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Letters to the Editor

Women have waited century for ERA to be codified

I urge support for the ERA Now resolution (H.J. Res. 82) to direct the Archivist of the United States to certify and publish the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment of the United States Constitution. Gender does not have the same legal protection as other constitutional classes, such as race, religion, or nationality. This constitutional double standard means that hard-won legislative and court victories against sex discrimination are not permanent and can be rolled back or difficult to enforce. This lack of constitutional equality reaches every aspect of women’s lives. ...

Canadian medicine not based on medical expertise

A recent Executive Summary from the CAN-MED’S Project Foundation Report stated: “A new model of Canadian medicine would seek to center values such as anti-oppression, anti-racism, anti-colonialism, anti-capitalism, and social justice, rather than medical expertise.” If you are a Canadian visiting Maui, let’s hope you get sick here in a country where they still train and hire doctors based on medical expertise. Randolph S. Coon Kula

Pay blessings forward this holiday season

On Dec. 14, I will have lived on Maui for 80 years. In thanksgiving for all those who made my life so worthwhile, I am eternally grateful for your presence in my life and out of gratitude feel obliged to pay those blessings forward. Over the past 37 years, I have worked at Family Court with domestic violence and child custody cases, at Maui Memorial Medical Center as a hospital chaplain and in various social service agencies working with displaced veterans and welfare recipients. Also, I have been in the forefront supporting and developing a sheltering program for houseless person ...

Prisoners sent elsewhere terrible, inhumane practice

We in Hawaii must improve our prisons, not just to reduce recidivism, but even better, to return healthy and productive people back into our communities. Sending our prisoners away to prisons in other states which are poorly run, where they are maltreated and some even die, is terrible. An example of a humane prison that is accomplishing is Northeast Correctional Center in Bowling Green, Mo., in one of the poorest of our states. Let’s use their example, to improve the lives and future of our prisoners, as well as the families and communities around them. Amy Muramatsu Makawao

Congressional delegation needs to support ceasefire

I am writing in support of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and peace for the innocent Palestinians who were displaced, killed and injured from the violent acts of Israel. To see Hawaii’s members of Congress not in full support of a permanent ceasefire is downright shameful and disappointing, considering the State of Hawaii was built on illegal occupation. The exact same thing is happening to Gaza. It is nothing short of genocide and apartheid and the only thing that must be down is calling for a permanent ceasefire. I demand that our politicians look deep into their hearts and ...

Tax rates on second homes should match transient units

There are many housing units on island classified as long-term rentals six months or longer that are underutilized. For example, second homes used by part-time residents. It seems logical these units be incentivized as well as transient units. Many part-time residents do not currently rent their homes. To threaten these owners with higher taxes is highly unfair. John Herb Kihei