U.S. violated its own treaties

Chris Monahan puzzles over the arguments of Hawaiian sovereignty advocates, in view of Oahu being taken over by Maui and Hawaii at the end of the 18th century compared with the U.S. invasion at the end of the 19th century ("Hawaii has history of ‘illegal’ invasions," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Sept. 8).

Hawaii’s unification by Kamehameha was accomplished within the cultural-political norm of the day. Kamehameha operated from a history and culture of takeovers by marriages, trade, trickery, agreement or violence, all of which culminated in the unification.

Following unification, Hawaii stepped into a new time and cultural-political norm generally known as the Laws of Nations, formed by treaties, conventions and customary conduct.

The U.S. violated its treaties and customary international law by invading, overthrowing and creating a puppet government in a stepped transaction to annex Hawaii to the United States.

Humanity advances not in a whirlpool of past inhumanities, but by pressing forward toward higher conduct.

Poka Laenui
Waianae

Best Hawaii asset is ‘perfect people’

We visited your country in August. A most memorable holiday followed.

Tropical Storm Iselle arrived, we were unable to board our cruise ship, and then there was a fire evacuation at our hotel.

Two young stewards from the cruise ship did all in their power to assist these two little old ladies. Next, the Pier 2 supervisor retrieved our luggage and organized accommodations and transport, allaying our main worries. Then, Aston Executive Suites personnel exceeded their roles in helping us.

We adored downtown Honolulu — everywhere, people were obliging and helpful. The cruise was excellent. We loved your beautiful country but it was your perfect people in paradise that made this my most eventful travel experience in 56 years of globetrotting.

Thank you, Honolulu, for your hospitality and caring.

Josephine Howard
Auckland, New Zealand

HECO failing at lowering bills

I’m a photovoltaic investor and it saddens meto have read negative responses to PV systems.

I shouldn’t have to explain why we decided to invest our hard-earned money into a PV system, but I feel I must.

The reason my family did it was to get away from a huge monopoly like Hawaiian Electric Co. and start using the money saved from the outrageous electric bills to something more important — our kids.

It seems to me HECO is trying to create an animosity between us and a distraction from the bigger picture.

There are fewer customers on the grid but HECO is still charging three times more for electricity. Why hasn’t it figured out how to take the unused electricity my PV system produces and apply it to non-rooftop solar customers to lessen their electric bills?

Could it be HECO was unprepared?

Crystal Padron
Kapolei

We already have ‘Big Marijuana’

Kevin Sabet just doesn’t get it ("If you think Big Tobacco was bad, wait until you see Big Marijuana," Star-Advertiser, Insight, Sept. 24).

Big Marijuana already exists in the form of Mexican drug cartels. These are ruthless people who cut off heads to resolve business disputes, sell drugs to anyone regardless of age, and have a vested financial interest in providing cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin to consumers.

Like it or not, marijuana is here to stay. We can collect taxes on legal marijuana or we can subsidize drug cartels. Punitive laws have little, if any, deterrent value. Despite the dire predictions of drug warriors, the sky is not falling in Colorado.

There is no societal benefit to having consumers purchase untaxed, unregulated and potentially unsafe marijuana from criminals. It’s time to put public health before culture-war politics. We can close the gateway to hard drugs by taxing and regulating legal marijuana.

Robert Sharpe
Policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, D.C.