• Happiness is not a warm gun • Big-red-button gun • Love Kaua‘i’s aloha • We need the skateboard park Happiness is not a warm gun Bob Moulton appears to consider gun control a major, if not the major, issue
• Happiness is not a warm gun
• Big-red-button gun
• Love Kaua‘i’s aloha
• We need the skateboard park
Happiness is not a warm gun
Bob Moulton appears to consider gun control a major, if not the major, issue in the upcoming presidential election (“Obama will be disarming,” Letters, Sept. 24).
He uses the National Rifle Association, which as an organization whose membership appears to support almost any and all gun ownership would be better named the National Weapons Association, as a source for his conclusions.
The fact is that Senator Obama leans left and favors reasonable gun control, a ban on assault weapons and fewer guns on city streets and in the hands of criminals. He honors the tradition of law-abiding citizens using gun ownership for hunting, sportsmanship and protecting their families. My source for Senator Obama’s position on the issue is the non-partisan www.ontheissues.org
Surely we all know of the “check-your-guns-with-the-sheriff-when-entering-town” policies of many Old West towns. It is simple common sense.
What is of far greater concern in the big picture is that Senator Obama has the ability to institute change to an office and a platform which has fostered greed, unjustified warfare, death, economic failure and erosion of America’s position as a respected leader in the world.
Forget about whatever happiness you may derive from a warm gun … think of the big picture and communicate with everyone and anyone you know living in a swing state and encourage them to vote, for change.
Bruce Fehring
Kilauea
Big-red-button gun
In response to Bob Moulton’s letter (“Obama will be disarming,” Letters, Sept. 24) I would first like to say that America’s “shining light of liberty” (to the world) has dimmed substantially in the last seven years.
Bush, Cheney and Republican neo-cons have wasted lives, treasure and the world’s good will by invading Iraq. They have also done serious damage to the Constitution. And speaking of the Constitution, I didn’t realize that the world looked up to us because we have the right to bear arms. I would think the First Amendment, or maybe the fourth, fifth, sixth or 14th might be somewhat more important in terms of eliciting envy from oppressed people; not to mention the ones that ended slavery or allowed women to vote.
But speaking of guns, the 10-point plan that the National Rifle Association says is Obama’s, is patently false. It’s just another typical distraction that the right wing uses to try to scare gun owners into voting for them.
As far as I know, it’s Congress and state legislatures that pass or don’t pass laws concerning gun ownership. Obama might have opinions about guns but I would be more worried about a certain woman from Alaska who believes in apocalyptic Bible prophesy, with her finger on the big red button. Now, that’s a gun.
Phil Higginbotham
Kapa‘a
Love Kaua‘i’s aloha
When I went to the free flu shot clinic at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Center Wednesday, there were seven or eight people playing beautiful Hawaiian music on guitar and ‘ukulele, people greeting and chatting and smiling and laughing and joking like it was a family reunion instead of a clinic.
One fireman getting his shot yelled “Ow” really loud then laughed so much to see everyone’s reaction.
I was so happy to sit there and take it all in, thinking this happens only in Hawai‘i. Almost brought tears to my sentimental eyes.
Then one lady official said, “You guys are nicer; O‘ahu was grouchy because they had to wait.”
Before that I was thinking “Only in Hawai‘i,” then I found out it’s only on Kaua‘i.
So only on Kaua‘i will you find a free clinic turned into a pa‘ina of friendliness, cordiality, patience and graciousness with song and laughter and camaraderie.
Mahalo nui loa to the friendly people of the Lion’s Club, First Hawaiian Bank, AARP, the wonderful musicians and all involved in the flu shot clinic project.
I love Kaua‘i and its aloha.
Donna Alalem
Kapa‘a
We need the skateboard park
Kauai Police Department is too many times in overkill mode as described by the mother referencing the group of skateboarders at Kukui Grove (“Maybe a Lihu‘e skateboard park is the answer,” Letters, Sept. 24).
Kapa‘a skatepark leaves a lot to be desired and to use the Po‘ipu Bypass Road halfpipe one needs to be a church member. Aside from that, our vote is with Carmencita for a better skate park halfpipe with various ramps to challenge or enhance rider skills, and mostly, that it is for the kids.
We could place it next to the YMCA fronting Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School. Sadly it’s never that simple and if you expect our county to be a willing participant, I don’t think so. Attempts at accomplishing anything is always compromised by their manini politically motivated fumblings.
Kauai County again is lagging in comparison to Maui County’s skate park halfpipe. Why such vast inconsistent differences between the island counties?
Our movement has several times been similarly at risk. We the community, and volunteers involved in all endeavors for our keiki, ‘opio, challenged athletes or ‘ohana in general, need to take care of each other. At the grassroots level, all of us need to support programs that have experienced budget cuts, like the recent Cop on Top Safeway fundraiser. KBA staff also volunteer and are open to working with others interested in seeing that a new improved skateboard park is in the vision.
Debra Kekaualua
Kapa‘a
