Pahoa
Violating our rights
Remember back when everyone was up in arms because then-President George W. Bush wanted to monitor Far East telephone conversations?
Well, guess what? Our elected Democrats are doing much worse. Jill Tokuda, the state Senate majority whip, has presented a bill (SB2530) which requires all Internet providers to keep a record of all the sites you (the user) have visited online, so they will know your every move. Also, the U.S. Congress has the same thing that they will be voting on. But Hawaii has to be first.
So, beware where your computer takes you. If it is a site that the police or government is interested in, then you are in trouble. If you are visiting the wrong sites — drugs, guns, porn, politics or whatever — the state and feds and your local police can put in your Internet address and know every online visit you have made. I guess book stores will be next, or even the post office.
With that self-incrimination evidence, they can go after you. And you are not protected under the Fifth Amendment. Goodbye, First and Fifth Amendments.
Now, some of you will question that. So I will be more specific. The first is your right to privacy, so under this law, if you visit a site you have given them the right to know where you have gone. The fifth is your right against self-incrimination.
An example of that is when you go on a site, they have the legal right to view that site, and they have the legal right to go after you if they think a crime has been committed.
It is like a DUI check. The officer asks if you have been drinking, and you say yes. Then that officer has the right to check you out for DUI. Say no and, well, that is a different story.
So be careful how you use your computer. It can get you into trouble as our government, being very socialistic, is taking control.
John Gallipeau
Honomu
Another law ignored
Regarding the “bag ban” (Tribune-Herald, Jan. 18): Nice to see yet another bill signed into law under the premise of values, beautification and welfare for future generations of our beautiful island.
This is the same rhetoric often heard from politicians who want their names heard in the news.
So many laws, and still they are broken on a daily basis. Oversized tires on trucks, abandoned rusty vehicles causing blight on our island, cellphone use while driving, autos on the road with vehicle safety violations, littering and who knows how many other laws being abused.
This letter is not in protest of banning plastic bags, but the ongoing addition of laws that cannot and will not ever be obeyed by all.
Carmine Spada
Pahoa