Letters to the Editor: 7-22-16

Roundup not harmful

Simply “dittos” to Philip Motooka’s letter rebuffing Diana Duff’s letter concerning glyphosate. I thought I was reading my own letter!

If I’m not mistaken, Diana Duff was in my Master Gardener’s class back in the ‘80s. I share and enjoy her regular columns in the West Hawaii Today, but in this case, I think she’s misguided.

When I was hired as a nurseryman in Kamehameha Investment Corporation’s 16-acre nursery in Keauhou-Kona in 1977, I was introduced to glyphosate — Roundup. I wanted to know a few things about it, so I asked my supervisor. He told me Monsanto fed cattle gallons of it, with no ill-effects. That’s about all he could tell me. Much later, I became more educated on the popular herbicide that I’ve been using on my own property for decades.

It does bond with the iron in the soil. It remains bonded to the soil. A recent study of ground water in 17 different areas on the Big island were tested for glyphosate. Only one site had detectable traces, and that was in the gravel in a stream bed. I have the study in my documents to back it up.

I also have several documents showing scientific evidence that there’s no ill-effects to mammals, including us humans. One of those documents shows no ill-effects to bees, also.

My frustration is convincing people of the facts. Facts have no agenda, no motives. Today “feelings” seem to have replaced science and common sense.

Dennis Lawson

Kalaoa

Facts don’t matter

The letters from Shawn Lathrop and Lester W. Shirley, Esq., show a remarkable lack of research while proving great tenacity on blaming President Obama for everything from using current events to push his political agenda, (how Republican!), to state gun laws, for which he has no control.

The only person who ever heard the president say that he wants to ban all guns is conservative zealot John Lott. Lott was also quoted as saying that the invasion of Iraq was brilliant. And, the reason that Hitler never said that idiotic quote about full gun registration is because that was never part of his program. He believed in race registration, much like the new voting laws of many states.

Oh, and classifying ghettos. The Top 10 crime rates in the U.S. include Memphis, New Orleans, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Newark and Birmingham. All Republican governed cities. New York and Los Angeles are not even in the Top 20. Most experts agree, the reason that Chicago is rated the No. 2 homicide capital, behind New Orleans, is because a Chicago resident can travel 30 minutes out of state and purchase any kind of military weapon in 10 minutes. States surrounding Illinois are all “any” carry!

If you believe in Democratic areas being less safe, leave Hawaii and go take up residence in Republican governed New Orleans. But please, let me take out an insurance policy on you first.

Dan Mcroberts

Naalehu

The true agenda

Well, there it is! Ron Roberts has said what the true agenda for all liberal, anti-gun zealots is: “I say ban all guns but hunting rifles for qualified game hunters.”

It is the logical conclusion, isn’t it? Considering gun control legislation has not put an end to gun violence (something no legislation could do because laws don’t prevent crime, they only punish crime. No law in the history of the planet has ever prevented crime), the only reasonable action left to prevent gun violence is to remove all guns from American society.

Ron says, “the only use for handguns and assault rifles is to kill” people. Ron, there is another use for guns. To protect one’s home and family from someone who intends to harm you. Right now, if someone breaks into my home, they don’t know if they are facing defensive, lethal firepower.

Under Ron’s proposal, they’ll know they have nothing to fear from a disarmed public. The Founding Fathers knew this. The Second Amendment was put in place for individuals to be able to protect themselves including from a tyrannical, oppressive government.

Dave Chrisman

Kailua-Kona