• A perfect union • Emergency preparedness • The incivility of it all • At the expense of others A perfect union Matt Chan would have us respond to the fact that since some in the past drove into the
• A perfect union • Emergency preparedness • The incivility of it all • At the expense of others
A perfect union
Matt Chan would have us respond to the fact that since some in the past drove into the ditch on one side of the road (miscegenation) we ought therefore to drive into the ditch on the other side (same-sex unions).
The reason that so many people are hesitant to codify any coupling outside of that which involves one man and one woman is that we know both instinctively and factually that this is the combination which generally provides the healthiest environment for a child to be raised in.
In spite of a volley of propaganda, many of us are unwilling to be beguiled into thinking that having two moms, two dads, one mom and a variety of boyfriends, one dad and a new “auntie” or a solo lady and a sperm donor has the equal weight, legitimacy and benefit of a family nucleus that consists simply of mom and dad.
We know that many families are made up of all kinds of combinations but these are an indicator that something has been broken rather than a model to aspire to.
Rick Bundschuh, Lawa‘i
Emergency preparedness
First, I’d like to commend The Garden Island for publishing an emergency preparedness booklet. Being prepared for emergencies is one of the most important things we can do in our daily lives. Doing so assures us that we can weather the storm and recover quickly from any disaster that may impact us.
There are some additional preparedness steps that were not included in the booklet that we’d like to share with your readers.
One is the availability of a telephone/email/text notification system that will alert you of an emergency in a manner that is convenient for you. Our Connect CTY system was successful in alerting thousands of island residents of pertinent information during our tsunami warning last February.
It’s easy to sign up for Connect CTY. Just go to the County’s website (www.kauai.gov) and click on the orange button that says “Sign Up Now.” If you have a listed phone number, chances are that line is already in our system. But if you don’t, or if you want to add your cell phone, e-mail address, TTY number and/or SMS text number you can easily do so by following the on-line instructions. Or call the Civil Defense Agency at 241-1800 and we’ll be glad to assist you in signing up.
Also, many families must plan for the safety of their pets in the event that they need to evacuate their homes. “Pet Friendly” shelters are co-located with some general population shelters. Household pets entering a pet friendly shelter must be caged for safety, and owners should provide water and food for their pets. The following are “Pet Friendly” shelters on Kaua‘i:
— Kapa‘a High School
— Kapa‘a Middle School
— Kaua‘i High School
— Kalaheo Elementary School
— ‘Ele‘ele Elementary School
— Waimea Canyon School
— Waimea High School
The Kaua‘i Humane Society serves as a pets-only shelter on Kaua‘i. More information on emergency preparations and pets can be found at www.kauaihumane.org.
Mahalo again to TGI for providing great emergency preparedness information. You can find additional information and resources at www.kauai.gov/civildefense.
Mark Marshall, Civil Defense Administrator, County of Kaua‘i
The incivility of it all
There is no civility in denying a simple personal freedom such as matrimony.
To be loved is human nature and it is ancient that people’s sexual identity doesn’t always match their sexual gender. And who are we to judge and condemn anyone who is responsible enough to commit to one person for their life.
People want to blame homosexuals for corrupting their children (June 16. Dear Lingle), well these simple minded parents should keep their children locked up at home without any technology along with the uneducated suggestion of “teaching science and sex at home.”
How can we play music on the radio and sing along about girls on girls (Katie Perry, “I kissed a girl”) and turn a blind eye to our hypothetical conservative friendly neighbors who are the same gender and in a committed relationship.
To be civil is to be polite, calm and reasonable, when the public and media trashes other homosapiens, it is not being civil. We need to stop trying to criminalize love.
Amalia Gray, Kapa‘a
At the expense of others
In the last month I have noticed a dramatic increase in my photo business. At first I thought the economy was finally turning around.
What I have come to realize is we are getting a lot of the folks who would normally vacation on the gulf coast and Florida. Kaua‘i is benefiting from the oil spill.
So let the good times roll… until the globs start washing up on our beaches.
Nick Galante, Koloa
