Basic freedoms are in jeopardy
When will that young white man armed with a semi-automatic assault rife look in the mirror and see himself as a puppet of the mainstream of social misinformation, especially when his weapon has no link to Second Amendment rights?
Granted, there is a place for a fair fight — given fists/legs — in a mud bath brawl!
When did the violence of taking an innocent bystander’s life become justified?
This normalization of these heinous cowardly acts, along with blatant deceit from political leaders, has to end. There needs to be stiff consequences for all involved.
How did this disease of righteousness over gender, color or sexual ideation take precedence? The separation of church and state is invisible (beyond the scope of this letter). How can we break this “disease of righteousness” before it is too late for the freedom we so cherish and fought for, together?
As a member of the silent majority, my life has changed. It is as if the librarian has left the room, and people no longer have their facts? Large-scale research studies are ignored, because daily TV ads are more convincing based on so-and-so’s success? Plus, small news agencies are being bought out across the nation by political and religious corporations, removing investigative news from their small communities.
Lastly, the daily bombardment of violence seen on our TV screens across the nation does play a major part in this deliberate mirage of confusion. In all this chaos, women have been robbed of their rights to choice over reproduction across many states, while the difference of color and sexual ideation sentences many good people to limited choices in their daily lives.
Wake up, America. Our basic freedoms are crying for help, if anyone is listening.
Mary Uyeda
Hilo
Fire hazards are everywhere
The thought of the Maui fires has prompted me to write about the many fire hazards that exists here on our island, especially seeing the number of potential fire hazards that exists on many residential properties.
What catches my eyes a lot and causes concern for the safety of many is the accumulation of stored items within car garages and upon the exterior of their property. I understand that many homeowners have no room to store items within their homes, nor can they afford to build a storage room or even rent a storage facility, so they store it in their garage.
However, such packed garages — especially those items stored in cardboard boxes — are fuel for fires. Many homes with trees and bushes growing against them, even the neighbors’ trees overhanging onto the next property, are also fuel for fires.
Also seen are so many homes with dried leaves and even dried coconut branches piled up alongside the homes. Yes, even green vegetation can also catch fire.
And let’s not forget the many homes using their property to store abandoned vehicles, vehicles that may never be restored, which may still have gasoline and oil in them.
Just one home with all these fire hazards can have a domino effect on other homes should the structure catch fire, especially on very windy days. This can be equated to lighting one match and touching the rest in a full book of matches.
Stay safe!
Rick LaMontagne
Hilo