Letters 12-13-13

Don’t like it? Secede from nation?

Don’t like it? Secede from nation?

Let’s see if I got this right.

There are some who believe that Hawaii should secede from the union, which a majority of Hawaiians voted to join in the middle of the last century. They are indignant that the Hawaiian Kingdom was stolen from them at the point of a gun and, of course, the facts of history show them to be right on this point. Now they are joined in their call for nationhood by someone who is angry because he was asked for two pieces of identification to renew a driver’s license. Really?

What comes next? Seat belt laws … secession. No-smoking laws … secession. Gay marriage … secession and fire and brimstone. Oh, the whining … does it ever end? Security lines at the airport … secession. Don’t they know who the heck I am? … secession.

Did you know that Hawaii is the fourth most subsidized state in the union? We receive nearly $15,000 per person in federal tax dollars and pay in just $1,500 per person. There have been millions in this country who have suffered to gain their rights; died for them, were held in slavery, others denied the vote — and now at a time when we are freer than we have ever been as a people, we have this weird, paranoiac and aging subculture that just can’t accept that the world has changed. So they whine about the most trivial things.

Gary Hattenburg

Kailua-Kona

Speed exhibition must not be condoned

Concering Paul Walker and “Fast And Furious 7,” you can address me awake and furious. While Ozzy Osbourne did not kill those demonic teens, neither did Walker force these “chrome muffler kids” of today to display speed and recklessness up and down our neighborhood streets, our highways and cul-de-sacs.

The speed exhibition condoned — yes, condoned — by Walker’s movies have caused indirectly the sudden cessation of numerous young lives, killed and maimed thousands and destroyed far too many families. My daughter was very nearly killed by the telephone pole that cut her boyfriend in half because of his drunken inability to control his speeding car on Palani Road. Palani telephone poles should signal slower speeds to the reasonable, instead they are knocked down regularly by street racers.

My interrupted sleep is small potatoes compared to the carnage recorded by the “Fast and Furious” generation. I will not share in celebrating Walker’s life, or his fame. I am genuinely sorry his family lost a son.

Chris Sauer

Kailua-Kona

Diapers more toxic than cat feces

I’m writing concerning the “feral cats” letter from Waimea. Your kid’s disposable diapers are more toxic than a cat dookie.

Bill Kenny

Kealakekua

We all will survive president’s terms

Regarding Frank Dickinson’s letter to the editor published Dec. 3, I have one comment. We survived George Bush and you, Mr. Dickinson, will survive Barack Obama.

Steve Ford

Kailua-Kona