Country on the brink
Watching the morning news is like seeing our country falling apart. Where is our leader? Certainly not our president. Donald Trump is just adding fuel to the fire by outraging everyone. We really need an intelligent, open-minded individual to get us back on the right road. Rioting and demonstrating seem just like an excuse for people who are looking for justice and a new leader.
Where is this person? We had better find that person now before the citizens end up destroying our country. This is worse than the COVID-19 pandemic.
Colleen Miyose-Wallis
Kailua-Kona
The math is simple
As mother and long time resident of Kailua-Kona, I am urging for Planned Parenthood funding.
Since March, many people in Hawaii have lost their jobs and their job-based insurance. Applications for Med-QUEST have spiked by the thousands, and the Department of Human Services system is overloaded. Many people are waiting for unemployment benefits and suddenly find themselves uninsured or under-insured.
People still need access to health care for their basic, ongoing needs. That is why our lawmakers cannot afford to not fund family planning programs. These programs provide preventive health care to people regardless of their health insurance situation, and the funds are primarily used to help our most vulnerable communities such as low-income or unemployed people, communities of color, indigenous people, youth, and immigrants, who experience higher rates of being uninsured or under-insured already.
The math is simple. Fully fund family planning programs to not overburden the health care system later.
Brigid Huamani
Kona
Extension unwarranted
The governor extended the Emergency Proclamation through June and there is absolutely no Validation for this. We’ve had 0.0003% of the Big Island population contract the virus and 100% have recovered. The recovery rate for the entire state is 98%. These numbers do not warrant extending the proclamation, nor does it validate social distancing or mandatory face masks.
The governor, took an oath of office and solemnly swore (or affirmed) that he would support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I do not feel he has done this. Our unalienable rights to peaceful assembly, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are being violated. It is the governing parties responsibility to govern in a way where all citizens constitutional rights are upheld. By extending the Emergency Proclamation he is failing to do that!
Doing business is now more expensive with the new “COVID” requirements, which are unconstitutional. Enforcing these requirements has no validation. Business owners have a constitutional right to run their business as they see fit. That right is part of the First Amendment. People can choose to frequent their establishment or not. What is being required is invasive, encroaches on our civil liberties and costly. The virus numbers do not show cause for these measures.
Lastly, there has not been an institutional review board reviewing the required 6-foot social distancing rule or mandatory face mask wearing. It has not been proven scientifically effective to keep you healthy. In fact the opposite is true. When you wear a face mask you compromise your oxygen intake and you breath in your own bacteria. People have even passed out wearing face masks while driving. You need to breath fresh air to stay healthy.
I ask all Hawaiian citizens to write to the governor and county council and let them know how you feel.
Michelle Melendez
Kona
Unfair treatment
We have vacation rentals in Kona. We have lost about $100,000 in income due to the shutdown. We do not think it is fair that hotels are allowed to operate but we face fines and jail time if we rent. We went through the expensive and arduous process to rent legally. We were only allowed to rent a few weeks after being licensed and then we were shut down with no hope in sight. We have mortgages to pay for our houses. A rental house is much safer to rent during COVID-19 because:
1. There are not common areas, elevators etc. in rental homes
2. There are kitchens which make it easier for guests to quarantine.
3. There are not staff to be exposed at STVR.
4. There is common ventilation in Hotels and usually not in rental homes.
5. Owners can monitor guests better than hotel staff.
We were told by the Mayor’s Office that we can allow family and others to stay at our house for free but we are not allowed to make money. This doesn’t make sense if this is about health. It is the government trying to put small businesses out of business. I have heard that the hotel lobby has infiltrated our local government. These conditions reinforce that theory.
Christy Hinkson
Kona
Letters policy
Letters to the editor should be 300 words or less and will be edited for style and grammar. Longer viewpoint guest columns may not exceed 800 words. Submit online at www.westhawaiitoday.com/?p=118321, via email to letters@westhawaiitoday.com or address them to:
Editor | West Hawaii Today
PO Box 789
Kailua-Kona, HI 96745
