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• More debate on civil unions •

Littering a huge problem • War on drugs to

get worse • Council considering pay

raises?

More debate on civil unions

Mr. Herman, I’m sorry, but your response of Nov. 22 ( “Debate not about civil unions”) strikes me as disingenuous on two counts.

“We all want our family members and friends to be with the person they love.” Really? Some people sure seem to want everyone to be in love only with people they approve of — and the opposite sex. The tip off? Ideas like homosexuality is “a perversion,” “an abomination,” “against the laws of nature,” government should not legally recognize such relationships, and homosexuals should not be offered certain “cohabitation rights” for no reason other than they are homosexual. You ask what part of your statement doesn’t apply to gays? I don’t know…ask someone who has written into this newspaper expressing such ugly ideas. I’d love to know how they would react if one of their friends or family members came out. They’ll either clearly demonstrate 1) the falseness of your statement or 2) their own hypocrisy — it must be one or the other because of the dogmatic corner into which they’ve painted themselves.

But first, ask yourself the question.

As for the churches…so, are we to assume that you believe no churches should sanction unions? I certainly don’t have a problem with this, but I have a very hard time believing that you agree. Your original letter mentioned “fringe” groups. Seems to me you’re arguing that churches Ken Herman feels are not legitimate should not be allowed to sanction unions — not the church down the street. No secret how the majority of “legitimate” churches would rule on this.

Michael Mann, Lihu‘e

Littering a huge problem

Littering is a huge problem! People litter all the time! People need to stop! It is so simple! All you have to do is put your rubbish in the trash instead of dropping it anywhere for animals to choke on. There are trash cans all over. Just look around. They are almost everywhere you look. It is as easy as dropping your rubbish on the ground. If you have any love for animals you should stop and think. Where is a trash can? If you do you will save tons of animals that think the trash is food or when it goes into the ocean gets caught around an animal’s neck.

It affects the environment as well. It pollutes the ocean and turns it into a giant, watery trash heap. I love swimming! I don’t think I would love swimming with trash, though. To me, that’s disgusting. I hope that mostly everybody thinks it is. If the earth could talk, I bet the first thing it would say is “stop littering!” There are so many ways to help. Some simple ones are just to put your litter or litter you see on the ground into the trash can or if you can recycle it, please do. Littering is a big problem, and if you care about animals or swimming in a trashy ocean then please help stop littering.

Bye.

Kai Maroney, Kilauea

War on drugs to get worse

I expected a lot of flack with regard to the War on Drugs letter I wrote (“Let drug-users be,” Nov. 19). Since the war’s implementation the devastation has escalated into a severe problem because of the plunder achieved by the unsavory elements that provide these restricted products. They hook the unwary into using drugs because it’s profitable. This is why the War on Drugs cannot be won and it will only get worse if we continue on our present course.

We forget the history of the War on Booze (Prohibition) declared early in the twentieth century. The same thing happened that we are now witnessing with the War on Drugs — the unsavory elements made fortunes on the distribution of these restricted products. The more booze confiscated the more valuable the remaining stash, thus increasing the plunder, which is the same for drugs. The Drug War is far worse than the War on Booze because it’s worldwide.

Please re-read my letter and try to understand my thinking on the stupidities of our present course of action. The big picture is far more important than the many individual drug-related cases if we wish to find a solution.

I have no ulterior motive as suggested.

Ralph Tamm, Lihu‘e

Council considering pay raises?

You have got to be kidding! Is this some kind of joke?

Per Kaua‘i Council Agenda Nov. 24 item C 2010-308 (salary commission SC 2010-1 adopted in their meeting Nov. 3) is the council considering giving raises to our administration and “other county employees?” Could the other county employees be council members? Is this why the County furloughed employees and deferred their step movements, causing economic hardships to employee and their families to save money for administrative pay raises?

The audacity! Who to they think they are, “CEOs?” How do they get away with it, by just changing their job titles and job descriptions? Do they have the proper credentials for the job title? Just how many more supervisors are you going to add this time around? Isn’t that how you justified your previous raises? The more supervisors under you the higher your pay.

If they get raises, I want my step movement I waited 3 years for.

Am I angry and disgusted? You bet I am!

If you allow these raises — Shame on you!

Karen Ramos, Waimea