• Service by veterans benefits today’s youth • Your decency gives us hope • Whea da brain stay? • Information is responsible Service by veterans benefits today’s youth On a recent trip to Kaua‘i to visit my grandma, I found
• Service by veterans benefits today’s youth
• Your decency gives us hope
• Whea da brain stay?
• Information is responsible
Service by veterans benefits today’s youth
On a recent trip to Kaua‘i to visit my grandma, I found myself waiting in the car at the local post office as my mom checked my grandma’s mailbox.
My gaze drifted from the colorful mural painted on the brick wall of the post office to the flagpole which was situated at the corner of the building. I looked up to see a large American flag proudly waving in the warm breeze; the vibrant 50 white stars against a background of pure blue among white and red stripes.
Each star represents a state in our country, each stripe one of the original thirteen colonies. The deep blue stands for vigilance and justice while the white embodies purity and peace. The eye-catching red symbolizes valor and blood. Looking at the red coloring, I picture a body-strewn battlefield in Europe, or Vietnam, or Korea, or Iraq; blood painting the ground a deadly red. However, the sacrifices made on those same battlefields and the service of the soldiers in every war benefit America’s youth today, and will benefit the children of future generations.
Service and sacrifice by America’s veterans have granted the youth of today and tomorrow the freedom of choice. Granting my parents’ comply, I am able to choose what I wear, what religion I participate and believe in, what words I speak, and so much more.
The Bill of Rights verifies this when it states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
That document goes on to state other rights too, such as the right to bear arms and the right to a speedy and fair trial. Because of America’s veterans, I am guaranteed an unbiased court trial. Because of the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans, I am able to be who I want to be.
America’s veterans, through their service and sacrifice, have also supplied me with a stable government and a stable living situation. Along with the rest of my country, come 18 years of age, I can vote on who I want to be the next president of the United States. I am able to enjoy the luxuries of living in one of the richest countries in the world. Most importantly though, I have the ability to go to school and receive a good education so that I can one day be independent and make my own money, and hopefully make a name for myself. I can do all of this because America’s veterans have fought numerous wars to guarantee our freedom.
My mom returns to the car, in her hand my grandma’s mail for the day, and I am snapped out of my reverie. She starts the ignition of our car by simply turning a key. Even though this kind of technology wouldn’t have been dreamed of centuries ago, scientists were able to invent something like this because they had the freedom to express their creativity and imagination. I snap my seatbelt in place and the car pulls away from the curb and heads back to my grandma’s house, where we are staying during our trip to Hawai‘i.
On the way, we pass a veterans cemetery, where my grandfather rests peacefully. I say a silent prayer of thanks to him and to the souls of all of the other veterans resting there, for their service and sacrifice for me, as well as my fellow peers, today and for many years to come.
• Jocelyn Runice, C. Milton Wright High School sophomore student, Maryland
Your decency gives us hope
I would like to publicly thank the man and woman who were driving their car up Kuamo‘o Road on Sunday at about 3:45 p.m.
I was riding my bike up the hill and I lost control of it due to a branch hanging over the guard rail into the narrow shoulder. This couple saw me fall against the car in front of them, which was, thankfully for me, going slowly. I ended up lying in the road as that car kept going.
Mahalo to the couple who stopped in the road to ask me if I was OK as I stood up. As anyone who uses that road knows, there is no place for a car to pull aside, yet they stopped as best they could under the circumstances to be sure there was no emergency.
Mahalo also for their help in telling my companion up ahead what happened, so that he could turn his bike around and come to my aid. I am very grateful for the kindness of this man and woman to a person they do not know.
It is that kind of decency to others that gives us all hope.
• Sue Coan, Lihu‘e
Whea da brain stay?
In the bottleneck of Wailua, there is an almost completed affordable housing construction project the size of a large village next to Kintaro’s in Wailua.
A big question mark appears above my head each time I drive to work from Kapahi. I can’t imagine who could have authorized such an illogical situation.
Aside from the absurdity of putting a project directly on top of the worst traffic bottleneck on the island, why is it being built before there is even a hint of traffic flow infrastructure being implemented?
Even now, nobody can get on the road going south entering traffic from makai Wailua unless they pray, wait and get lucky enough to coincide with a driver with a speck of aloha and who’s willing to let the guy in.
The minimum it will require is a stoplight; why aren’t they working on that first?
Now there are plans to redevelop the Coco Palms area. Can you imagine the traffic with battering rams of incoming vehicles on each side of the road trying to funnel into the already constipated Wailua morning and afternoon traffic?
Really, whea da brain stay? Okole? Or maybe lolo make (as in brain dead).
Please God, give us world peace, and Kaua’i government officials with some common sense.
• Donna Alalem, Kapahi
Information is responsible
As the citizenry of Kaua‘i, we all need to know as much as possible concerning genetic engineering, or GMOs.
We have the incredible opportunity this week to hear Jeffrey Smith, the author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette.
He is dedicated to compiling and understanding the available studies on the dangers/safety of GMO. His expertise has been welcomed by the European Union.
Surely anyone with questions would want to be there. Thank you, Mr. Smith, for speaking the next couple evenings in Hanalei, Lihu‘e and Waimea on this Hawai‘i SEED Statewide Tour.
•Michaela Boudreaux, Kalaheo
