On the 70th anniversary of the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, we should look at the event not only as a horrific act of war but also a legacy of peace.

I visited Hiroshima and was stunned as I walked through the Peace Museum and the Peace Dome and prayed at the memorial in Peace Park.

I met remaining hibakusha (explosion-affected people) who survived the 8:15 a.m. atomic detonation and the massive firestorm that killed 150,000, radiated many more and today still scars a nation. They are shunned by many Japanese who still “look away.”

I am inspired by a spirit not of hatred, but a legacy of peace in a world that negotiates the use of nukes like some game-of-war video game.

Hiroshima is ground zero for a world that lives in peace, for this is the only way we will survive.

Kimo Kekahuna
Waikiki

Seems like HCDA reinforcing cynicism

Why must everything in Kakaako become a controversy?

Seagull Schools worked for years with the board and staff of the Hawaii Community Development Authority to try to transform an abandoned, rusty building next to the Waterfront Park into a new, affordable, early education center for the growing community.

The HCDA urged us to think big and design a beautiful facility to meet the needs and aspirations of our people. After two years and nearly a half-million dollars of public planning studies, the new HCDA board abruptly terminated the project.

Certainly, the pressures to develop the Kakaako Makai district must be carefully considered, and now the agency is proposing yet another master plan.

But putting a dead stop to the First School in Kakaako only reinforces the claim that our government leaders are not willing to support public service institutions in a community fast becoming another playground for the rich.

Gary Gill
Volunteer member of the Seagull Schools board of directors

Kakaako high rises will help city coffers

Why is there so much opposition toward the building of the $1 million-plus condos in the Kakaako?

The residents there will be paying property taxes at a much higher rate. The added revenues could be used to build subsidized housing for the homeless and pay all their housing expenses in perpetuity.

Stop interfering and let them finish so they can take some of the tax burden off us seniors living on fixed incomes, who worked so hard all our lives and are now paying more taxes on homes we bought years ago.

So most of the homeless living in the encampments are unable to live in shelters because they cannot adhere to the rules of society — and now the rules will be softened so more homeless can be eligible?

Why is it the responsibility of those of us who have adhered to the rules and paid taxes to house, feed and give to the homeless — who have no incentive to do so on their own?

Judy Lee
Kakaako

Trump was impressive in first GOP debate

I believe Donald Trump won Thursday’s Republican presidential candidate debate. He certainly won my vote. On the day after, he’s the media’s focus (“Republicans step all over each other trying to outdo Trump,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 7).

Trump speaks to my top issue: Americans dis-employed by a flood of illegal aliens kept desperately cheap by a corrupt Mexican government — not the private squabbling over my boring phone calls by “libertarian without a party” Rand Paul and “actions never match promises” Chris Christie.

Trump speaks in his own words, not consultant-crafted buzz words guaranteed to stimulate the masses without saying anything.

What he says, he means — unlike Jeb Bush, who was for freeing the Iraqi people until a heckler frightened him into being against it.

And Trump respects the people of Mexico by acknowledging them as Mexicans in their own right. Not just filler for the little brown “Hispanic” box in some political mosaic. And he sees Americans as one people alloyed from many.

George L. Berish
Kakaako

Loose lips likely will sink Republican ship

Donald Trump’s comment about Mexican immigrants, and his unapologetic response, is unbecoming of a candidate running for president.

If he can say that about Hispanics, what do you think he would say about blacks, Asians, Puerto Ricans and the incoming Cubans?

He says he will get the jobs back from Japan and China; why, he can’t even get his job back from Macy’s, NBC, the Miss Universe beauty pageant and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

And his boasting of his worth — a phantom $10 billion; why, he couldn’t even pay his bill for a foreclosed casino in Atlantic City. Give him a couple of bucks and he thinks he owns the world.

There’s a saying, “Loose lips sink ships.” Trump could very well sink the Republican ship.

With his comments, he could start World War III with Russia or other countries.

What he should do is shut his trap and get a decent haircut.

Leny Olayan
Waipahu

FROM THE FORUM

Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.

“City takes action on trashy homes” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 3:

» What do you do when the homeowner is in her golden years, likely has dementia, no children, and is unable to make good judgment for herself? Call the Adult Protective Services hotline. They will appropriately address the need of the aging person. This includes liquidating her assets to support long-term solutions for this individual, whereas fines and fees seem punitive that will create a setback for the individual during this tough economic training.

» It is so sad when seniors don’t have family. We need to think about why these homes are in this condition before judging.

» The city, just like the state, continues to try to enforce rules by citation, and then lets such enforcement policies lapse and accumulate, to the point where the fines are reaching excessive and unwarranted levels! Why wait 10 years, allowing the citations, fines and fees to accumulate without bothering to enforce such policies? It’s ridiculous in the extreme, yet it happens year after year, with no signs of abatement,

“State restaurant ratings system off to shaky start” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 3:

» So the state had yet another website project that was substandard but had to pay for anyway? Who writes these contracts? Why aren’t there penalty clauses for non-performance or substandard results? Terminate whoever wrote these contracts without performance and/or results-oriented outcomes. It’s our tax money, darn it.

» Seems like Hawaii is getting a reputation as being an easy mark for mainland scam artists.

“Protected sea turtles put kibosh on Arizona Memorial visits” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 4:

» Someone please tell us why it is OK to chase whales out of harbors under the guise of thinking they are stranded and need our help, yet we stop thousands of veterans from paying respect to their brethren because one lousy sea turtle has decided to hang out near an area that is known to have leaking diesel fuel and oil. Please stop taking this endangered species stuff to the Nth degree and use some common sense. Pick the turtle up and move it, for crying out loud!

» It is all about the food. Remove the limu in that area and the turtles will find someplace else to go.

“State clears homeless off Harding Avenue spot” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 4:

» What’s the use? They wait around the corner until the cleanup is done, then come back again.

» Keep the pressure on. Force them to go to shelters or back to the mainland.

» If the reporting is correct and the clearing of an encampment costs up to $300,000, wouldn’t it be money better spent applying it toward housing these individuals? It’s estimated that a new or existing facility would cost $1.8 million a year to house 400 people, which amounts to six camp clearings a year.

“Actions against Honolulu homeless draw fire” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 5:

» Are these homeless supporters willing to actually pay for more services? And why do they think others, who do not share their views, should pay? Let’s vote on it, as a democratic republic. Crazy aloha, the more you support homeless, the more you increase the number of people moving here to take advantage of the handouts.

» All the people rallying and honking should house a homeless family. Problem solved. If those folks are sooooo concerned how homeless are treated, then they should do something tangible. Telling others to do something about it is like doing nothing at all.

“Council approves aid for businesses hurt by rail” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 6:

» It must be nice for the Council to so freely spend other people’s money.

» Wait till they reach the Kakaako and Ala Moana businesses.

» Strange: Pass a bill without a funding source. And why just for rail? The city and state are always building things that take a long time and adversely impact businesses. Waialae Avenue was torn up for the resurfacing; several businesses closed along Kapiolani when they were rebuilding the water lines in the area; what about those businesses? Yes, now we are going to have to compensate everyone.