Letters 6-30-13

Money won’t fix problems; change will

Almost daily we see articles in the paper or on the news talking about our keiki, pot, schools, poverty, medical or any number of other problems. We hear all kinds of excuses for these issues but the solution is always — “we need more money to fix this or that!”

It seems much more obvious that money isn’t the main issue — it never has been. As much as the people here refuse to acknowledge it, the problem is business as usual. For once I am not talking about the corruption in our state, just the fact that the same people are elected time and again, all with the same useless idea that the all-mighty dollar will fix the problems.

New laws that will effect pot growers and users. Hawaii has more than 11,000 “legal” pot users and who knows how many “legal” growers. We have a population of 1,360,301 — almost 1 percent “need” pot to get through their day and do it legally. I admit I am a bit naive when it comes to drugs in general, but if we use that statistic in over all America, does this translate to more than 30 million legal users in our country?

Another noteworthy piece of news was that 17 percent of Hawaiian children living at or below poverty level. I’m betting it’s higher.

We keep reading about our problems but nobody points out the major problem is our elected officials. They have failed us for more than 50 years.

Frank Dickinson

Kailua-Kona

Please use fireworks wisely and legally

I would like to remind members of communities who have home owners associations that do not allow fireworks to please adhere to the rules of your association (and this includes renters in the community, too).

Each year fireworks are used illegally, sometimes near high brush and the possibility of fire is quite high. So, within the aloha spirit, please celebrate the Fourth of July and watch the festivities down at Kailua Pier.

Barbara Hussey

Kailua-Kona