Letter to the Editor – 12/04/13

Israel’s humanity

Patricia Blair writes that Rand Pellagrino’s comments defending Israel “are most ignorant.” Then she rattles off the usual headlines from anti-Israel publications to “prove” her point. She fails to do so with her facts so she moves to slanderous assertions such as, “Most Israeli’s do not see Palestinians as human beings” and “Israeli’s have lost their humanity.”

Israel has removed its citizens from Sinai and returned it to the Egyptians. Israel has removed its citizens from Gaza and returned that area to Hamas. Israel has released hundreds of convicted criminals to further the return of one captured soldier and in the interest of furthering peace talks. Do these acts reflect the actions of a country that has lost its humanity?

Then Jack Ryan writes that on the basis of his “thoughtful criticism” Israel is meddling in U.S. policy toward Iran. Well, Iran has threatened to annihilate Israel, and Israel doesn’t think much of that idea. That is particularly true as Iran has nuclear weapon development equipment and materials.

Israel, which has been allied with the U.S. since its inception, has been our friend in a region which has produced few permanent friends, is a democratic state, and has never asked the U.S. to fight its battles for it.

The U.S. for its own interests has led the movement to rid Iran of its capacity to make nuclear weapons. The U.S. is not being led anywhere. Israel has a right, especially in light of what is at stake for its own existence, to express its opinion on the direction of U.S. negotiations with Iran.

Mathew R. Sgan
Nuuanu

Follow Bible?

I challenge anti-same sex proponents who fight this because of their religious convictions to intelligently defend other “abominations” in the Bible such as prohibiting the eating of hen, shellfish (Leviticus 11:10) and pork (Isaiah 66:17), prohibiting women wearing suit pants (Deuteronomy 22:5) or anyone from wearing garments of mixed blends (Deuteronomy 22:11), and calling for murdering people who commit adultery (Leviticus 20:10).

I suspect most of these anti-same sex proponents have committed some of these “abominations.” I challenge them to intelligently explain and defend the selective discrimination in choosing which “abomination” to fight for, and which book, verse, parable, etc., to use while ignoring the others.

Can anyone intelligently give a response? Anyone?

Jose Luis
Waipahu

Taking God out

Just read Larry Price’s column on marriage equality and I agree with him that the proponents have fought long and smart for this legislation.

But the opposition did not get weaker, they got stronger. I have never seen so many people come out to show their opposition as with this special session. The numbers spoke loudly. The testimonies were overwhelmingly against the bill.

The dedication they showed by coming out to the late-night sessions was commendable.

It was obvious after the governor bends over backward to pass a law that he knew the people did not want, that they already had made up their minds. Then the Senate confirmed it by barely listening to any arguments against the bill. The only hope was that the House was willing to sit through the many testimonies but even then, with the exception of a few like Rep. Jordan, we could see that they were not listening.

The opposition was not unruly, they just got really tired of our lawmakers who shut their ears and minds to the voices and people of Hawaii. If anyone failed, it was our government. I think it was George Washington who said that this government will not work if you take God out of it. Prophetic.

Diane Koki
Mililani

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