Letters to the Editor

Please remember that military keeps us free

We, as citizens of the United States, have so much more than those in other countries. Can you imagine if we couldn't voice our opinions? It is so easy to blame others. But let us as citizens of this wonderful country try to come together to help our officials in the military conduct investigations so we can better protect our country and Islands.

I remember when we were growing up. We would see the military on the road and we would wave and call them Army men. Guess what? They would always wave and smile and make the shaka sign. They didn't even know our names, but would always smile, make the shaka sign and wave at us.

Then when I grew up and had children of my own, we would be at a stop sign or at the supermarket, and my children would call out, "Army men. Hi". They would always wave and make the shaka sign. My kids would shout, "Mom, did you see the Army men wave and make the shaka sign?"

Now I feel as if people think the military is in the way when a convoy is on the road. If it were not for the military, where would we be now? Would we be able to voice our opinion and be a democratic state and country?

Please remember that our prayers are with all of you who have lost a loved one in the submarine and helicopter accidents.

Kathleen Smith

State Film Office must have dynamic leader

Now that "Baywatch Hawai‘i" has joined other locally filmed series in being set adrift in the vast sea of cancellation, are these Islands loosing their charm with viewing audiences as well as television producers and creators?

I, for one, do not believe so.

When a show is canceled here, we always get the lame and same explanation that Hawai‘i is more expensive than other places. But location filming is expensive no matter where it takes place. If the product is good, it will survive the ratings game.

According to all reports, not one show is in preproduction planning for Hawai‘i. Once again, we find ourselves sitting our here in the middle of the Pacific waiting for some network or production company to call. The show biz adage "Don’t call us, we’ll call you" should not apply when dealing in this highly competitive business.

We have not had a long-running series here since the demise of "Magnum, P.I." in 1988. Instead of resting on our dwindling laurels, we should be actively competing for television production here.

It is time to take a closer look at the workings of the Hawai‘i State Film Office, and the budget therein. No longer can the head of the office come from the ranks of civil service employees. An immediate effort must be made to fill that position with an experienced and knowledgeable film and television person. That person should come to the office with an energetic short-term plan as well as long-term overview to assure future film and television production in these uniquely beautiful Islands.

Garrison True
Casting Director

‘Baywatch Hawai‘i’ criticism was off base

I worked on "Baywatch Hawai‘i," so Lee Cataluna’s strong remarks in her Feb. 11 column left me, like the emperor, with no clothes, feeling ashamed. Not for myself, but for her inability to look beyond "the ugly [dude’s]" exterior and see inside.

"Baywatch Hawai‘i" writers are some of the finest, most talented people I have ever met — "hacks" not in the slightest.

People like Cataluna have a preconceived notion of what the show is, and many are too closed-minded to think it could be different. If they had watched the show, they would have noticed a dramatic improvement.

There certainly were a lot of beautiful people and very little clothing to go around. It is not "The West Wing" or "Law and Order," nor is it supposed to be. But is "Baywatch Hawai‘i" really to blame for "further damag[ing] our international image"? Why produce a show in Hawai‘i that doesn’t show off the gorgeous blue ocean, the warm weather and lush greenery?

I have never met Cataluna, but I respect her. I respect her as a writer, as a local girl who had a dream and made it big. I respect her for coming home and sounding the rallying cry for other local writers to come forth, speak their mind and be heard. And I respect her opinion. But, as a "professional," my only wish is that she extend a similar sense of professional respect in writing her column.

As someone who should know how much name-calling, backstabbing and negativity can exist in the field, I had hoped she would not have thrown her hat into that already-crowded ring. It would seem that, along with the emperor, the "local girl" bought some new clothes, as well.

Makamae Masuda
Writer’s Assistant, Baywatch Hawai‘i

Democrats to blame for bottling up bill

Democrats who have held this state in a death grip for almost half a century had a marvelous opportunity to protect children as young as 14 from adult sexual predators — children who don’t have the first clue or competence to give their "consent" to sexual encounters.

Instead of supporting long-overdue and much-needed legislation to raise the age of consent from the present (barbaric) level of 14, Democrats used this rare opportunity to do what they do best: play politics to maintain the status quo at all costs. ("Democrats sidetrack GOP strategy ... thwarted Republicans’ first attempt to pull legislation out of committee for a floor vote," Advertiser, Feb. 14.)

Democrats make so much racket pretending they "care" about children. Bah, humbug!

Thomas E. Stuart
Kailua-Kona

House Republicans are wasting legislative time

Our democracy needs to hear the voice of the minority. But last week I heard the state House Republican caucus speak nonsense as they engaged in endless parliamentary maneuvers.

The Republicans’ pointless "points of order" serve only to slow the pace of our government.

Pending in the House are important bills that will protect the environment, help our children and make our Island home a safer place to live. The Republicans apparently hope to hold all legislation hostage until some price is paid by the majority. This is not leadership.

The people’s business is serious business. Statesmen should make Hawai‘i’s laws with care and compassion, not games and grandstanding. The minority’s stalling tactics harm the public, our democracy and the Republicans themselves.

Gary Gill
Former Chair, Honolulu City Council

Pay more attention to Sen. Slom’s views

Your Feb. 11 paper included remarks on two issues that call for comment.

