignores the fact that Hamas, the group that controls Gaza, is sworn to Israel’s destruction and has used Gaza since Israel relinquished the territory as a launching pad for attacks on the Jewish state. The authors claim that the blockade is illegal but have nothing to say about Hamas.

Fair and balanced?

Carl H. Zimmerman
Honolulu

U.S. should stay out of Israel-Gaza issue

I appreciate the Star-Advertiser’s journalistic integrity in publishing "In Defense of Palestine" (Star-Advertiser, Aug. 8).

Much credit to Nicholas Kristof and the joint authorship of Carol Murry and Greta Berlin — especially the latter, whose commentary really brings the stark, on-the-ground reality of the plight of the Palestinians and our America’s sordid involvement in denying them truth, justice and freedom from Israel’s illegal, belligerent and endless military occupation.

Is there a patriotic American citizen who could not be incensed by Murry and Berlin’s statement, "…the Greek police said they were acting at the direction of the U.S. Embassy, supposedly charged with protecting, not imprisoning, U.S. citizens"?

Robert H. Stiver
Pearl City

Schools should teach parenting

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono’s bill to require states to meet preschoolers’ needs should go further to include providing parents of preschoolers with a check-off list of skills a child should have when beginning kindergarten or first grade (check-off list to be turned in when registering for school).

This would be especially helpful for those who aren’t able to send their child to a preschool.

The bill should also require high school curricula to include parenting and how a child learns. While school teachers have a college education to do their jobs, parents are left to do theirs through instinct during a child’s most important developmental years — birth through 5 years.

Is it any wonder why kids from disadvantaged families begin school at a disadvantage?

Bill Punini Prescott
Nanakuli

Drivers need more patience for kupuna

I would like to say mahalo to Mike Carter Bertoglio of Kaneohe for his letter ("Greater awareness needed for kupuna," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 8).

He is absolutely correct in his observance of our kupuna as they cross the street walking slowly.

Drivers need to have more patience and understanding that not everyone can race across the street so they can drive away.

Eudie Schick
Chairwoman, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs

Page program was valuable for youth

Last year I had the fantastic opportunity to serve as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Now U.S. Reps. John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi have moved to cut the page program, after almost 200 years of its service in the Capitol.

This is just another example of how today’s federal and even state leaders are putting the education of our youth in the back seat. Cutting this program saves some money, but it also cuts jobs and a direct pipeline of civic education for youth. We should not stand for this blatant disregard of our political interests.

Josilyn Chowen
Laie