A recent commentary discussed native birds on a little island in Kuapa Pond, now a marina full of homes (“Kuapa Pond area has great revitalization potential,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Dec. 30).
It asked, “Why not strike a balance and have certain areas in and adjacent to Kuapa Pond restored with native habitat where feasible?”
An editorial just above that discusses the homeless encampment near Waianae Boat Harbor (“Focus more on Waianae homeless,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Dec. 30). More than 200 people live there, it noted, in “a full-fledged community with rules and a power structure with captains who maintain order.”
Why does the editorial insist that the solution must involve finding accommodations elsewhere?
Why not explore ways in which these people might set up a permanent community where they have settled?
Even if we ignored the reasonable ancestral claims of those birds and those people, surely creating a well-organized community in Waianae would be a good way to respond to widespread homelessness in Hawaii.
George Kent
Hawaii Kai
Cataluna misled by corporate giant?
Lee Cataluna’s article praising Monsanto disregarded crucial historic facts about the company, which likely came about because of Monsanto’s seductive sales pitch during her recent tour of its facilities (“Those wary of Monsanto’s aim should tour their property,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 20).
She questioned why there’s so much “distrust of science” in reference to why there’s so much opposition to Monsanto.
Most people aren’t aware that Monsanto manufactured Agent Orange, the herbicide that maimed and/or killed thousands of U.S. Vietnam veterans and Vietnamese civilians.
Monsanto bypassed safety protocols to get aspartame approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, despite studies linking it to all kinds of health problems.
Monsanto also produces RoundUp, a popular herbicide with glyphosate that is now recognized as a carcinogen, and is banned in several countries. Yet, it’s supposedly safe for our children and pets who play in our yards.
People don’t mistrust science. People mistrust billion-dollar corporations that falsify data and put lives at risk for huge profits.
Robert Ing
Alewa Heights
Don’t kill Hawaii’s recycling program
Tuesday’s front page story reported that the closure of 21 beverage redemption centers due to lower profits could lead to the end Hawaii’s beverage container recycling program (“If no can, no can,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 29).
Only 10 states in the U.S. have such a program; 40 do not because of beverage-industry lobbyists who stopped bottle bills.
To fix this problem, raise the non-refundable deposit fee and raise the deposit fee to at least 10 cents.
In Germany and most of Europe, beverage container recycling is real because most containers are refillable glass bottles that can be used up to 12 times. They are steam-cleaned, then new labels put on.
Hawaii must save the recycling program and not kill it off. Keep our island litter-free and give the homeless a raise.
Tom Sebas
Waikiki
Borreca confused race and religion
I was taken aback by Richard Borreca’s column, “Invoking FDR to support racism doesn’t fly in Hawaii” (Star-Advertiser, On Politics, Dec. 11).
The use of the term “racism” in the context of dealing with radical Muslim terrorism caught me off-guard. We now seem to use the term “racism” as an easy way to invoke emotion and put others on the defensive.
After looking up the common understanding of what a “race” is, I was reminded that it usually has been about heredity, genetics and genes.
Borreca should define his intended reason for implying or stating that “Muslim” is a race.
Does that definition apply equally to Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and others?
It would help us poor, uninformed readers to understand his intent.
Toby Rushforth
Kaneohe
Obama has shown us true leadership
President Barack Obama is the leader for our time.
In spite of disrespect and obstruction, he pulled us out of recession into a steady recovery.
Congress stalled and killed budget and jobs bills and appointments that would have helped our economy and government.
We are out of two wars, ISIS is losing territory, Russia got sucked into Syria’s war, Obama got rid of Syrian chemical weapons, Osama bin Laden is buried at sea, we have a nuclear agreement with Iran, relations with Cuba, and a climate agreement with China. U.S. diplomacy is again the norm.
Progress in spite of obstruction is real leadership.
Mel Sakamoto
Palolo Valley
Dengue cases could be more than stated
So, Thursday’s report shows a total of 190 confirmed cases of dengue fever so far, with currently four individuals who are potentially infectious (“8 cases of dengue fever push tally to 190,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 31).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website notes that as many as 50 percent of those infected are asymptomatic, showing no effect of the disease yet infectious.
This means that as many as 190 people have been, unknowingly, infectious at different times.
190 likely could be a conservative number since an unknown number may have lighter symptoms that do not send them to seek medical treatment.
So this is something that should be a fairly serious concern for us, and our health officials, and for a lot of people visiting the neighbor islands this season (including myself!).
Still, the message we are getting is, “Don’t panic.”
Nick Blank
Hawaii Kai
