Letters to the Editor

Former HPD officer finds Mainland OK

Hello to my Honolulu Police Department friends, and also to my family. It has been almost two years since I resigned as an HPD officer, taking a position with the King County (Wash.) Sheriff’s Office.

Some of those who were hired returned to the Islands, and are happy to be there. Others have remained, and most are doing quite well.

The cost of living is lower, the pay is much better, the work not even close to being as strenuous. They have a hard time getting officers to work off-duty jobs here.

The camaraderie is lacking, although some of us get together when we can. I work with two ex-HPD officers, so it’s not bad. The weather is nowhere near as bad as it is said to be, and there is a whole new world of experiences for our families.

I can only speak for myself when I say that I think about Hawai‘i every single day, and sometimes I do wish we hadn’t decided to leave. Is that bad? No. I would recommend this move to anyone, at least to try for awhile.

Timm Brewer
Ex-D3/Pearl City-Waipahu

Democrats’ bottling up of bill is outrageous

I’m writing to express my outrage at the willful and brazen disregard for the state Constitution shown by House Majority Leader Marcus Oshiro.

As you reported on Feb. 14, he refused to allow a floor vote on the age-of-sexual-consent bill pulled out of committee by the House Republicans, even though the Constitution requires him to do so. He recommitted the bill to the Judiciary Committee with the intent of letting it die there.

Rep. Oshiro has violated his oath of office with this egregious act. But will he be held accountable? I doubt it, seeing as how The Advertiser buried this story in the B Section while wasting front-page coverage on a nonstory about nothing happening in the Peter Boy saga.

Jim Henshaw
Kailua

Greater accountability should be on drivers

When a sign reads "Speed limit 25 mph" and is posted in a marked school zone or on a residential street and motorists fail to read and heed the sign, that is how pedestrians are hit.

Pedestrians are not fools and would never dream of walking in front of a moving car; many are senior citizens and schoolchildren who are just trying to get across the street in one piece.

On the other hand, I observe motorists daily who are completely oblivious to pedestrians and the posted speed limit because they are yacking on cell phones, applying makeup or all stressed out because they are habitually late. There’s even one guy who regularly brushes his teeth while driving.

Let’s place the greater accountability on those who can do the greater harm. Motorists, do your speeding on the freeway, where there are no pedestrians. Let’s protect those in our community who are the most vulnerable. Ê

Mary C. Hunter
Kapolei

Get government out of education

As a former kama‘aina now living near New Orleans, I read with interest about the plight of Hawai‘i’s teachers. Louisiana teachers are facing the same dilemma, and many have staged sickouts throughout the state to vent their displeasure.

As long as teachers depend on the kindness and the mercy of politicians and bureaucrats, their situation will never improve. The market forces would be a lot kinder to the teachers.

It is time to get government completely out of education. After all, education is a parent’s responsibility. Responsible parents would not want the government to feed and clothe their children; why would they want the government to educate them?

Sean P. Porter
Metairie, La.

Rep. Yonamine should resign office now

Am I the only person who recognizes Rep. Nobu Yonamine’s threat of resignation as a pathetic appeal for sympathy? Does he actually expect the public to believe his community meeting with his constituents was a sincere attempt to hear their opinions on his DUI arrest, and not an orchestrated gathering of his supporters to "convince him" not to resign?

It’s so evident that his claims to resign after the legislative session is a smokescreen. He knows as well as the rest of us that people have short memories. By May, his DUI will have taken a backseat to the rest of Hawai‘i’s news, and no one will remember he once said he would leave office.

Let’s not forget the bottom line here. Driving under the influence is a crime. And I find it absurd that as a lawmaker, the representative from Pearl City thinks he can break the law and get away with it.

I challenge Yonamine to stick to his word. He should do what’s right and resign now. I would very much like to see him prove me wrong.

K. Kam

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