ASSISTANCE WITH TIRE CHANGE APPRECIATED

On June 10 around 4 p.m., while our family was traveling on H-3 to meet our son for a planned tour of a Byodo-In Temple, our borrowed van's left rear tire blew out. This was bad enough (needing to change a tire with heavy traffic), but we were also on a bridge just before a tunnel where there was no space to really pull off — and then we found our lug wrench was missing.

Out of the intense traffic, a red truck pulled in front of us and a young man got out, put on an orange safety vest, and offered to help us out. Not only did he raise our vehicle with his jack, but he had the correct lug wrench to get the flat wheel off and lower the doughnut replacement from its berth. Our car was road-ready again within minutes.

We would all like to thank Mr. (Fred) Brooks again and we wish him the best. We are now back in Michigan and appreciate special people like him who helped to make our visit to O'ahu a pleasant experience.

David Chye | Hesperia, Mich.

HANSON COLUMN

REPLACEMENT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE

Georgette Canon's (June 25) recommendation that columnist Victor Davis Hanson be replaced by some more insightful political analyst is most appropriate, as Hanson himself inadvertently affirms in the same issue.

Hanson offers President Obama five lessons. Historians recognize that facts can be simultaneously apologies, as for example the fact mentioned in Obama's Cairo speech that the U.S. helped overthrow Iran's elected government in 1953.

Hanson characterizes thugs as acquiring, keeping and exercising power illegally, but neglects Bush's 2000 election and the policies of his administration.

Hanson regularly speaks out about terrorism and nuclear weapons, but neglects to mention Israel's possession of the latter and its state terrorism against Palestinians. He writes that thugs cause most of the world's problems, but neglects to mention that those who support the thugs, including their propagandists, are complicit.

Violence often erupts when communication breaks down. Thus, if anyone really wants a more peaceful world, first try talking constructively instead of fighting destructively, even with enemies. Nixon engaged China in talks, and Reagan the Soviets, but then Obama is a Democrat.

Thank goodness for objective political analysts like Hanson, otherwise newspapers wouldn't be so informative, not to mention entertaining.

Dr. Leslie E. Sponsel | Honolulu

KEEP ON PUBLISHING COLUMNISTS' VIEWS

Georgette Canon's letter on June 25 says a whole lot about liberals. They can't stand any opposing commentary and don't seem to want anyone else to read it either.

I always read Leonard Pitts and seldom appreciated his slant on politics or anything else, but I read it and didn't ask your paper to discontinue his articles. If you don't like Victor Davis Hanson's views, for crying out loud, don't read them! Don't try to put a roadblock up for me!

B.J. Dyhr | Honolulu

WHITE HOUSE LU'AU

WE SHOULD SEND OBAMA ALOHA ATTIRE

It seems to me that President Obama talks big but does not back up his words. At the close of his meeting with congressional leaders June 25 (seen on national news), he said, "I hope everybody's got their Hawaiian shirts and their mu'umu'us for our lu'au tonight." I guess he is too proud or maybe embarrassed to have been seen in aloha attire. Or has he ever been seen in aloha attire?

Maybe we citizens of Hawai'i need to take up a collection and send him some aloha attire?

Michael Eberle | Honolulu