Letter to the Editor – 11/27/13
Embarrassing
Thanks to Bob Jones for elaborating on this embarrassment of a police union chief. I had not realized that he made the national news.
As Hawaii becomes the 15th state in the U.S. to allow same-sex marriage, it indicates the decline in progressive values that once made Hawaii a national leader.
Hawaii was the first state to have mandatory employer subsidized health care insurance, first to pass a law to allow abortion within 20 weeks at the request of the mother and first to pass the Equal Rights Amendment.
Now we have buffoons like Tenari Ma’afala representing the image of Hawaii.
Brice Conquest
Honolulu
Courageous
I am writing in response to Bob Jones’ column in which he compared the police union president to a “village idiot.”
I believe that Mr. Ma’afala was courageous to step forward to voice his strong convictions despite being ridiculed by people like Mr. Jones.
He stood his ground for what he felt was valuable to him and to guard his family, especially his children.
He did not embarrass our nation in any manner or form. He exercised his freedom of speech. I was very proud of him.
As a teacher, I would strongly object to teaching about homosexuality in the public schools. This is a matter that parents would discuss at home with their own children – their own values.
It’s not sexual discrimination we are concerned about. It’s defining marriage between one man and one woman. We all have gay friends and relatives we love and respect.
C. Akamine
Honolulu
Extremist faiths
Based on what we have recently witnessed at the Capitol by protesters of equal marriage rights, extremist Christians have become the extremist Muslims of the western world. There is no Jesus-love there.
Fred Metcalf
Kalihi
Israel no friend
As one whose thoughts on Israel have evolved over the years from blind support to thoughtful cynicism, I’m bothered by what Israel does to Palestinians (per Patricia Blair’s letter “Israeli crimes”) but much more concerned by Israel’s meddling in U.S. politics and policy toward Iran (per Patrick Buchanan’s column “Plotting Against Obama For War”). Plotting to lead a so-called ally into another crippling war is not what I’d call the action of a good friend.
Jack Ryan
Honolulu
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