Letters to the Editor

Don’t blame civilians, focus on detection

It was extremely disappointing to see the 2-inch headline on the morning paper heralding The Advertiser jumping on the sensationalist bandwagon with a resounding "thud."

Even if the Navy’s official spokespeople decline to elaborate, there is no shortage of other knowledgeable people to consult here in Hawai‘i about submarine matters.

Whether or not there were civilian hands on the controls of the Greeneville at the time of this tragic mishap is irrelevant, and here is why:

Whenever inexperienced hands are learning to handle a ship’s chore, be it to educate a civilian VIP or train a new sailor, they are kept under the strictest of close supervision by qualified personnel.

Regardless of who sits at the control panel, he doesn’t make a move without orders from the officer in charge of the control room.

Once the emergency-blow "chicken" switches are activated, the controls of the ship are fairly irrelevant until the sub has finished surfacing — the sub will go to the surface. Flailing at the controls would be only slightly more effective than jumping off a cliff and then waving your arms on the way down to steer.

The questions to focus on still remain:

What did the sub do to ensure a safety zone prior to performing the surfacing evolution?

Why wasn’t the Ehime Maru detected and avoided?

Robert Green
Former crewmember, USS Honolulu

There was another close call off O‘ahu

The past days’ news articles refer to the Ehime Maru tragedy as a rare event or freak accident, but I wonder how often such tragedy is narrowly averted.

I am still haunted by an incident that occurred off Barbers Point when a friend and I were sailing her 36-foot sloop from Nawiliwili on Kaua‘i to the Ala Wai Yacht Basin. It was daybreak and the sea was calm. Suddenly a submarine surfaced so close to us that our boat was rocked back and forth violently and nearly capsized.

My friend and I were shocked and in disbelief that the sub’s sonar hadn’t picked us up.

When recounting this story to other sailors, I have been told of other close calls between submarines and boats. A full investigation must be undertaken to determine how often submarines coming to the surface disrupt civilian vessels.

The tragedy of the Ehime Maru may very well have been an accident waiting to happen. Every measure must be taken to ensure that it never happens again.

Teresa Tico
Pa‘ia, Maui

Military’s secrecy a matter of course

You hit the nail on the head with your Feb. 15 editorial about undue controversy created when the armed forces willfully withhold facts on controversial stories.

As a former Army public affairs supervisor, I worked for bosses who wanted to sit on information until a complete report was compiled. As the deadline-driven news clock ticked, suspicions of dark deeds took root as reporters pried and tugged routine unclassified information out from under secrecy’s shroud.

Such secrecy apparently required extreme measures at the helicopter crash site Tuesday night. Soldiers on site that night said their leaders collected personal mobile phones so the news media couldn’t eavesdrop on their calls to their families.

Why is the military so timid when accidents happen?

In some cases during my career, I suspected the invisible hand of a "thin green line," a de facto good old boy protection society. The full light of day often threatens promising careers.

In most cases, I believed that commanders didn’t have a clue about civilian journalism. Officers have told me to stop journalists from reporting certain facts, a task similar to herding fish, especially in today’s voracious around-the-clock news environment.

In all cases, the Army preferred the professional safety of releasing information that had been sliced, diced, watered down and approved by higher-ups: a slow, methodical process that stretches well past news deadlines and the story’s shelf life.

When I attended Defense Information School’s shake-and-bake public affairs course four decades ago, I was told the best policy was: "Full disclosure with minimum delay." Eyes rolled among those who had been working in the field. They described reality as: "Minimum disclosure with full delay."

It seems times haven’t changed.

Patrick Moser
Mililani

Skateboard facility is not in master plan

Regarding "Why the opposition to skateboard park?" (Letters, Feb. 2): The question can be answered with a few facts.

Asing Park has a master plan that went through public review and comment, and currently there is no reference to a skateboard facility in the park’s master plan. Any proposed changes to the master plan should be brought to the attention of the community.

Pam Smith is attempting to alter the master plan without inviting comment from the nearby U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, let alone the entire surrounding West Loch community.

Rep. Willie Espero had commented at a city vision team meeting that since some residents from the West Loch Villages housing area, predominately senior citizens, were against changing the master plan, further discussions were needed.

Interestingly, just last year, over a hundred residents came to a town meeting to oppose changes to One‘ula Beach Park that Smith had tried to get approved. Apparently, she is trying to alter parks outside her own neighborhood with total disregard to the residents who do live near the park and have expressed legitimate concerns.

Ken Berg
‘Ewa Beach

Fluoride research report misleading

Some months ago in the letters to the editor, numerous reports on fluoride research were quoted. Many of these findings showed that fluoride is a poison and should be kept out of public drinking water.

The Advertiser’s editors seemingly are now ignoring these reports. Apparently there has not been sufficient review of the wide range of studies.

It is obvious to even a casual observer that the reason our keiki have cavities is their diet. There is a better, safer solution: Change their eating habits. Don’t force them to drink poison.

Christina Gilman
Hau‘ula

Hybrid vehicle users should get privilege

Scott Ishikawa’s Feb. 10 article thoughtfully articulates the benefits of hybrid vehicles. But the State of Hawai‘i needs to demonstrate its support for hybrids (electric-, hydrogen- or natural-gas-powered vehicles) by permitting express lane use during rush hour even with single occupancy.

