Degrading the symbolism of the ‘Gold Star’
Recently there has been announcements in the West Hawaii newspaper explaining what a “Gold Star” means to the Big Island. I called the number on the ad and this was only a number to join the program. After speaking with their representative, I was told they would forward my concerns to the Mayor’s Office. Par for the course, I haven’t heard a word from the Mayor’s Office.
What comes to your mind when you hear the words “Gold Star”? Two thoughts come to me.
First: It denotes an honor given to a relative of a son or daughter killed when serving in the military during wartime.
Secondly: the Jewish people were ordered by Nazi Germany to identify themselves with a “yellow star” in 1942.
Denoting a business that has disinfected surfaces, one-way aisles and a separate entrances degrades the “Gold Star” symbolism. A disinfected surface is not worthy to be compared to a family that has lost a loved one. Am I the only one that feels this way?
Claire Pellolio
Kailua-Kona
Please don’t let us down
Gov. David Ige, please do not open back up.
We have done a lot of suffering to get to where we are now. Please for the keiki, the kupuna, the kanaka, do not let our islands be overrun with sick tourists. Shut this place down tight as a drum until it is over. It is not over. We have (it seems) done a good job. But, states (mostly with Republican governors) have done nothing. As well as our federal government that has done nothing, nothing at all.
Please don’t let us down. We elected you to do the right thing (keep us safe). Now is the time, before it’s too late, keep us shutdown. No outsiders, regardless of protocols, test, promises. You have already seen how a few people scamming the system have greatly endangered us. Now, imagine that times 100, or 1,000, or 10,000.
Our country is not ready to open. Many people will try to come here for the safety our hard work and sacrifices have provided for us and our ohana. Please, I am begging you, keep us closed, for God’s sake.
Doug Kuzo
Kailua-Kona
Pay raises for all public workers
Our stingy and greedy leaders are at it again. This time by awarding themselves a $152 million dollar pay raise for all public workers during this coronavirus, that they insist was already allocated into the budget before the crisis. And at a time when our people are still suffering and dying.
It seems to me that we not only need to reform our police, but our local government.
And they have the audacity to say we are all in this together. More political propaganda is more like it. But no worries, God’s watching and will deal with all deception his way.
“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless” Ecclesiastes 5:10.
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” 1 Timothy 6:10.
“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” 1 Timothy 6:9
“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Mark 8:36
Our leaders clearly don’t know the Seventh Commandment, which states thou shall not steal. And Mathew 22:39 love they neighbor as thyself.
But all believers know that it will be “The meek who will inherit the earth.” Mathew 5:5
In the meantime, we can only pray for all their profoundly immoral and wicked souls. Amen.
Lisa Malakaua
Hilo
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