Letters to the Editor: October 10, 2021

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Time to end the quarantine

The Big Island mayor wants to publicly shame those subject to quarantine and waste more resources attempting to administer and enforce it. It is still possible to board an airplane without a negative test or vaccination and be contagious with COVID that endangers the entire flight and the only consequence is “quarantine” on arrival with all its attendant problems.

Instead, we should require a negative test and/or proof of vaccination before allowing anyone on the plane and thereby immediately eliminate the need for quarantine as well as minimize the risk of infecting everyone on the plane. The quarantine resources could then be applied to meaningful tracking, for instance.

Already, “Both Hannemann and Wagoner pointed to DOH statistics that trace less than 1% of Hawaii’s COVID-19 cases to viral transmission by out-of-state visitors.” Enough xenophobia! Think of an airplane as a restaurant with hundreds of people less than 6 feet apart for hours at a time. The sensible approach is to pre-screen passengers, not quarantine after it is too late.

Bruce Wacker

Kailua-Kona

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American decline

We no longer elect leaders, we simply elect the next opportunist who convinces us he will give us the most “free” stuff. And no, it is not simply a Democrat versus Republican thing. For decades we have spent more than we earn, no matter who was in office. It has become the American Way and an American right. We can’t imagine life without the government artificially pumping fake money into the economy to keep us happy like drug addicts waiting for our next fix.

Obviously, as much as we complain about the low level of politicians we get, that is who we constantly vote for. And like most people who fall for scams, we love that something for nothing political promise. As we vote for burying this country in more debt, election after election, the price will be paid by our children and grandchildren. But who cares, they don’t vote.

Leighton Loo

Mililani, Oahu

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Is abuse being taken seriously?

West Hawaii Today’s Monday paper had a story about a man charged with strangulation of his domestic partner, in front of their four children, being released on bail, while another man, charged with attempted murder of police officers being denied bail.

I hope there is much more to this story than was included in the articles, since based upon what was included it looks like the state does not take domestic abuse seriously.

Judy Howard

Waimea

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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