Park users can all get along

In response to Olinda Amtsberg, Ala Moana Beach Park is a public park enjoyed by many user groups (“Fishermen pose danger at park,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 5). Fishing, like many other activities there, is an activity that has been enjoyed there for decades.

I’m sure that Amtsberg would like to have Ala Moana become her own personal recreational area, but the fact remains that it is a public area and we all make concessions about its use with others.

Maybe she could exercise a little common sense and walk around the line when she sees a rod on the shore. After all, she’s disrupting the angler’s activity as well.

Brian Kimata
Makiki

Implement ACA as it was written

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law in March 2010. As a law, it needs to be upheld and implemented in its original form. 

Unless Congress has amended the law — and I don’t believe it has — all the waivers, subsidies and delays, including the one-year delay for corporations, are not legal.

All this posturing, funding, defunding and delaying is hurting the fabric of this country. Already it has forced the Obama administration to change the National Park Service function from one of helping citizens enjoy the national parks and monuments to one of forcing them away.

Let the ACA take effect as it was passed in 2010, with corporate mandates and no Congressional subsidies.  The voters will let Congress know if changes need to be made.

Stef Wenska
Kailua

Shutdown shows strength of U.S.

What we see playing out at the federal government level is messy, but it is exactly by design. 

Wise, executive-level leadership is obviously desired, but the Framers knew that we would not always be so blessed, so they purposely designed limitations to the powers of such positions of leadership. No one person or branch of government rules the land. 

We are witnessing a major test of the balance of power that is foundational to our system of government. But when leaders of the executive and the legislative branches allow politics and power to cloud objective reasoning, they miss a golden opportunity to champion the wisdom of the system.

The bane of good governance is that inherent competing differences vie for influence, allowing politics to enter. This is generally OK until “good politics” overwhelms “good governance.”

If cool heads among us all prevail, we will emerge a stronger and more united nation.

John Hansen
Waipahu

ILH should adopt HHSAA rules

I agree with Dave Reardon’s view on the Interscholastic League of Honolulu rejoining the Oahu Interscholastic Association not only for football, but for all things related to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (“ILH-OIA football merger needed to protect athletes,” Star-Advertiser, Further Review, Oct. 9).

As a health care practitioner, it is frustrating to me that the ILH does not have a single sports clearance form. They let each school come up with its own requirements. Nor do they follow a single-concussion guideline or protocol like the state Department of Education and the state of Hawaii require. Again each school is allowed to do whatever they want.

ILH should be required to do things by HHSAA standards.

Mary Kawasaki
Makiki Heights

Safety laws could be never-ending

To push for this or that group of people, such as skateboarders, bicycle riders and motorcycle riders, to wear helmets is just the start of things to come.

How many people fall in the bathroom every year?

Who has not missed a step going down some stairs?

How many elderly people fall and can’t get up?

What will be next? Will we all need to be putting on our helmets the first thing in the morning before we try to get out of bed?

How about we leave it up to personal choice?

Mike Wilcox
Makiki