• Ferry drain on wallet • Why the jobs were lost • Teens fight wars Ferry drain on wallet I want to echo the words of thousands of Kaua‘i residents: Protecting and respecting Kaua‘i, the ‘aina and a rural lifestyle
• Ferry drain on wallet
• Why the jobs were lost
• Teens fight wars
Ferry drain on wallet
I want to echo the words of thousands of Kaua‘i residents: Protecting and respecting Kaua‘i, the ‘aina and a rural lifestyle is more important to me than my wallet.
The cost of having to deal with everything from traffic, invasive species, illegal camping and more is not worth saving the ‘ole mighty dollar. (Which is becoming less mighty by the day.)
If you’re really concerned about your wallet, look how much of our taxpayer money has gone into keeping the Superferry afloat.
Some $40 million in harbor improvements. A million dollar EIS. Some $350,000 for a 10 week tug boat rental. The list goes on.
Yes, we are awake on this issue and many others that affect our quality of lifestyle.
Let’s do what’s best for Kaua‘i and our future generations.
Marcia McPhail
Kapa‘a
Why the jobs were lost
My heart goes out to all those around the state who lost their jobs from the recent shut down of Aloha Airlines. I pray that they be comforted and may have quick recovery.
Believe me, I know what you are going through. I experienced it while living in Idaho during the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas of 1988, and into the new year of 1989. I had a mortgage to pay and four little children under 9 years old.
The thing that kept me going is faith in God and the members of the church I was active in. So, have faith in God and everything is going to work out for you. Maybe even better.
Now on the other side of this loss of Aloha Airlines in reference to “True tragedy of loss of Aloha” (Letters, April 3).
To United Airlines pilot (Bill Chamberlain): Remember Mahalo Air? Where are they now?
Now that the table is turned around with go! Airlines’ competition in the air fare wars Aloha and Hawaiian did not have to compete with go!
All Aloha had do was drop its fare at least $20 and it would have been fine because there is still a lot of loyalty.
Also, Aloha Airlines’ CEO and management could have used more careful planning. Why didn’t they offer an ultimatum by asking the employees to take a cut in pay way before they (Aloha Air) got into trouble and until they got back on their feet? And why wasn’t there a cut back in management? So, Chamberlain, it is plain to see that greed was not in go! Airlines’ plans. It was within the CEO and poor management at Aloha.
Kimo Rosen (another forum letter same day): I agree with “Bring Alakai back to Kaua‘i.”
Howard Tolbe
Kaumakani
Teens fight wars
The letter “Life-and-death decisions by teens” (Letters, April 4) covered many subjects, and I strongly disagree with 99 percent of them.
First, freedom of speech. The comments ignore the reason we have freedom of speech; it is because we have a military that protects that right.
Do we want to abolish the military? If we want to become an Islamic state and live under Shariah law, that’s fine. Otherwise: no, no, no.
The letter wrongfully alleges that the military will drop bombs to kill innocent men, women and children for political purposes — grossly untrue.
I found no mention of the beheadings of soldiers and innocent civilians by al Qaida and others, nor any mention of blowing up crowds in market places. Prior to the war with al Qaida and Iraq, the entire country, Republicans, Democrats and Independents agreed we could not take a chance of Saddam getting nuclear weapons. Were they there? Not found so far.
War is a horrible thing, but it did not happen to further any political purpose or corporate interest.
Gen. Curtis Lemay once stated, “War is killing people, and you keep killing people until the other side decides to stop. Then the war is over.” Whether people 17 or 18 years old are mature enough to decide whether they should join the military is a good question. Parents hopefully will guide them in their decisions. But stopping people from recruiting shouldn’t happen. Should we stop recruiting for policemen or firefighters?
We must fight those who want Islam to dominate the world, or it will.
That is what the war is all about in Iraq.
Bob Yount
Kalaheo
