Your Views for August 29

Public punishment

In regard to the Honolulu woman who pleaded guilty to vandalizing Iolani Palace, is this really a good use of our courts (time spent on her case) and prisons?

She faces 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

How about putting her in a stockade in front of that building (in shade) for four hours each day for one week, monitored by a security guard?

I’m serious.

People would be allowed to jeer her, but not throw things or touch her.

Then, sentence her to janitorial duty in the palace for three months, and fine her the cost of repairing the door. We need to reserve our prisons for much more serious crimes.

We need more public shaming penalties, such as stockades and community service.

Sam Baker

Honokaa

Trash woes

Dear motorist litter bugs: Before you toss onto public roadways your cigarette butts, beer bottles, fast food cups, food wrappers and other opala, hold on to them until you get to the driveway of your home — then you can toss your trash onto your lawn.

Rick LaMontagne

Volcano

Character matters

Let me get this straight: a County Council candidate (Tiffany Edwards Hunt), who is now seeking to represent my ohana and our Hawaii County Council District 5, allegedly wanted to affect the outcome in elections in another district for the last two voting cycles, so instead of moving into the district where her interests really lie, she simply lists, under penalty of perjury, a surf shop as her legal residence?

To add insult to injury, when these issues are finally made public, she tries to spin it as merely “political theatre” — as if issues of character have no relevance to us as the voting public.

But issues of character and personal integrity are critically important when we decide on our elected representatives.

We are just fortunate in this particular case that those issues came to light before we returned to the polls.

Charles M. Heaukulani

Hilo