Masks ruling
It seemed clear that the entire nation breathed a collective sigh of relief last month when a federal judge removed the requirement for airlines to require passengers to wear masks.
Her ruling called out the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for overstepping its authority to impose mandatory health guidelines on all Americans. Her ruling was speaking to overreach that has gone on for over two years.
In her ruling, Judge (Kathryn) Mizelle stated that the CDC had failed to collect public comment and did not distinguish between types of masks based on their efficacy.
On April 29, our Hawaii County Police Commission met to hear complaints that Police Chief Paul K. Ferreira did not properly train officers to uphold basic rights for those exempt from wearing masks in spite of an exemption being written into every one of Gov. David Ige’s emergency proclamations.
Instead, for two years our HPD officers were threatening arrests and issuing notices of trespass to those claiming exemptions. Also, for two years Mayor Mitch Roth wasn’t responding to letters and phone calls requesting he address those matters.
Wow. It’s funny how a few weeks ago, those who didn’t wear masks were a danger to the society, and now we are all enjoying breathing freely again.
Hopefully, we never completely forgot how to honor and uphold the Constitution. May those granted the awesome responsibility, power and authority in our county to govern recall again clearly the constitutional freedoms they swore to uphold and to protect.
Megan I. Magdalene
Hilo
Central question
The abortion issue should largely come down to “when does human life begin?” Unfortunately, there is no perfect answer.
The Bible has vague scriptures about life in the womb but gives no specific point when human life begins. Then there are anti-children/fetus scriptures like Hosea 13:16, which says that pregnant women should be ripped open. So the Bible is not clear on the rights of the unborn.
The pro-choice side largely believes that the fetus is not human life, but also does not have a way of proving this with a universally agreed upon method.
Both sides choose positive-sounding names: pro-choice or pro-life. Who could be against choice or life?
But the issue is much more complex than simply for or against abortion. Under what circumstances are you for or against?
When human life begins is the central question that shapes all other abortion issues.
Leighton Loo
Mililani, Oahu