•Dreamers
• Behind our interpretations
•A better choice
Dreamers
In reference to a letter published some days ago about Cronkite, Tet and the war in Vietnam (“Cronkie critique,” Letters, Aug. 14), perhaps you will allow me to respond with words in the form of verse, something that I assure you is my own original work.
Peace and love are not the way, the advocates of violence say.
They’ve got their arguments down pat — only dreamers think like that.
No matter what the circumstance, only fools give peace a chance.
We must kill and kill, you see, ‘cause that’s the way to victory!
They tell us what will do the trick, as to this hopeless task they stick —
Just one more rifle, one more gun, one more lethal bombing run.
Can’t win a flood or hurricane. To win a war is as insane.
The truth is wars are only won, by those who first put down the gun.
This is a lesson they’ve not learned, so as far as I’m concerned,
Despite their plans and all their schemes, they’re the ones who live in dreams.
Martin Mills, Kapa‘a
Behind our interpretations
Recent polls have shown that regular churchgoers are more likely to support torture then people who do not regularly attend churches.
Why is that? Did Jesus say that torture should be used when you dislike certain people? These self-proclaimed “Christians” seem to go against the very teachings of Christ.
These people seem to interpret the bible and the teachings of Christ as they wish it was, instead of how it actually was.
We have conservative “Christian” politicians who preach against gays and are getting caught in the act in men’s bathrooms with strangers, and who preach against adultery, but are getting caught left and right cheating on their wives over and over again.
We have conservative “Christian” preachers who are getting caught buying drugs from the male prostitutes they frequent, or getting caught with female prostitutes.
“Birthers” interpret the Constitution in a way that they desperately want to believe. They do not like President Barack Obama either because he is black, or because he has empathy and wants to see good come to all Americans.
They hate anyone who does not look or think exactly the same way they do. Watch them and listen to exactly what they say and more importantly how they say it.
In fact, Barack Obama was born in America. Presidents George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison all have something in common. We can interpret that they were not born in America.
Gun lovers use the Constitution’s Second Amendment not to defend America from enemies both foreign and domestic, but instead use it towards the deaths of their fellow Americans, In reality becoming a domestic enemy of America.
Between 9,500 and 12,000 men, women and children are killed with guns in America every single year. Or around three times more every single year then those killed on 9/11. This year, next year, the year after and so on.
The people who seem to need their guns so badly seem to derive some comfort from their guns. Does it make them feel strong? Do they feel important? Does it make them feel alive? Having something whose purpose is to take life away?
How we interpret reveals our heart. It also reveals our nature and our soul.
Dennis Chaquette, Kapa‘a
A better choice
State workers are protesting layoffs (The Garden Island, July 22), but didn’t they protest Gov. Lingle’s furloughs, too?
It’s true that everyone is facing hard times. However, they would have been better off going with the furlough because they would have still be on the payroll and bring home a paycheck.
Now what? These people who will be laid off are losing a lot. No medical and they cannot depend on unemployment checks or severance pay and unemployment is high here in the state. Here on Kaua‘i, there aren’t many jobs offered.
On another note, I hope that none of the layoffs will affect anyone who voted for the furlough. It just wouldn’t be fair for that person to lose his or her job because of some selfish people who wouldn’t accept the furlough.
Once these layoff starts, how are these people going to afford their mortgages and or, rent? Most likely they will probably have to move in and get help from families. With hard times these families face they would have another burden on them by taking in these laid off people in.
It also could get worse the laid off person (and if married with a family of their own) could be homeless and be living on the beach.
Boy, the possibilities for the worse. Furlough would have been a better choice, don’t you think?
Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
