RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS CAN'T BE TAKEN AWAY

I moved to Hawai'i from Florida, where I had a permit to carry a concealed weapon. I carried a semiautomatic for personal protection.

Now I know some may say we're safer without guns. I disagree. I worked for many years in a New York steel plant. I met some men there who had come to America when the Soviet Union invaded their country. These men said the first thing the Soviets did was go to the government offices to see who had legal weapons. And they confiscated them.

I do understand the registration of weapons, the finger printing and FBI background check all of which I did willingly.

You don't need a gun to commit a crime. That is evident by the number of stabbings in Hawai'i. I don't see a ban on knives, bats, or two-by-fours, all instruments used in crimes.

Where are my Second Amendment rights? How can the state, any state, deny me my right to keep and bear arms? I have never used my weapon and I'm a law-abiding person.

But I do feel safer carrying my weapon, and according to the Bill of Rights, it is my right.

Ron Amrhein | Waikīkī

TIGER WOODS

APOLOGY DOESN'T HAVE RING OF TRUTH

If Tiger Woods was seriously interested in making an all-out effort to stay with his children Sam and Charlie and to repair his marriage with Elin, I expected him to announce that he was retiring from professional golf.

This would have told us that he was no longer interested in achieving golf records, and that his only desire was to settle down to a "normal life" with Elin, Sam and Charlie.

I also expected him to tell the golf world that he was planning to return to Stanford to fulfill the promise he made to his mother Tida and his late father Earl to earn a college degree.

However, his announcement to return to the PGA Tour sometime in the future tells me that he is still thinking only of himself and is not sincerely interested in restoring his marriage.

If he only wants to continue achieving more fame and money, in my opinion, Tiger will end up like his father, who was divorced once, and then separated from Tiger's mother when Earl died.

But I hope Tiger proves me wrong.

roy omoto | Honolulu

DON'T TREAT ATHLETES AS GOOD ROLE MODELS

Tiger Woods finally spoke to the public. How has our society become so obsessed with his life? Don't we know Tiger for his golf game? He is no role model. Athletes are the last people on earth we should look up to to live our lives. They are famous for their God-given talents whether it be hitting, throwing, or kicking a ball.

Mickey Mantle was the greatest switch-hitting outfielder and also an alcoholic. Tiger is a master at the game of golf and that is how the public should see him, not as a model citizen in our community. So he had affairs with multiple women, how many "famous" people (athletes, movie and music stars) haven't exhibited questionable behavior?

I'm not condoning Tiger's behavior and I'm also not surprised. I almost felt sorry for the guy having to hold this press conference with his tail between his legs. He didn't commit a crime against society. His only crime was his careless and inexcusable behavior. The only people I feel embarrassed for are his children.

If our children and society need a role model, look up Jesus, Mother Teresa, or the Dalai Lama.

Lee hanta | Hawai'i Kai

ANNIVERSARY DINNER

COUPLE WILL 'PAY IT FORWARD' AFTER GIFT

On Feb. 24, my wife and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary by going out to dinner at Alan Wong's restaurant. After our fantastic meal and to our complete surprise, our waiter informed us that an anonymous person had "taken care of" our bill.

The waiter honorably kept the identity of this generous person confidential and said we should enjoy the rest of our evening.

To you, Mr./Ms. Anonymous, we humbly thank you for this unexpected act of kindness and generosity. We hope and pray that you and your loved ones are blessed tenfold. We wish we could thank you face-to-face, but we have decided the only way to thank you properly is to pay it forward.

Elgin arquero | Kanē'ohe

GAMBLING

INCOME WILL NOT MAKE STATE DEBT FREE

The state of California has Indian casinos, lotteries, horse racing, etc., but the state is in deep debt.

Gambling produces more crime, more homeless people, addictive gamblers, etc.

Let's keep Hawai'i gamble-free as one of the only two states that do not have gambling.

Yoshiyuki Nagaki | Pearl City