• Treat lifeguards fairly • Discovery Center not a current must-have • Cloud still lingers • Remember those who keep us safe Treat lifeguards fairly Kaua‘i Lifeguards were unfairly asked to made a decision between providing less services to the
• Treat lifeguards fairly • Discovery
Center not a current must-have • Cloud still
lingers • Remember those who keep us
safe
Treat lifeguards fairly
Kaua‘i Lifeguards were unfairly asked to made a decision between providing less services to the public or a pay cut.
They chose a pay cut as another example of the unselfish and best-for-all decisions they need to make daily. They truly are my heroes. I would not hesitate to help them however I can, whenever I can.
I have witnessed them put themselves in hazardous conditions many times over the years to provide lifesaving rescues. They have the best Junior lifeguard teams and instructors in the state year after year.
Please compensate them fairly for the unselfish and heroic men and women they are.
John Robinson, Kalaheo
Discovery Center not a current must-have
A Kaua‘i Discovery Center is being proposed by the NOAA Marine Sanctuaries. There are a number of concepts for such a Kaua‘i Discovery Center: A place where tourists could visit to learn about our ocean resources, a place where school children could visit for the same purpose, and an auditorium where lectures and classes (including boating safety) could be given.
It might provide employment for otherwise unemployable marine biologists. In short, it would be nice to have. It would, however, not only have an initial cost, but be an ongoing expense.
But in this time of limited federal budgets, ballooning federal and state deficits, furloughs, and program cutbacks, and proposed changes (downward) to Social Security and Medicare, we must ask ourselves if this would be the best and highest use of our federal tax dollars.
Or would we be better off using the millions of dollars to perform need repairs on schools, small boat harbors, bridges, sewer systems, water systems, or parks — or perhaps building our new landfill?
Would our keiki be better off with a new roof on their school which they attend the entire school year, or with a facility they might only visit one day every couple of years? We have auditoriums and classrooms for lectures and safe boating education. To me, it looks like a nice to have — and we cannot afford nice to haves while our infrastructure falls down around us. Not this year, and probably not this decade.
William Georgi, ‘Ele‘ele
Cloud still lingers
Mr. Herman, the definition of “disingenuous” which you chose, albeit the first one which pops up in a Google search, doesn’t represent what I meant (“Separation of church and state is key,” Letters, Dec. 12).
It might have been advisable to read some of the other definitions offered. The “typically pretending that one knows less about something than one really does” part had absolutely nothing to do with what I was saying. I simply found your argument to be insincere.
If you love friends and family who are gay, you don’t try to deny them benefits which heterosexuals enjoy for no reason other than the state sanctions their relationships.
If I did not respond correctly to your original letter, consider you failed to make your message clear. You claim your original letter was about “separationism” and “separation of church and state” — an idea you fully support.
I’ve reread that letter several times. These ideas have not become any clearer in any of those rereads.
Your error came in resorting to this “slippery slope” argument that has become a common tactic of the “anti-gay” crowd. The statement that allowing civil unions will lead to “grown men married to sheep and children” was ill-chosen and hyperbolic. It completely clouded any other argument you may have been trying to make. You’ve not retracted such statements — the cloud is still there.
My only “agenda” in this is for fairness. If you truly “get it,” then I would hope you understand that, else you don’t really “get it.”
Michael Mann, Lihu‘e
Remember those who keep us safe
As we bustle about doing our last minute shopping and getting ready for holiday time with friends and family, please take a moment to reflect upon the sacrifices made by our military personnel, here on Kaua‘i, and around the world.
No time with family, presents under the tree or Christmas dinner with loved ones. Instead, they chose to give of themselves so that we could be safe, and be able to safely enjoy these blessings ourselves.
Please take a moment to at least say a prayer for them all, past and present, those that we have lost, and their families. If you see them on the street, or giving their time to collect for “Toys for Tot,” say “thank you” along with your donation.
A kind word of appreciation to the men and women who protect us, including our police and fire personnel, is a more valuable gift than anything money can buy.
In this season of giving we often lose sight of the things outside of our immediate lives, those things that are most important, yet distant, and surely impact our lives most profoundly.
I had my chance Saturday in front of KMart, and the look of gratitude in their eyes was the most valuable present I will receive this holiday season.
Mahalo nui loa to all those that serve and protect.
Barry Dittler, Wailua
