SOCIETY

LACK OF RESPECT SHOWN FOR DISABLED PARKERS

I am amazed at the lack of respect for handicapped/disabled parking spaces and the overwhelming number of people who illegally park in them.

I am a disabled person who cannot walk long distances, and often I cannot park in a handicapped parking space because someone has illegally parked there.

It is both frustrating and annoying, and it seems to be a growing problem. I notice it a lot at the post office in Hale'iwa, where there is only one designated space for handicapped parking. People will often illegally park there while they are dropping off outgoing mail in the mailbox or running inside the post office to check their mail.

And last week, I was at the Goodwill location in Pearl City when I noticed an armored security vehicle parked in the handicapped space while the courier went inside to collect his pickup. I was astonished by this lack of respect.

People need to realize and understand that handicapped parking spaces are designated for people who need them; not for people to use while quickly running in and out of a building, or someone who wants to park closer due to inclement weather, etc.

Many disabled people are deprived of their privilege to park in these spaces, and more attention should be focused on this problem.

WAI'ANAE

HALE NA'AU PONO OFFERS CARE IN WAY THAT WORKS

I am writing in response to the state's decision to cut funding for Hale Na'au Pono, the Wai'anae Coast mental health center.

As a 15-year resident of Wai'anae, I have been overwhelmed by the love and support of the Wai'anae community for Hale Na'au Pono. And as a recently elected non-Hawaiian member of its board of directors, I am keenly aware of my own responsibility to help nurture the autonomy of the center and the culture that it both serves and preserves.

Hale Na'au Pono has worked hard to provide one-on-one, case-manager-oriented care to its mostly Hawaiian clients.

I am frightened by the probability that the mentally ill in Wai'anae will not have a place to find help — where they are willing to go to find help — once the center is shut down.

More than 20 years ago, the state recognized that it was not competent to manage the particular mental health issues of the Wai'anae Coast.

The result was the extremely successful award-winning and nationally recognized, community-based Hale Na'au Pono.

Hale Na'au Pono offers the community of Wai'anae a place to care for its mentally ill in a way that works. Please let it continue.

LITTER

TRASH AT BEACHES SAD COMMENT ON SOCIETY

While walking along the beach toward Sandy Beach, we came upon a sleeping Hawaiian monk seal.

A note of thanks to the folks who place ropes and signs around these endangered species to keep the public safely away.

However, as we looked around where the monk seal was sleeping, we couldn't help feeling a little sad for the monk seal and what it says about society.

Trash is everywhere you look — candy wrappers, McDonald's cups, broken beer bottles, green glass shards, brown glass shards, cigarette butts, empty cigarette boxes, cans, plastic bits and pieces, food wrappers, and on and on. Tire tracks all over the beach from vehicles driving on the beach.

We share the environment with the monk seal, and there is no doubt which one of us got the better deal.

BIOFUELS

U.S. MUST GET FOCUSED TO SOLVE ENERGY CRISIS

It is adorable how our beloved politicians think that they have a handle on our economy when they are clueless.

Three words: gross domestic product. American money is spent on products and services that come from other countries, and big businesses get richer.

What this country needs is to get back to being a producer of things that everyone needs.

Americans need jobs, and outsourcing and importation of goods we used to produce takes jobs away from Americans. Employed people have money to spend and Americans buying American employs Americans. Is it too late for government to really care? Will greed drive our economy further into the ground?

Presidential hopeful John McCain was recently asked if he thought that the gas price would exceed $5 per gallon, and his first response to that question was something like "I think that we have to look into other sources like nuclear energy." What? Did he not hear or understand the question? That was like a non-answer to the question and, besides, can anyone say "Chernobyl?"

Biofuel from non-food sources is more of a step in the right direction.

If we were to all get on the same page with this and start focusing on the few good ideas that we do have, we'd get a handle on our fuel crisis as well as the economy.

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

PROPONENTS OUGHT TO REVISIT THE BIBLE

In his June 19 letter ("Congratulations to California newlyweds"), the Rev. Buddy Summers claims that God has "joined" same-sex marriage partners and hopes his church will someday acknowledge that this is a blessing God intended for all who make vows in the name of "trust, hope and love." He needs to revisit the Bible.

In Leviticus 18:22, which is under "Unlawful sexual relations," God tells Moses to speak to all men to follow his commandments and say to them: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman, that is detestable." In Leviticus 20:13 and Romans 1:27, God speaks of the punishment and due penalty for those who commit to this "indecent act" or sin.

As a shepherd to those who flock to your congregation to hear God's word, you lead your sheep astray and should give serious thought to your position.

TRAFFIC

OPEN ZIPPER LANE FOR AFTERNOON COMMUTERS

Well, I'm not proud at all knowing that I contribute to Hawai'i being "the nation's worst congested freeway."

I strongly feel that the state Department of Transportation should open up a westbound Zipper lane during peak afternoon traffic hours, just like they do for the morning traffic.

Everything that is needed to open up a westbound Zipper lane is already in place.

Sure, some of the entrances and exits might need some modification to accept westbound traffic, but I'm certain that our brilliant state engineers can come up with a solid solution.

Why did the DOT choose not to make a westbound Zipper lane at the same time they made the eastbound Zipper lane?

Come on, DOT, it's embarrassing that our lovely state holds this lousy title.

TRANSIT

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION MUST ALLOW FOR BIKES

Jeffrey Zimmerman (Letter, June 18) smartly enjoyed his train ride to the airport from Portland, Ore.

Two years ago, my wife and I were driving through Oregon, along with our folding bikes. We took the train from neighboring Beaverton to Portland, hanging our bikes on hooks at the dedicated bike holds. Our two-hour bicycle tour of the city was one of the most exciting times we had.

We went back to Beaverton by train and had a scenic 20-minute bike ride from the station to the house hosting us. After that, we drove and biked through 16 states in 10 weeks before coming home to our bicycle-unfriendly state.

A few weeks ago, I rode TheBus, with my bike, from Chinatown to Kapolei to visit my son. When I returned, two buses, half an hour apart, passed me. The bike racks were fully occupied.

That was good. More people started bicycling.

It was bad. I couldn't go home. I had to bike to the Waipahu bus station to get a ride back home to Chinatown.

The train would give us more bicycle spaces as more people resort to bicycles for transportation. That is, if the trains will be equipped with bike holds. Promote bicycling. Burn less fuel. Burn more fat.