TROOPS, FAMILIES

PEOPLE WILL HELP IF THEY KNOW THERE IS A NEED

I was moved by the letter written by Kent Youel on April 3, "Patriots are ill-served by most Americans."

Americans are a very generous and caring people. We lead the world in support of good causes. The problem is not that we can't muster community support for our troops, it's that most people may not know how to help.

You can write to your leaders and hopefully change things through the election process, but beyond that folks should know that they can help individual troops and their families.

Organizations like Operation Homefront of Hawai'i work tirelessly to advocate for our heroes.

The issue is not finding help. it's letting our community know we need their help. We need media partners that will help us tell the stories of military families in crisis and spur the community to action.

If the fascination with people like Paris Hilton is ever to diminish it will be because we give the community something better to rally behind.

Mr. Youel is correct about what our troops are sacrificing every day, and we can all make a commitment to strengthen our military community one family at a time.

WELFARE FUNDING

LEGISLATORS MUST NOT SUPPORT TANF CUTS

As a concerned citizen and social worker, I urge our legislators not to support the current House budget plan (HB 2500, HDI) that would impose $27 million in federal spending cuts to our state's annual allotment of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding. Equally, I urge senators not to support the Senate plan (HB 2500, HD1, SD1) that would slash $22 million in federal TANF expenditures.

Hawai'i's most vulnerable families will suffer because of severe spending cuts of federal dollars. Many parents and children will be deprived of family-strengthening programs that help reduce dangerous risk factors by increasing protective factors.

Years ago, as a single mother, I was a recipient of TANF, which enabled me to provide basic needs for my children while advancing in my own education and career. Today, many of the parents I serve through my work are dependent on community programs to provide opportunities in education, healthy family practices, prevention measures and an adequate standard of living.

It is smarter and cheaper to support families with young children today than to pay later for crime, unemployment, poor health, substance abuse and incarceration.

I urge politicians to choose intelligent fiscal prevention planning over budget amendments that cut corners in education and assistance for Maui's families.

OIL OBSESSION

THIS ELECTION A CRITICAL CROSSROADS FOR U.S.

America is the world's only superpower, but there is a catch. We need cheap oil to maintain this superpower status.

The American military-industrial complex, along with almost every aspect of our economy, is tied to the continued flow of oil.

What is America without oil? Nothing but a massive pile of debt.

So it comes as no surprise that hundreds of thousands of American troops are securing the oil to keep the oil-lusion that it prevents the USA from collapsing.

John McCain wants to continue, possibly for 100 years, on the path of war to secure oil so we can maintain a war machine. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton want to stop spending $341 million dollars a day on war and invest in alternative energy, simultaneously creating green-collar jobs in every state.

I'm not even going to include the climate-change aspect in making the point that it is morally and financially smarter to pursue the Democrats' path and not the Republicans' path.

We are at a crossroads of monumental importance this election, and I fear for this country and planet Earth if we make the wrong choice.

ENVIRONMENT

POPULATION INCREASE FUELS GLOBAL WARMING

Politicians and environmentalists want to fight global warming. They have no chance. During the last 100 years, world population has increased fourfold, from 1.5 billion to more than 6 billion people.

The energy demand of this huge population has risen at an even faster rate.

If we want to reduce CO2 emissions by much, say 50 percent, we must halt our industry, get rid of cars and air conditioning, and reduce our standard of living. No nation in this world will do that; it would be economical suicide.

Ethanol is just a big illusion. We feed ethanol to our cars, and the price of wheat, beef, chicken and milk increases and the poor of this world are starving.

The damage to our world from the increase in its population, which will double in the next 100 years, will be much larger than any possible effect of global warming.

The ever-rising population will simply trample the environment to death and will result in more energy consumption. The lack of space for the additional billions will cause water shortages, food shortages, civil unrest and, eventually, wars.

Global warming will be a minor calamity compared to the consequences of the population explosion. One can argue that it is the population explosion that has caused global warming because of the energy demands of an increasing population.

INCENTIVES

MUST BE AFFORDABLE TO USE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Jon Shimamoto's remarks (Letters, April 14) concerning the futility of ethanol and its widespread harmful side effects, e.g., farming to produce energy sources rather than food, are right on the money.

Mandating the use of ethanol ranks right in there with bringing in the mongoose to eradicate rats. Wrong solution.

To better our usage of energy and begin to wean ourselves of oil, we should focus on things that we know work.

Increased use of solar panels would be a good place to start. Homeowners as well as our institutions need meaningful upfront (not years down the road) rebate or tax incentives to go solar. Most families cannot afford to invest now and wait years for support. This would be good use of our tax dollars.

Requiring new construction to go solar also would be a step in the right direction. And we should concentrate more on harnessing other natural sources of energy, such as the wind and our oceans.

Meanwhile, our laboratories, R&D institutions and vehicle manufacturers must continue to pursue developing energy sources that don't create their own new sets of problems.

Meaningful numbers of people will not switch to alternative energy sources until it is affordable to do so.

PETS

OWNERS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTROLLING DOGS

During my morning running route around the crater of Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery, a resident of the area regularly "walks" his two small dogs, one on a leash and one free roaming without a leash.

On numerous occasions, I have witnessed the dog dart across the street and approach people who are walking or waiting at the bus stop, barking frantically as if he is going to attack.

During one of these occurrences, the dog approached an elderly lady and the lady was visibly afraid the dog might bite her.

All the while, the owner of the dog watched from across the street and did nothing.

One recent morning, the dog ran after me and began barking, once again while the owner just watched. As I ran away, the dog turned to cross the street toward its owner and was hit by a car.

Please, if you are not able to keep your dog under control while not on a leash — leash it.