HEROES

FIREFIGHTERS GO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR VICTIMS

Heroes are all around us. My elderly disabled neighbor, her wheelchair-bound roommate and family recently suffered through a kitchen fire.

The roofer on the next building came running to help, the granddaughter tried to extinguish the fire with her hands, the firemen were there in minutes and took complete and total control of the situation.

There were oxygen cylinders in the home that could have caused major damage. The firefighters risked their lives to help; because of them no one was grievously injured.

What happened next just puts icing on the cake. My neighbor was hospitalized overnight due to the smoke. The firefighters, on their day off, were there at her home the next morning and brought breakfast for her and cleaned away the debris. This is above and beyond, what these fine people did.

Thank you, firefighters from Station No. 36. This year you made my Christmas.

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

TRADITIONALIST BLINDERS LEAD TO PREJUDICE

Eric Terashima (Nov. 25) argues that considerations of freedom, equality, inalienable rights and the pursuit of happiness should be put aside when deciding whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry — a right already granted by several other countries and two states in this country which have discontinued exclusionary marital practices from the unenlightened past.

The weaknesses of arguments against same-sex marriage become clear once we stop wearing traditionalist blinders. For example, our high divorce rates belie Mr. Terashima's assertion that marriage "unites two individuals of opposite sex, permanently."

Furthermore, heterosexual atheists are allowed to marry, so civil marriage is definitely not a sacrament.

In 48 states, tax-paying, law-abiding gays and lesbians cannot marry, but in all 50 states, convicted heterosexual murderers, rapists, and child molesters can marry even while they are behind bars. This is fairness?

We must never forget that the Constitution serves everyone, not just the heterosexual majority. Widespread prejudice against a minority and blind allegiance to tradition are indefensible when they perpetuate denial of equal justice under law.

As Thomas Jefferson stated, "No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another."

SENIOR CITIZENS

INCREASING UTILITY COSTS A HEAVY BURDEN

The majority of us senior citizens who are on fixed incomes feel the same pain as the jobless and the people having to take pay cuts.

The increasing cost of utilities — especially the electricity and water bills, which are necessities, and sewage charges imposed on us — affects the majority of us. If nothing is done to lower these utility costs we will have a dark Christmas without lights.

As for us, I will turn the lights on Christmas Day and not two weeks before like we used to.

UNIONS

PRIVATE-SECTOR WORKERS HARDEST HIT BY CRISIS

Even before the current economic crisis, private-sector union workers in America's industries bore the brunt of sacrifice. Active workers have seen pay reductions and massive layoffs. They have seen their pensions and healthcare benefits disappear. Even retired workers have seen healthcare plans eliminated and pensions reduced.

All this has occurred while public workers have been receiving raises. Public worker retirement and healthcare benefits are unmatched in private industry and have been immune to the laws of economics. This immunity is due to the government's ability to simply raise taxes to cover the costs of generous contracts. Unlike private industry, governments do not have to compete.

United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger told the congressional committees that his union would participate in the restructuring of the industry. That participation means additional sacrifices for workers.

When the states come to Washington for their share of the bailout they should follow the lead of the auto CEOs and bring the public-worker union leaders with them to explain how they are going to contribute to correcting the problem.

CHARITY

REACH OUT TO HELP EACH OTHER THIS SEASON

The end of the year has come and only a few weeks are left until Christmas. I am happy to see more people reaching out to other families during our economic recession. This year we have had to endure changes and tightening of our financial belts. We are all in this economic crisis together.

Let us all kokua each other. This year let us all focus on what is important to us. Not the material things, or the ton of Christmas gifts under the tree but the people who are important in our lives. Say thank you to the mail courier, 'opala pickers and maintenance workers. Give your loose change to the Salvation Army's red bucket.

I am not a rich person, but I am a mom and very busy like most, but would it hurt to stop and take a breath? With so many families struggling because of layoffs and cutbacks, the need for kokua is so important.

If each one of us kokua maybe we can lessen the families who are struggling this holiday season and every day. The benefits that you will receive will be much more rewarding than any other gift. Please reach out and give. Mahalo.

UH FOOTBALL

TEAM CAN USE COACHING ON AVOIDING PENALTIES

Coach Mac did an outstanding job in his first year as head coach as evidenced by the steady improvement of the UH football team. The only advice I would give is that he hire a behavior coach so that the team will learn to cease and desist making flagrant fouls that result in or contribute to a UH loss.

We count three that could have been turned into UH wins had it not been for flagrant penalties and bad behavior.