Churches silent on sit-lie bills

Where are the churches in opposition to the city’s proposed sit-lie bills?

Jesus barely touched on homosexuality, but his followers turned out by the thousands in opposition to the same-sex marriage bill.

However, he did speak at length about the poor and social justice. His followers should be lining up by the tens of thousands to testify in opposition to the proposed sit-lie bills.

I know some churches around town that allow the homeless to sleep on their premises, but their overall silence on this issue is deafening.

Steve Miller
Makiki

Use albizia trees for lumber

There’s lots of news lately about how Hawaii island got hit by the hurricane, and how much of the damage was done by albizia, an invasive species of tree that grows incredibly tall but has shallow roots and topples over easily in wind. Apparently this tree species is all over the place and the toppled trees account for much of the damage to homes and electric cables and blocked roads.

The dump is reportedly filling up with all the refuse from the downed trees. There is now talk of trying to eradicate the trees at a cost of thousands of dollars to cut down each tree.

This isn’t a problem. This is an opportunity! Someone needs to set up a mill, collect those trees, and turn them into lumber. It shouldn’t cost money to get rid of them. This should make money.

Back in New Hampshire, where there are a number of mills, if you have property to be cleared you can call a mill and they’ll pay you for the timber they take off your land.

Roger Garrett
Kapahulu

Ban imports of circus animals

Thank you for publishing a story about the unnecessary killing of Tyke the circus elephant 20 years ago on Aug. 20, 1994 ("We turned and ran," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 17). This is an important and sad event in the history of Hawaii that should never be forgotten and never be allowed to happen again.

The Legislature needs to pass a law next session banning the importation of wild animals to Hawaii for entertainment purposes. Wild animals like Tyke, which are used in circuses and state fairs, are forced to perform unnatural acts. The way trainers get the animals to perform this way is through negative reinforcement, which means the animals are brutally stabbed with a bullhook or given electrical shocks if they fail to do the stupid animal tricks humans want them to perform.

I would never attend a circus that uses wild animals. I prefer a non-animal show like Cirque Du Soliel that uses creative and acrobatic human beings for entertainment.

Stephanie McLaughlin
Mililani

Rail only about development

No, nope, unh-unh, no way, nohow: Continued whining that the rail’s cost increases are due to lawsuits and their delays is not going to play in Pauoa, Kailua, Ewa or Aiea ("Rail project faces huge cost overruns," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 15). Any responsible group of directors, engineers and planners with a project of this magnitude should have foreseen the impact it would have on developers and real estate. It is disingenuous at best to say that this is unexpected or that others are to blame.

Plan a rail line through Kakaako and the Hawaii Community Development Authority makes major exceptions to the master plan, starting an unprecedented building boom. Mention the Ala Moana terminus and the shopping mall sprouts a condo project atop the Nordstrom garage. The sacrosanct makai side of Ala Moana Boulevard becomes fair game for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

This was never, ever about transportation. This has always and only been about development and the money that it brings to the private sector, paid for once again by taxpayers.

Andrea W. Bell
Kailua

U.S. teams in finals, always

Other sports could take a cue from Little League Baseball. I love how the United States is always assured a spot in the final championship game.

Would it have been a much better World Cup if Germany and Argentina played each other, then the winner of that game played the United States?

In Olympic hockey, would it be more fun to watch Russia and Canada and the rest of the hockey powerhouses slug it out first, and then just let the U.S. play for the gold?

Can you imagine if in Williamsport, the winner of the U.S. bracket had entered the world pool? The United States team could lose along the way and we’d be stuck with something like South Korea vs. Mexico. Nobody would watch that, right?

Mark Ida
Salt Lake