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Letters to the Editor

No wonder people are losing faith in judiciary

Something has gone drastically wrong with our legal system. It has been taken over by crooks with money and influence and lawyers without ethics or morals. The technicalities and loop holes in the laws, some deliberately put in there by our politicians – most of whom are lawyers themselves – have rendered our justice system ineffectual and useless for most. Proving an obvious and blatant crime in courts of law has become such a long, drawn-out affair that very few cases reach a final verdict and are settled out of court behind closed doors with great injustice to our sense of ...

To mitigate Kihei flooding widen, stabilize bridge

The recent rain storm again caused flooding near the old Suda Store, when debris was caught between the railing of the bridge. Last year when the same flooding occurred, I suggested the removal of the railing. Bollards would allow the floodwater to flow freely minimizing flooding.  To mitigate future flooding, both sides of the bridge need to be widened and stabilized by creating a channel so floodwater can flow out to sea. The bridge is an engineering failure and the county is responsible for this folly. It should have been higher with the same elevation as the roadway and ...

Make sure Trump is not on general election ballot

I consider myself a moderate when it comes to politics.  I believe the government can’t solve all our problems, on the one hand, and there needs to be support for those, who through no fault of their own, need help, on the other hand.  However, I believe we should try in our upcoming presidential election of 2024, to make sure Trump is not on the general election ballot as the Republican candidate.  The way to accomplish this would be to vote Republican in the primary. Vote for someone like Nikki Haley, who has a lot of experience especially in international affairs. Then in ...

Fire ominous theme of misplaced power

Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” forms the basis for Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” and can easily form the storyline for the aftermath of the Lahaina fire. Minus the backdrop of the Congo and Mekong Rivers, the story of the Lahaina disaster follows the same ominous theme of misplaced power, political posturing, and distorted sense of reality. Five months after the fire, Mayor Richard Bissen, without mention of a final resting place, wants us to believe Olowalu is a “temporary” disposal site for the Lahaina fire debris. Debris which disposal experts say will ...

Another recreational drug last thing Hawaii needs

Hawaii’s attorney general needs to change course on legalizing recreational marijuana use here. Brain images made by renowned neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Amen reveal marijuana use gives the brain a toxic appearance in many users. Dr. Amen reports marijuana significantly lowers brain activity, and decreases memory, motivation, learning, focus and coordination. More impaired drivers, anyone? In young people, pot increases the risk of psychosis. According to the National Institutes of Drug Abuse, marijuana can lead to a drop in IQ by eight points and is linked to lower educational ...

One bad megachurch does not make all bad

A lot of megachurches are scrutinized because of their wealth. Televangelists have wealth, but when compared to celebrities, athletes, actors, musical bands and big business, the wealth is not that great. Recently, a professional baseball player was awarded $700 million in a contract. Most high rollers in professional sports make $50 million year. Why it is a crime when a ministry makes a fraction of what other profession make? You have good and bad megachurches, but all are not bad; one bad apple does not make the whole bunch bad. Terao Nakasone Kihei