Lee Cataluna’s excellent column about the demise of "Baywatch Hawai‘i," which she says should never, ever have had a state subsidy and was richly deserving of death by customer choice.

Your editorial about the medical privacy law, which you now say was ill-conceived and should be abandoned.

These two items have one thing in common: The Advertiser was in favor of both, and state Sen. Sam Slom was very outspoken in opposition to both. Slom, in fact, asked the governor to veto the medical privacy act. He was ignored. The only other legislator who voted against the fiasco was Rep. Colleen Meyer.

Learning from history, might you consider paying more attention to Slom’s comments in the future?

Richard O. Rowland
Legislative Coalition Chair, Small Business Hawai‘i

Pay state teachers what they are worth

Three years ago, my bride and I retired on the Mainland and moved to Moloka‘i to enjoy a stress-free life. Within a year, I was substituting in the elementary and high schools. Now I am employed full-time as a seventh-grade math teacher, and within a year will finish the requirements to be a certified teacher.

Without the monthly income from my retirement, I would not be able to do what I am doing. Each payday, when I look at my pay stub, it is readily evident that other new teachers, especially the younger ones without additional income, have to be having a hard time making ends meet.

Everyone says that "If I were in it for the money, I would not be teaching." But that does not mean that teacher salaries have to be the lowest possible. To keep the new teachers here, we must offer them pay comparable to other states.

Weldon Wichman
Moloka‘i High and Intermediate

Mililani High needs funding for repairs

We have one of the largest enrollments in a public high school in Hawai‘i, and yet the Department of Education won’t even provide financial aid toward expansion and repairs for our band room.

The work needs to be done because of the growing number of incoming students who will use this facility and for the present students the room accommodates.

This is a problem because we are supposed to be working on fund-raising for the events, performances and services that our music department provides. But no, instead we find ourselves raising our own money to make necessary improvements, such as repairing the exit sign that lights up, yet is missing the actual sign, constructing our own lockers that house our instruments and equipment, and tearing down walls to expand the room.

Dayna Wong
Mililani High School

Kudos for sprucing up Waikiki’s Kuhio Beach

I second John Morgan’s Feb. 2 letter praising the Kuhio Beach improvements. He urges locals who haven’t been along the Waikiki promenade area to get off their ‘okole and take this stroll.

I jog this area almost daily and have watched, with great interest, as the new water features, the hula mound and new bandstand took shape. The latest additions, including the surfboard-style historical sign boards and the gazebo at the end of the Kapahulu groin, are also way cool.

You have to hand it to Mayor Jeremy’s "can do" construction crew for having made things happen out there. Hats off also to DFS for its perfectly themed new Galleria.

All these improvements make a thinking person ponder what a magnificent public park might emerge from the Ala Wai golf course if Gov. Ben gets his way.

One helpful hint for Jeremy: Add some sculpture or pieces of art scattered throughout the new beachwalk area. Specifically, a near-life-size bronze hula girl at the edge of the hula mound would instantly become Waikiki’s premier photo-op.

Bradley A. Coates

Islands already have their own tartan

Goodbye, Mr. San Cho Lee. Farewell, Mr. Conrad Jones. So long, Mr. Maximo Concepcion. I no can tease you no moah. Ms. Cataluna say I offen’ you all. But I nevha tink I did dat. So, sayonara, Mr. Kazu Tanaka. Laytahs, Miss Momi Lomi Lomi. And aloha, Mr. Kamakawiwo‘ole. Oh yeah, an’ so long, Ching Chong, you China man. But I still say it’s amazing we can live in da same place. (Lyrics adapted from Keola and Kapono Beamer’s "Mr. San Cho Lee.")

An’ one mo’ thing: Ms. Cataluna say you people at da Capitol want one official tartan fo’ Hawai‘i. We already have our own tartan, da palaka.

The history of the check-plaid palaka cloth traces back to da textile mill in the British Isles. The cloth was used by males as a frock and as sailors’ working clothes, and was brought to the Islands in the 19th century and used by stevedores. Then later it became popular for plantation workers.

This unique palaka pattern has become part of our culture and history. Picture this: bagpipe bands marching in our parades wearing red woolen palaka kilts, or blue palaka kilts or all the other colors produced. Some clans have two or three color tartans and are worn depending on the occasion. The band could wear all the colors, if they like. Shaka, yeah?

Or, each island could have its own color palaka tartans. Red for the Big Island, pink (or blue) for Maui, green for Moloka‘i, orange for Lana‘i, gray for Kaho‘olawe, ‘ilima color for O‘ahu, purple for Kaua‘i and maybe light blue for Ni‘ihau. And the pa‘u riders could wear their own island color cotton palaka tartan skirts.

What chyoo tink?

Ray Pua

Fluoride legislation just more coercion

For me, the issue is not whether fluoride works or not; it is the idea that government is being used once again to coerce behavior because we in Hawai‘i are uneducated, undisciplined, irresponsible, lazy and just plain too stupid to do simple things like perform personal hygiene on ourselves and our children.

Every time government steps in to do things for us (or is it to us?), we lose a little more freedom. We in Hawaii must be too stupid, lazy, irresponsible, uneducated and undisciplined. We deserve whatever our legislators do to us.

Bruce Wong

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