Why should the public support newly appointed police commissioner Loretta Sheehan’s stance (“New member wants more inquiries by police panel,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 4)?

Her abuse of the City Council’s appointment hearing was a shameful tirade and her comments came across as a direct attack on the competency of the more-than-qualified police commissioners.

I concur with Honolulu Police Commission Chairman Ron Taketa’s wait-and-see approach regarding the federal investigation of Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha. If there was any strife within the rank and file of the police department, the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers would be the first to step in and address the issue.

I congratulate Sheehan on her Honolulu Police Commission appointment. However, if she takes this same gung-ho approach into police commission meetings, I predict immediate dissension while producing a virulent environment that no commission or organization needs.

Rick Ornellas

Liliha

Gabbard showed political courage

Your story, “Split Hawaii delegation ready for a ‘good’ debate” (Star-Advertiser, July 25) was revealing in the light of recent disclosures of the Democratic National Committee emails by Wikileaks.

The resignation of Debbie Wasserman Schultz was triggered by the release of the emails, which showed favoritism toward Hillary Clinton by DNC officials who conspired to deny the nomination to her primary opponent, Bernie Sanders.

Back in February, Hawaii U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard resigned as DNC vice chair because she could not back Clinton due to her support of “interventionist wars” and regime change in Iraq, Libya and Syria. Instead, she supported U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Gabbard’s decision showed integrity and political courage, while Schultz chose to toe the party line regardless of what the will of the primary voters might be.

This November, Hawaii voters have the choice to vote their conscience, or simply go for politics as usual. Let’s hope they choose the high road.

Mark Saxon

Kahului

Trump capitalizing on primeval instinct

Fear is one of society’s most primeval instincts that too often trumps reason and common sense. It is fertile ground for demagoguery, a recurring theme of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

Trump wants us to fear the 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States and illegal Mexican immigrants because he says they may be thieves or rapists.

He doesn’t answer or engage his critics; he attacks them.

He has no experience in military, international or governmental affairs, but when asked how he would handle critical issues, his answer is, in essence, “Just trust me, I will handle it.”

Really?

Trump’s goal is not to govern but to rule. His approach to governance includes denigration based on race or religion, blind trust in a ruler, obsessive intolerance to dissent or criticism, disregard for international norms and the promotion of fear.

Is Trump a fascist demagogue? Connect the dots.

Joe Gedan

Round Top

Cost issues for rail need full attention

Major cost issues associated with the rail transit project are not being addressed in the ongoing mayoral debates, as well as in the general discourse among voters.

These issues require recognition before more decisions are rendered on how to proceed.

>> Costs discussed focus almost entirely on acquisition, with little mention of operation and maintenance expenses. There is no mention of likely system restoration costs in the future. The total cost of rail should be the basis for any cost-value analysis.

>> Ridership is questionable, given the demographics and the geography of Oahu. The trains will likely be filled heading east in the mornings and west in the afternoons. What is needed to make rail more efficient?

The public has been either uninformed or misinformed concerning the true costs of the Honolulu rail project. All pertinent issues should determine how our scarce resources are expended.

Kay Kimura

Waialae

Many rail riders will be hotel workers

Michael Tymn sees empty trains 20-22 hours a day except for a few football games (“Rail ridership likely to be mostly sparse,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 6).

What he apparently hasn’t seen is the hotel workforce packed like sardines in city buses all the way to town, leaving Makaha at 3:50 a.m., then later returning to their homes, leaving Ala Moana at 11 p.m.

I rode those buses for years and sometimes I stood for 40 miles (two hours, sometimes longer). Other times I was lucky to sleep the whole way. I finally couldn’t take it any longer and moved to Makiki. I imagine the trains will have those riders seven days per week.

Mark Tamosiunas

Makiki

Drivers should use their turn signals

Now that most of us have mastered our iPods, smart phones, texting and Twitter, wouldn’t it be special if drivers could figure out how to use the turning signals in their SUVs, trucks and automobiles?

Then we wouldn’t have to wonder why the guy behind us just rear-ended us.

We already have too many accidents in Hawaii.

Sam Wallis

Hilo