Volcano
Playing with pros
It was wonderful to see the article and photo, “Playing with the Pros,” on the front page of the January 26 edition of the Tribune-Herald.
This year marked the 10th year of the Pro Bowl Youth Clinic on the Big Island. It is exciting to see the NFL’s top players and cheerleaders working with our children. It is events like this that bring inspiration and positive experiences to our island youth.
The student participants all got a NFL T-shirt and sling bag. Many of the players autographed the items for the children. It is a privilege for our community youth to get to interact and work out with these NFL players.
The overall message supported healthy activities for children and encouraged them to do physical activity daily.
Thank you to the county and Department of Education personnel who made this event happen. With the ongoing discussion about whether the Pro Bowl will remain in Hawaii, it is events like these that will have a long-lasting, positive impact on our island youth.
Marie Epping
Hilo
On contraception
In response to the Feb. 26 letter from Barbara J. Ferraro, Hawaii director, Concerned Women of America, concerning the First Amendment and having to pay taxes that may be used to pay for insurance for contraception — which she apparently opposes, as she believes it interferes with her religious rights — I would like to point out that those of us who disfavor war or military intervention as a solution to human conflicts have been paying taxes for our military services for centuries.
Using my taxes for war is definitely against my religious beliefs; however, I realize I cannot inflict my religious beliefs on everyone else in this country.
I do not believe that the authors of our rights would consider either of these as a reason to be exempt from paying taxes for “the greatest good for the greatest number.”
Ms. Ferraro asserts that citizens should “have the choice as to whether or not they finance something to which they have religious and/or moral objections.”
How many readers of this letter have seen their tax dollars used for something they oppose?
Margaret Drake
Volcano