Do bone marrow transplants in isles

I am writing this on behalf of a group of lymphoma and leuke-mia patients who need bone marrow transplants to save their lives.

Since Hawaii Medical Center closed in December 2011, there is no facility in our state for adult bone marrow transplants, although an organ transplant center for livers and kidneys was opened in January at The Queen’s Medical Center.

A bone marrow transplant facility is needed not only for our ohana in Hawaii but the Pacific Rim as well. We have been forced to go to the mainland for treatments. On top of the expenses for transportation, lodging and loss of work time for the patients and caregivers, child care and senior care are another big burden for the families.

The co-payment for out-of-state facilities often is much higher than for in-state services. All expenses we pay on the mainland should be staying in our state; it should be our revenue. Caregivers would be able to continue to go to work and family care problems could be avoided if we could have the transplants done in Hawaii.

Annie Kwok
Kaimuki

Science columnist mixes in opinion

Richard Brill, a science professor and a person whom I have deeply respected in the past, wrote an unscientific political rant accusing conservatives of declaring war on scientific positions ("Distrust of science grows along with partisan divide," Star-Advertiser, July 19).

He cites "misinformation campaigns on the issues of birth control, abortion, vaccinations and homosexuality."

Certainly we can all respect each other’s personal and religious beliefs, even if they differ from our own. He fails, however, to mention the continuous liberal misinformation on genetically modified organism products, but that would not promote his politically biased agenda.

Lumping all conservatives or liberals into one group or mindset is, at best, ridiculous.

It is my wish that as a man of science, he restrict his further articles to scientific fact rather than pure political statements, and further I expect for him to teach unbiased, pure science to his classes at the university.

Gary R. Johnson
Kaneohe

Spying has been around a long time

Man’s weapons have ranged from the spear to the nuclear bomb. But during all of this warfare, man has used spying as one of his principal weapons (forewarned is forearmed).

Man’s spying techniques range from the caveman peeking at his enemy from behind a rock all the way to the most sophisticated electronic gathering devices.

It’s all just spying. It’s been around a long time and it has a long future.

Maybe we should all just get used to it?

Bob Reed
Kaneohe

Smoking ban makes Hawaii enjoyable

I wholeheartedly disagree with Tom Baca’s comments on the smoking ban ("Smoking ban is ill-conceived," Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 16).

The ban allows everyone the opportunity to enjoy Hawaii without having to put up with smoke.

I live in a condo. One of my neighbors smokes. His smoking affects me regularly; I have been awakened at 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. by his smoke.

Watching TV at night, I sometimes hold a pillow to my nose because of the smoke. I could close my windows and buy an air-conditioning system but I feel that I have a right to breathe fresh air without having to smell someone else’s smoke.

Discussing the issue with my neighbor has produced limited results. My neighbor isn’t a bad person, just a smoker who doesn’t realize what his smoke is doing to others.

This ban allows everyone the right to breathe fresh air.

Stan Sano
Makiki

Driver’s exams an essential service

Hawaii must provide language access for immigrants to take driving tests while they learn English to pass the citizenship tests ("Petition urges changes to license exam," Star-Advertiser, July 20).

It’s unrealistic and cruel to expect all new Hawaii residents to know enough English to pass the driving test. They need to have their driver’s licenses so they can earn a living to support their families, take kids to school and generally assimilate into our society.

Naysayers should place themselves in their shoes — having to adjust to a new environment, earn a living and raise a family.

The state Department of Transportation must find money to provide this essential service to those who need it.

Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock
Chinatown

Too many cars cause traffic woes

Amarjit Singh asks, "Would any car dare to cross a red light?" ("Now it’s time to rein in arrogant pedestrians," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, July 21).

Outside of the worlds of Disney, Google and perhaps the Planet of the Engineers, cars are inanimate objects that don’t do anything until paired with human drivers — drivers who dare run red lights on a regular basis, often with tragic consequences.

Scott Glenn cogently points out the absurdity of this car-centric point of view ("Pedestrian safety not accomplished," Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 23). Furthermore, it seems Singh’s main problem with "arrogant" pedestrians is that they delay traffic.

In fact, an excess of cars and drivers slows traffic far more, and choosing alternate modes of transportation helps ease congestion.

Our freeways, which harbor neither pedestrians, cyclists nor zebras, are routinely backed up for miles, a phenomenon I have yet to encounter on streets with multiple users, where cooperation still mainly rules the road.

Nat Pak
Kaimuki