• Response had merit but . . . • Family grateful to Junior Lifeguards • Losing the war against drugs? Response had merit but . . . Barbara Larsen’s response to my recent letter about those who blame the current
• Response had merit but . . .
• Family grateful to Junior Lifeguards
• Losing the war against drugs?
Response had merit but . . .
Barbara Larsen’s response to my recent letter about those who blame the current administration for everything had occasional comments of merit. Many people resent the idea of preemptive wars. Those who do are living in the past, before whole cities or states could be destroyed by one bomb or one release of poison gas.
If you do not know that we have enemies that would destroy our entire country if they could, you are living in a dream world.
It is the job of the current government to try to prevent that. Past history has proved that 95 percent of the nations of the world are content to talk with a loud mouth and do nothing as long as there is no immediate danger to them personally. Otherwise, why some 18 United Nations resolutions condemning Iraq but with nothing done. The previous administration sent three missiles with little or no damage and then dropped any further action. It is true there are several dictators around the world, especially in Africa. It appears none of them have the capabililty to cause harm to us, nor do they have weapons they might give to someone else.
Those who condemn Attorney General John Ashcroft never seem to mention that those so called intrustions into our personal liberties must have the approval of a Federal Judge, either before or after. The suggestion by many that oil was the main reason we invaded Iraq seem to foreget that we had complete control of Kuwait Oil and chose to leave of our own volition. Those who suggest we should have given the UN inspectors more time never seem to be specific, 6 months, a year, 6 years. I feel sad that the world situation has reached the point where preemptive action is necessary in some cases, but it is.
R.W. Yount
Koloa
Family grateful to Junior Lifeguards
We are vacationing on your island for two weeks and read with interest your newspaper every day. We were surprised but also pleased to read the “Guest Viewpoint” regarding the actions of the Bredes family Junior Lifeguards on Sunday as we were the family they assisted that was talked about in the article! Every detail in the article was correct and we are so thankful they took the initiative to help us.
We are not new to Hawai‘i, but were certainly naive about the conditions that day. Indeed we should have rented fins with our boogie boards (and did right after the incident). Though we were warned that the conditions were difficult, we had no idea about how to handle the ocean and the topography underneath of rocks and coral that lay in our path as we tried to get back to shore.
The Bredes were extremely professional as well as kind. They introduced themselves and told us about their training. They pointed out that we were headed into treacherous conditions and told us they could assist us in getting out. All the while, they kept us relaxed with their friendly demeanor and always asked how we were doing as they helped us get to shore. When I mentioned my son was also out with us, they helped us locate him and helped him to shore as well.
We now know firsthand about the Junior Lifeguards and will forever be appreciative of their training and the commitment of young people to the program. Many thanks to the Bredes and to your training program!
Gail and Paul Benchener
Newtown, Penn.
Losing the war against drugs?
Headlines in the media: We are losing the war against drugs. Drug use in Hawai‘i is the highest in the nation. Enough of crying! There is a solution.
Recently I saw it on ABC’s Good Morning America how our special units operating on informants’ tips raid the homes in residential areas in Iraq. Fully armed with guns and night vision devices they break down the doors, taking a bundle of money from the shelf, search the homes. Women and children inside are on their knees at gunpoint. Unfortunately they did not capture the suspect, because according to a soldier “he probably escaped through the back door.” Great! Even in primitive operations they surround the house presuming a glimpse of intelligence of the suspect to try to escape through the back door. CNN ran the same footage with a little addition: The reporter asked the military spokesman what happens if the tip was wrong and the people inside were innocent residents. “We have a special team standing by to repair the damages and we pay compensation in cash,” he answered. That’s a fair deal, and good planning, isn’t it?
Well, accepting the premise that our government would never do unlawful things I am convinced that the above doesn’t even skirmish the law. So, here is the idea:
Why don’t our law enforcement people follow suit and raid the suspected drug dealers’ homes? They get tips, they got the guns and the night vision equipment, and action! Break down those doors, take the money, and arrest the suspect (unless he leaves through the back door!) And don’t forget to have the special team stand by to make the repairs and pay compensation in cash if the tip was wrong! And we would not do anything illegal!
Isn’t is a drug dealer who tries to sell drugs to our kids in Hawai‘i more of an enemy than that former Iraqi policeman whose home was raided?
Janos Samu
Kalaheo
