• Debate on civil unions illogical • Make shelter no-kill • What happened to service stations? • Opt out of full-body scans • Finish removing coconut trees Debate on civil unions illogical Why must the anti-civil unions crowd engage in
• Debate on civil unions illogical •
Make shelter no-kill • What happened to
service stations? • Opt out of full-body scans
• Finish removing coconut trees
Debate on civil unions illogical
Why must the anti-civil unions crowd engage in such outrageous and illogical hyperbole (“Be careful what you wish,” Letters, Nov. 17)? Why does the concept of a relationship based upon and requiring mutual consent not seem to make any sense to these people? Equating a homosexual relationship between two men or two women to a sexual relationship between an adult and a child or a human and an animal is a non-starter. We already recognize that a child can not give consent to be in a sexual relationship with an adult. We already recognize that an animal can not give consent to be in a sexual relationship with a human. Our laws cover this and there is absolutely no indication that these laws are in any danger whatsoever. What part of this is not understandable to people?
Please, anyone who fancies themselves to be among the legion of rational thinkers, don’t allow yourself to be confused by these bizarre arguments, which say much more about the people making them than they do about the actual issue — giving homosexuals the right to enter into legally recognized relationships and the associated rights related to finances, insurance, health care decisions, and the myriad other benefits that heterosexual couples receive automatically upon getting married.
If you truly believe that civil unions will lead to widespread pedophilia and bestiality, you’d be better off moving to make homosexuality illegal altogether. Good luck with that!
Michael Mann, Lihu‘e
Make shelter no-kill
I was deeply saddened by the news article ( “Humane Society releases annual stats; Over half of animals received are euthanized,” Nov. 18) that Kaua‘i Humane Society euthanizes (polite way of saying “killing”) the majority of cats that are placed at the shelter.
While I personally believe Kaua‘i is the physically most beautiful place on this earth, I am disappointed beyond words.
Kaua‘i should seriously consider making the shelter “NO Kill.”
Randy Green, San Pedro, Calif.
What happened to service stations?
The audacity of a few gas stations on our cosmic island, charging for radiator water and air for inflation of tires.
I do not drive often, therefore I have not been to a gas station in quite a while. Most the time I take a bus or ride my bike for transportation.
This past week I was horrified after going to a local gas station with a friend and seeing the water and air pumps connected up to a change machine, charging seventy five cents for air, and another seventy five cents for water.
When I was a young man, they had service stations, you would drive into a gas station, they filled you up, washed your windshield, checked your tire pressure, checked your oil levels and said “thank you, come again.”
Now you go to a self-service station, no mechanics anywhere, making you fill up your gas tank on your own and when finished having to walk into a quick-save store where they hope to gauge you five dollars for a bag of chips.
Filling a gas tank can cost fifty dollars or more, is it to much to ask for a little air for a flat tire?
What’s next charging to use the squeegee to wash your windshield, wait they didn’t even provide a squeegee.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
Opt out of full-body scans
I was caught off guard last week going through airport security — to discover that we now have the full-body scanners in Lihu‘e! I didn’t realize until returning home that you can opt out and I didn’t realize that the scanners can practically see pubic hair!
What has happened to our country? We seem to be the scariest country on the planet. And Americans, the most docile. This isn’t who we used to be — feisty, don’t take no for an answer, stand up for your rights, etc. — it seems 9/11 has worn us all down — there’s hardly an insult that we don’t take — and for many, gladly so we’ll be safer! I was heartened to see people in Germany doing a nude protest in one of their airports! November 22 is a national “OPT OUT” day — I hope anyone traveling that day will exercise their right to opt out.
And if not traveling that day — opt out whenever you do fly.
Consider letting Mazie, Inouye and Akaka know that TSA has overstepped their bounds. Let’s take a stand together.
Aloha,
Judie Hoeppne, Kapa‘a
Finish removing coconut trees
This is in concern of four coconut trees that have been cut down three fourths the way leaving the one fourth (at least four feet high each) of stumps on Kaumuali‘i Highway west of Waimea fronting the old Waimea Dairy. These stumps pose an accident waiting to happen (mostly for night drivers traveling eastbound in that area.)
I admit not noticing it until today (Nov. 16th, 2010). However according to a reliable source, “the state cut down the trees approximately three months ago.” My source also said, “I called the legal authority (state Department of Transportation) about the situation and to this day the stumps are still on the side of the highway.” Furthermore per my source, “I e-mailed the Shadow (since he read in the TGI front-page story of the Shadow of Kaua‘i) and still the tree stumps remains.”
My question is directed to the DOT safety personnel: “Why is it taking forever to dig or cut down these tree stumps?” “Are we waiting for someone or a tourist to drive into it?”
Get rid of those road hazards such as the tree stumps, so we don’t have to lose a life or lives and face a senseless lawsuit.
Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
