• Marriage in America • Legalize fishing to help monk seals thrive • Enough is enough •
Marriage in America
What is all this fuss about changes to the institution of marriage? One hundred years ago, and for many centuries prior to that, women in marriage were considered property, and without a big dowry, not such valuable property at that.
If a couple had children, only male children had the right of inheritance. Women, whether married or not, could not participate in voting.
Women stayed at home, doing all of the domestic chores as well as being the total caregiver of the couple’s children, while men were the breadwinners, and didn’t have to participate in child rearing.
So think about it. Marriage has gone through many significant changes over the course of time, some simply cultural, and others through governmental intervention.
Women’s role in marriage now includes being an equal partner, having voting rights, having a career of her own choosing, sharing household chores, and requiring their husbands to participate in childrearing.
Is it preferable for a child to have both a mother and a father? My opinion is yes. However, I am not the Master of the Universe, and therefore my opinion is just my opinion.
If a child has two mothers or two fathers who are in a loving relationship, and both caring for the child, it seems to me that is substantially better than a child being raised by a heterosexual couple who no longer love each other, and/or are divorced (as is the case for almost one-half of all marriages).
With time comes growth, hopefully. With growth comes change.
Let’s all be more tolerant of each others differences, and allow for growth and change.
Who knows?
Maybe some day men won’t have to work at all.
Their marriage partner can be the breadwinner and the homemaker, and we can just play golf every day!
Rand and Margaret Becker
Kapa‘a
Legalize fishing to help monk seals thrive
I’m writing in response to the article on Feb. 12, 2013, regarding “Hawai‘i fishermen in uproar about cascade of environmental protections.”
I wish people would use common sense! I fail to see the logic of NOAA. They would like to bring the Hawaiian Monk Seal pups from the Northwest Hawaiian Islands to the main Hawaiian Islands in order to boost survival rates.
Then they are to be brought back to the Northwest Hawaiian Islands after two to three years.
I strongly disagree with this action. The monk seals are in their natural habitat in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, without any human interference (besides NOAA.) The Northwest Hawaiian Islands is a restricted place where very few humans are allowed.
How could bringing seals to Hawai‘i increase their population with so many people?
This is a huge problem for local fishermen.
They are concerned about having their normal spots for fishing being banned or restricted because of the monk seals.
Maybe, fishermen are keeping predatory fish and animals (that compete for food) in check so that the seals might thrive here.
If that is the case, we should allow fishing in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands again.
The Northwest Hawaiian Islands were made into a marine reserve over five years ago. Fishing was stopped because of this and the seal population has been declining ever since.
I am encouraging people to contact NOAA and to speak up, because I believe it will make a difference.
It is important for everyone to understand the bigger picture and to use common sense.
Anne Cushnie
Island School student
Lihu‘e
Enough is enough
We do not want Roundup Ready, Bt insecticide, neonicotinoid seed coatings, open air field testing, chlorpyrifos, atrazine, 2,4-D or dicamba near our keiki, water and ‘aina. Enough is enough.
Our statewide community deserves an environmental impact statement for toxic experimental crops that use our natural resources and provide no local food, leaving us with environmental and health degradation and clean up costs.
If citizens in our state cannot get labeling of GMOs, then we will pursue a ban until proven safe. That is the foundation that the precautionary principle is built on poison.
Tehemina Bradfeild
Kalaheo
