• History and drugs • Let’s end discriminatory policies against gays • Understanding Christian beliefs • Buy American this holiday season • No untreated effluent into the ocean History and drugs I would like to thank Mr. John Zwiebel for
• History and drugs • Let’s end discriminatory policies against
gays • Understanding Christian beliefs • Buy American this holiday
season • No untreated effluent into the ocean
History and drugs
I would like to thank Mr. John Zwiebel for responding to my thing on drugs and adding to my dissertation. You are right, drug problems have a long history dating back many centuries. However, my article addresses a concern for our (USA) existing problems.
History of anything is fascinating since it is the data-base of human experiences and we can learn a lot from it. As George Santayana said: “Those who can’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” I would change that to read: “We are condemned to repeat the past if we lack the knowledge to understand it.” Ralph Tamm, 31 May 1999.
I would like mention there are many positives uses of hallucinogenic drugs, which include many physical and psychogenic purposes. As with any product, a blanket condemnation, to my knowledge, can never be made. Who knows what the future might bring?
Ralph Tamm, Lihu‘e
Let’s end discriminatory policies against gays
The drum beat over whether or not homosexuals should be able to marry or have the same equal rights as heterosexual couples continues.
In the name of any common sense, how can any logical person(s) deny that a gay person — man or woman — should not have the same equal rights as those given to heterosexuals?
Those who oppose gay couples having these rights have some phobic belief that that their lives will somehow be negatively impacted by giving these citizens the same privileges accorded to heterosexuals.
How can this possibly be true? If you have a good marriage or even a rocky one, how will your relationship be influenced by what two gay couples chose to do?
And this “don’t ask don’t tell” (DADT) policy of our armed forces may be the biggest farce ever perpetrated on our brave men and women — both gay and straight — who are defending and have defended our country.
When we discharge our men and women — many combat veterans and distinguished fighter pilots — for “illegal” acts that they haven’t even committed but may commit, then something is very wrong with our entire military system. How many bilingual interpreters has the service discharged because of the lifestyle they prefer but have never done anything wrong, at a time that we badly need these learned people?
When no man in the service is ever asked to be silent about his sex habits (oversexed or whatever) and no woman is asked if she is a nymphomaniac, then why should a gay person be held to the DADT policy?
Our president and secretary of defense have come out opposing this highly controversial policy so why are we not eliminating it immediately? I believe that our troops have overwhelmingly supported doing away with this policy so let’s do it!
And, for the betterment of all our people let’s end this discriminatory policy that limits the rights of any citizen.
Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a
Understanding Christian beliefs
In his Nov. 21 letter (“Concern is specific sects, not religion in general”), Mr. (Jonathan) Cender sings the praises of the government-run, Pentagon version of the National Day of Prayer.
Does he really want the civil government to start governing our religious events? Isn’t that exactly what our First Amendment prohibits?
In his Nov. 23 letter (“National Day of Prayer is exclusive, divisive”), Mr. (Brian) Christensen writes that the National Day of Prayer organization promotes purely Christian events. He says this is exclusive and divisive. “Exclusive” it may be, but “divisive” is a harsh choice of words.
Keep in mind that the first one of the Ten Commandments is “You shall have no other gods before me.” Mr. Christensen should be a bit more understanding of why Christian leaders would not want to sponsor a prayer and worship event that includes the worship of other gods. Christians would then need to worry about whether they would be breaking the First Commandment if they participate.
Instead of being so critical of American Christians, I would suggest Mr. Christensen be a little more understanding of Christian beliefs. It also wouldn’t hurt to be a little more appreciative of the fact that the vast majority of those who gave us our freedom of religion were Christians.
Mark Beeksma, Koloa
Buy American this holiday season
Have a “Made in the USA” Christmas. If you want to help the USA and Hawai‘i rebound from the economy slump be aware of the products you buy this holiday season and buy things made in the USA.
Sustain the economy not the landfill. That would be a gift to us all.
Debra Engels, Kilauea
No untreated effluent into the ocean
Aquaculture is an efficient way to produce food, but the problem that often plagues the industry is the concentration of waste from excess food to animal waste.
Sunrise Capital’s solution is to dump the effluent from their shrimp farms directly into the ocean.
If Sunrise Capital really wants to contribute to the community, they should spearhead a sewage-treatment plant that has sufficient capacity to not only treat their own aquaculture effluent but the effluent from the communities of Kekaha and Waimea.
Sunrise Capital should not be allowed to dump untreated effluent into the ocean.
David Giuliano, Princeville
