Hilo
Bag ban ridiculous
In response to Gerald Wright (Jan. 22, Tribune-Herald) and the “bag ban'”: Kudos to you! You are right on the mark about the bag ban.
I wish we would all educate ourselves on issues being made “law.” Once officially made a law, it will take a real movement to reverse (and most likely it never will be reversed … which is why so much study and due diligence needs to be happen before just thinking it’s the right thing to do). Visit http://baganxiety.com. Many facts on this site to show the ridiculousness of the law. Please, people, do your research before getting behind such a ridiculous law.
P. Garcia
Pahoa
Great care at HMC
I recently went to the emergency room of Hilo Medical Center and was then admitted directly to the hospital, where I spent one week. During this time, I had numerous tests and surgery.
I am deeply thankful for the exceptional care I received during my entire stay at Hilo Medical Center. The nurses, physicians, technicians — in fact, the entire staff of the emergency room, the intensive care unit and other care sections — are to be commended.
The dedication and expertise I encountered impressed me. Especially, I felt a spirit of genuine concern for the well-being of the patient, which will always touch my heart.
We are so lucky to have this medical center as part of our community.
D. Cunningham
Hilo
‘Get real’
Drew Kosora’s recent letter suggests — without any proof, mind you — that we are headed toward a Marxist economy, and repeats the increasingly frequent scare-mongering from the right about a “socialist, European-style of governance.”
The implication, as expressed in Kosora’s letter, is that European states quash capitalism, the free market and liberty. The reality is quite to the contrary.
European states do not all use a single social model, but what they do share, as described by the late historian Tony Judt, former director of the Remarque Institute for European studies at New York University, is a common vision for a society that combines economic growth with high living standards and good working conditions.
In pursuit of this vision, Europe’s welfare states have an applied commitment to full employment, social protections for all citizens, social inclusion and democracy. And how are they doing?
Well, according to the Human Development Index (HDI), a standard means of measuring well-being, all Western European countries rank, with the United States, as among the “very high” HDI nations. Furthermore, Freedom House ranks these same countries as free and the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index rates them all as democratic. From personal experience, I can also say that they’re pretty friendly and have excellent desserts.
So, don’t be fooled by those like Kosora who want to frighten you with the threat of European socialism. Instead, say “get real.”
Ed Comstock
Hilo