IRAQ

BE THANKFUL FOR THE FEW WHO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS

The spineless Democrats, along with some gutless Republicans, voted to condemn the troop buildup in Iraq, which, by the way, they had been calling for.

They are trying to say "they support the troops but don't support the mission." You cannot have it both ways. If you support the troops, you support the mission, period.

If you truly don't support the mission, the answer is simple: Since the Democrats are the majority, you merely stop funding the war and bring the troops home. Then we can continue to fight the war on terror here instead of in some foreign country. Personally, I like to fight wars as an "away game."

Thank God for the 1 percent of the population of America who are willing to stand up and protect the remaining 99 percent's right to go to the mall, go out to eat and do everything else that their actions protect. That includes the right of the Democratic Party, the media and everyone else of the same ilk's right to abuse the military and the president.

TRANSIT

LOGIC OF CITY BUS STOP DECISION IS LAUGHABLE

I am appalled by the city's decision to eliminate many bus stops to make "bus rides faster and improve safety."

An attempt should be made to eliminate as many cars as possible from our overcrowded streets and increase bus service.

Try going to Waikiki on a Friday or Saturday night and see the ribbon of red lights as far as the eye can see on Ala Moana boulevard. From my address (1300 Ala Moana), it is a 45-minute-or-more drive by car just to reach your destination, and, of course, there is no place to park once you get there.

I have to laugh at the logic that "fewer stops make bus drives faster and improve safety." Wow! What brilliant government thinking. By that logic, a bus stop at the beginning and end of each route would certainly make for a faster and safer ride.

I am selling my beloved Hawai'i apartment and moving back to the Mainland.

BIODIESEL

PALM OIL RESPONSIBLE FOR FOREST DESTRUCTION

The Feb. 18 article "$61M biodiesel plant outlined" reminded me of Hawai'i's early days of colonization through deforestation and Big Sugar's monoculture crop destruction of our once-pristine ecosystem and unique biodiversity.

Palm oil is the primary plantation crop responsible for rainforest destruction throughout the world. It is destroying wildlife habitat in Borneo-Sumatra and threatening the Sumatra tiger and orangutan ape with extinction.

Purchasing palm oil to produce 40 million gallons of biodiesel is a substantial amount. No matter where it is bought, it will affect global supply and demand.

Thus, this new dependency on palm oil as an alternative fuel will only encourage more deforestation, wholesale loss of critically endangered species' habitat and the greedily driven destruction and stealing of poor indigenous peoples' lands and natural resources.

Hawai'i's politicians should know better than to support and encourage this type of environmental terrorism — maybe it's all about HEI/ASB's plan to control Hawai'i's new emerging biofuel industry, to fatten its portfolio.

NO MATCH

JOHN HOWARD'S ATTACK ON OBAMA WAS SILLY

So Ms. Joanne Fong (Letters, Feb. 17) sees Barack Obama as running short on international understanding.

I think she is 180 degrees wrong. It is Australia's bully PM, John Howard, who is lacking in that department. He can't push around Obama as he has his poor South Pacific neighbors.

And he should have known it before launching his silly attack on our presidential candidate, particularly after Obama declared early on he would not accept any "swift boating" antics such as the last Democratic nominee endured. Howard started the fight and was on thin ice, and Obama sank him into the Antarctic. It was no match.

SEPT. 21

ENCOURAGE LEGISLATORS TO DESIGNATE PEACE DAY

Peace begins with me.

If each Hawai'i resident took this message to heart, and if all people in the world embraced this idea, this could be a world without war and crime.

Please join in encouraging your legislators to support HB 345 and SB 260 designating Sept. 21 as Peace Day in Hawai'i, joining the international community in promoting peace.

The International Day of Peace as proclaimed by the United Nations in 1981 and 2001 urges all government departments and agencies, organizations, schools, places of worship and individuals to commemorate the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21.

This may include community service projects, cultural exhibits and performances, a moment of silence, ringing of bells, sharing the universal wish "May Peace Prevail On Earth" at noon, vigils, religious services in our places of worship, and other education and public awareness activities to help establish a global day of peace in our homes, our communities and among nations.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

HSTA STAND ON DRUG TESTS IS IRRESPONSIBLE

The Hawaii State Teachers Association's agreeing to drug-testing of new teachers is commendable, but its objection to random drug-testing of teachers is irresponsible.

What guarantee does the public have that teachers will not do drugs after they have been hired?

Its recommendation of leaving it up to the principals to decide which teachers should be drug-tested is ludicrous. How often can principals "observe" all their teachers effectively on a daily, weekly or monthly basis?

A person doing casual drugs is difficult to detect, even if you live with that person. Placing principals in this position only creates a negative work atmosphere within our school system, which we don't really need.

The HSTA is quick to point out how important and critical our teachers are to our children's development during negotiations for pay raises, but is just as quick to play down its influential mentoring of our youth when it comes to random drug-testing.

If random drug-testing will deter just one teacher from doing drugs, it's worth every penny of the cost to implement.

ELECTION 2008

MCCAIN WIN WOULD PUT AMERICA AT A NEW LOW

Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain had me in shock when his platform centered on increasing the troop levels in Iraq even after the midterm elections showed America is sick of this war and wants it over.

Saddam Hussein is dead, his two sons are dead and 50 percent of the "Deck of 52" are dead. After five years of American occupation, enough.

Now Sen. McCain has outdone himself by another campaign promise to overturn Roe v. Wade, taking away a woman's right to choose abortion. Pandering to the nutty religious right — can he be serious?

If this Republican wins the nomination and the presidency based on these two pledges after eight tragic, horrible years of Bush & Co., the U.S. will have sunk to a low that decades of Democratic leadership cannot repair.

HOSPITALS

STATE SHOULD CARE FOR LONG-TERM PATIENTS

I'm a medical social worker. As medical technology improves, patients live longer and require more complex care that nursing homes are unable to provide.

Ventilator care is provided at one facility in the state. Staffing ratios at nursing homes average one registered nurse, one to two licensed professional nurses and four to five nursing assistants for every 40 patients.

Unless you weigh less than 150 pounds, have no behavior problems or complex care issues, and have a supportive family, it will be very difficult to find a bed for you. Even more difficult to place are younger adults with severe physical or cognitive impairments.

It is sad that state-run facilities are allowed to turn down patients.

Why not improve the abilities of the state hospitals to care for these difficult patients so that they can remain in Hawai'i? I empathize with Queen's, as the community does not know what challenges we go through to try to make it a win-win situation for everyone.

Unless we as a community can adequately provide for the care of all our residents, seeking alternatives on the Mainland is a reality that we will have to live with.