Letters | 12-5-15

Honolulu always comes before outer islands

It is my understanding the state Department of Health has actually lifted a finger in the dengue fever quagmire on Hawaii Island, other than just pretend to listen and even send someone from the wrong branch with no decision-making capabilities to sit through a protracted testimony session of frustrated and disgusted citizens.

If it seems like I’m being cynical and sarcastic, that’s what they give us in Puna and before Iselle, Puna hardly ever got that much! During Iselle, the DOH, from the relative safety of Honolulu, gratuitously informed us that as we were being trapped in our neighborhoods by fallen trees, poles and lines and being gassed as a result of a failed return spring at Puna Geothermal Venture, that the wind velocity was too high, so what was happening to us couldn’t possibly be happening! While they may have been correct for wind velocities at altitude, the ground speed was ideal for the dispersal of toxic subterranean gasses.

If a dengue fever epidemic broke out in Honolulu, they would be on it so fast your head would spin, but what else is new? Just as a scientific wild guess, because this affects the entire island, the state may be more concerned over the effect it has on tourism than anything else.

I’ll make you do some homework. Find, read and compare Hawaii State Acts 96 and 97 to see how the state leans. Then there was the disenfranchisement of approximately 4,000 registered voters in the 2014 election debacle as a result of Iselle, but that wasn’t the DOH’s fault. Here’s the link to their mission statement, philosophy and goals: https://health.hawaii.gov/about/mission-statement. How would you grade them, based on this?

Dave Kisor

Pahoa

I really don’t expect change anymore

I am surprised that I see so many letters to the editor with opinions regarding refugees that don’t link the migration to our current homeless condition. How can we not see that this time the situation really is different?

Terrorists will do anything to achieve their goal and keeping out innocent people is part of the price we have to pay to keep our citizens safe. Even if the refugees are harmless, they are still basically homeless folks who don’t speak English. Are we going to need to hire translators so the new homeless can give the governor their dietary requirements?

Let’s try to solve our current problems instead of just playing “Whack a Mole.” The governor tried to look like he was taking care of business by removing the homeless from the Kakaako streets. One week later, they are camped in Kakaako Park.

What kind of solution is that? You know they have to go somewhere! Why not set up 10 acres on Sand Island and provide security, toilets and bus transportation from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.? Nothing is free but at least we have them out of our parks. If they try to put a tent in the park, immediately take it down and move it to Sand Island and don’t allow camping gear on the bus so they can easily get it out again. Not perfect, but better than nothing.

Alain Morinkof

Waikoloa

Why gun control laws won’t work

No law in the history of this planet has ever prevented a crime. Laws don’t prevent crime, they punish crime. Laws can’t prevent abortion. Laws can’t prevent use of alcohol or heroin or homosexuality or murder or speeding. Laws can prevent nothing.

Yet, (like always) we hear politicians ranting, “Can we now have sensible gun control laws?” in the wake of another act of gun violence. Intelligent politicians know Prohibition didn’t work, and making abortion illegal won’t prevent abortions.

Even if these politicians were successful in banning guns from America all together, they must know that would not remove guns or gun violence from our lives. There is only one answer. Protect yourself.

Dave Chrisman

Kailua-Kona