Owners or potential owners of hybrid vehicles or near-zero-emission vehicles, as well as the local dealerships that sell such vehicles, should draft and encourage the passage of such legislation as part of their commitment to a clean environment.

By providing an extra driving privilege of anytime, anywhere carpool lane usage to those who drive an environmentally friendly vehicle, we can perhaps turn the tide from the wave of larger, gas-guzzling SUVs (which have compromised emission standards) that have become so popular.

Von Kenric Kaneshiro

State Hospital also under federal review

It seems that while "Felix" is a household word, people know much less about the other lawsuit involving the Department of Health: The Hawai‘i State Hospital Consent Decree is 10 years old and is only now receiving a modicum of attention and response.

Perhaps it is because Felix is worth $300 million and the State Hospital is currently worth "only" around $70 million. Judge David Ezra has assigned a monitor to evaluate the state’s progress in making corrections. If the monitor is not satisfied, and by the looks of his Dec. 5, 2000, report he is not, a court-appointed master could step in and tell the state what to do and how much to pay.

This could become another "Felix," leading to a costly and unwieldy federal intervention.

Concerned service providers, many of whom contract with the DOH to provide community-based mental health services, have organized as a Behavioral Health Coalition. Our goal is to protect the interest of the mental health consumers we serve and work with the state to improve the plans and procedures to deliver services.

While Mainland consultants the state has brought in to advise the Adult Mental Health Division certainly have a perspective to share, we too have an idea of what is wrong and, more importantly, what needs to happen.

We are committed to working with the DOH, the monitor, the Legislature and with each other to bring about the long-overdue changes that are necessary so that Hawai‘i’s citizens with a brain disease can live productive and independent lives.

Joanne L. Lundstrom
Acting Chair, Behavioral Health Coalition

Teacher strike now would hurt seniors

I am a senior at Moanalua High School. When I first heard about a possible teachers’ strike, I thought it was going to be like the one when I was in intermediate school: a one-day strike. But when I heard more and more about the current situation, I came to realize that a strike now would last longer.

The teachers have told us that if a strike lasts a long time, we will not have a graduation commencement.

As the graduating class of 2001, we wanted a graduation where everyone will remember it because we are the first graduating class in the millennium.

As a future teacher, I hope to touch as many lives as possible. But how can I when I will be unable to even live in Hawai‘i?

Tanya Ichiko Masunaga

Abortion-notification bill should be rejected

According to Senate Bill 809, a physician would be required to give 48-hour notice to the parents or guardians of a minor or an incapacitated person prior to performing an abortion.

The bill would make the pregnancy crisis worse. Minors would become more fearful of being blamed and rejected by their families and would tend to seek illegal or self-induced abortions.

Senate Bill 809 also would give parents more power over their minor children and, in turn, could lead to a situation in which the minors are forced to carry their pregnancies to term. Research on underage mothers shows that they are likely to suffer consequences in the form of poor nutrition and health, unemployment or underemployment, an end to their schooling and financial dependency.

Minors’ right to care for their present and future is promoted if, and only if, Senate Bill 809 is rejected.

Chan Tue Nguyen

State lottery better than casino gambling

I am against the proposal to put gambling casinos out on the West Side.

I have lived in five different states, and of those states, all but Hawai‘i has gaming. I understand the use of gaming to raise revenue for the state’s needs, but I do not agree with building physical structures to act as magnets for "wise guys" and prostitutes.

If Hawai‘i needs to raise revenue through gaming, a lottery system should be used, but with very clear and restrictive rules in place. Is a wise guy or a hooker going to hang outside a 7-Eleven or a Star Market just because lottery tickets are being sold inside? I believe not.

One flaw that I see with lottery programs in other states is that one person wins "X" amount of millions of dollars while no one else sees a cent for his investment. That type of a system should be changed to have 10 $100,000 winners or 20 $50,000 winners or 100 $10,000 winners for every $1 million available in prize money. When people realize that there will be many winners each drawing, more will play.

Also, the money collected from such a lottery must be earmarked by law to go only to those agencies for which they were initially intended so they cannot later be raided by politicians for their own personal programs. The desire to raid the Hurricane Relief Fund comes to mind.

Douglas Olivares

H-3 also complicates traffic on Moanalua

I agree wholeheartedly with Fred Fukamizu's Feb. 8 letter concerning the deplorable condition of Moanalua Road.

As a seven-year resident of Ualo Street, which empties onto Moanalua Road fronting Liberty House’s upper parking lot, I am well aware of the many headaches that driving presents.

Fukamizu mentions Moanalua Road’s proximity to Pearlridge Shopping Center and business and residential areas. However, he forgot to mention that Moanalua Road is also traveled by commuters who now use H-3 to get back to the Leeward Side. Does the Department of Transportation have any statistics about the increased traffic on this road in the last three to five years? I'm sure the increase is significant.

Also, trying to access Moanalua Road from Ualo Street is hazardous at best and frustrating beyond belief. The lone traffic sign urging drivers not to block the intersection has been flattened by either a bus or pickup truck, if one goes by appearances. When the sign was upright, it was about as effective as a paper kite in a hurricane at deterring drivers from blocking access.

Maureen Pescaia

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