Praise for officers
I read with both horror and relief the story about the sentencing in the assault and kidnapping case of Adam Kepoo in the Dec.20 Tribune-Herald article, “Man gets 10 years for extreme abuse.”
I won’t repeat the terrible crimes committed against an innocent woman on our island, but they are so disturbing, and it is so shocking that this occurs in our community.
We have a long way to go to stop gender violence. But an important first step is stopping such monstrous crimes as this, and fully prosecuting the attacker. I give thanks to law enforcement for saving this woman’s life, and to our prosecutor’s office for taking this so seriously.
In particular, this part of the story stood out to me: “… On April 23, police encountered the two sitting in a car in an illegal parking spot at Kawaihae Harbor. Officers observed a knife between Kepoo’s legs and blood across the tank top and chest of the victim. Police also observed the woman had multiple bruises, both eyes blackened, scars, cuts and bite marks on her. After separating the two and receiving the victim’s statement, Kepoo was put under arrest.”
These officers’ observations, good judgement and willingness to forcefully intervene clearly saved her life. She thought she was going to die that day. These officers did not look the other way, and she is alive.
I hope the police officers involved are named and recognized as the heroes they are.
Russell E. Ruderman
Keaau
The battle for choice
Wake up, women of America!
As women, do we really need to save those old coat hangers and rewitness the needless suffering and death caused by unwanted pregnancies throughout history?
Why are we allowing the Supreme Court to rule against the majority (75%) of American women who feel that they should hold the ultimate right to decide the fate of their bodies (and their futures) when pregnant?
The argument of viability holds yet another assumption — that finances and facilities are readily available to all. …
Let it be reemphasized that life is a gift which carries heavy responsibility of support for a lifetime from birth to death.
If life is treasured in America, why is it that we have a crisis with the homeless population, rampant with mental illness, in the streets of most major cities?
How is that respect for life being supported when people fear each other in the streets and politicians refuse to support the Build Back Better bill? Do we truly treasure life, or has it been passed on to further fragmentation with the part-time commitments of support services from biased church and state organizations?
Who is responsible for the human cost of too little, too late?
As a woman, I grew up the day that I made that choice not to have a child, because I was not ready! For most women, it is crucial that the timing be right with resources and support around them to carry that fetus over nine months and deliver a healthy child into a welcoming family.
This child is a true gift of life on loan (temporarily) to parents for those first 18 years, followed by a lifelong commitment as grandparents.
I urge that we remove the present agenda of the Supreme Court and put this vote to each individual’s choice at election time! Women: Do you want a choice over having a child?
And let’s be fair. Men: Do you want a choice over the Second Amendment?
Mary Uyeda
Hilo