Police reprimand
Police reprimand
Putting it in context
Regarding the article of reprimand for Hilo police officer: Mr. Tredre’s quotes truly sum it up.
“It wasn’t fair,” he said. “I was just drunk driving. I wasn’t that drunk, either.”
Truly it isn’t fair. Many Big Island residents feel that all “scourges of the island” who are arrested for driving drunk should be kicked, slapped and left in a cell stripped to their underwear, not just the skinny haoles who get to the cellblock and start to spout off profanity-laced protests of indignation.
Mr. Tredre said he believes force was used against him “because (he is) a skinny haole.” That “if (he) was a big Hawaiian guy, (it) wouldn’t have happened.”
Mr. Tredre, it happened because you were driving drunk, at night, with your headlights off. If you had not been doing that, it would not have happened.
Surely, when the drunk driver slams into your vehicle, Mr. Tredre, maiming you for life and rendering your beautiful baby boy into a lump of bloody disfigurement that you envision for the rest of your life, it will be OK, because the other person was just drunk driving, right?
Smile, it’s OK because they weren’t that drunk, either.
Richard Eckert
Waikoloa
Sonar testing
Decision welcomed
It was with great relief that I read the article about the California Coastal Commission’s rejection of the Navy’s sonar testing.
I’m glad that there are lots of people out there who realize many of our marine creatures depend on sonar to communicate and go about their business.
I was just so relieved to read that they cannot test their sonar and blasting in our Pacific waters. I know this in not what others might think is of importance but I have always supported those who cannot speak for themselves — the animals and creatures of our planet.
Colleen Miyose-Wallis
Kailua-Kona
Kahaluu incident
Lifeguards appreciated
Yesterday I had a very scary situation happen. I went snorkeling at Kahaluu Beach Park with a friend. This is one of my favorite places to snorkel. I swam out but then got in real trouble. We tried to fight the current but could not. The current was only carrying us farther away.
We thought to go with the current, but at that time I realized I could not make it back. Then came my true appreciation of Hawaii’s fine lifeguards.
Frank, the lifeguard on duty, saw our distress. He paddled out, assisted me onto his board and paddled back to the beach.
My friend was able to go with the current, and Frank watched to make sure she reached shore. The current was so strong that she made a longer journey back before we reached shore.
My sincere thanks to Frank and mahalo to all the great lifeguards at your beautiful beaches of Hawaii.
Donna Owens
Kailua-Kona