Letter to the Editor

Report unrestrained children in vehicles

Daisy Lee’s letter of March 8 is right on target. The excuse some so-called parents use, that they can’t afford a car seat, Hawaiian bracelets jangling on their wrists, is outrageous. I say "so-called parents" because these people aren’t protecting the precious gift of life in their children that they were so generously entrusted with. I, too, get angry when I see this occurrence over and over again. I don’t know what area Ms. Lee lives in, but socioeconomics do not ensure parental responsibility. I have witnessed this offense in affluent areas as well as poor.

There is recourse. Upon seeing a child under the age of 4, unrestrained, in a moving vehicle, you can call the DOT’s Keiki Carseat Hotline at 538-3334. Leave a detailed message, including the license plate number of the vehicle, date, time, location, or where you observed this, and a description of the car. A reminder letter will be sent to the owner of the vehicle stating the offense and the penalties involved if they were to have been cited.

I am not sure if this agency has a policy for more than one reported occurrence. It should, because a letter alone will not deter parents’ pure carelessness. It’s not ignorance. They just are too lazy and have the idea that it won’t happen to them. They have "better" things to spend their money on. In other words, they don’t care about their children. They make that statement by not protecting their children each and every time they start their vehicle. These innocent children depend on their parents’ judgment (how scary) and care for their very lives. How sad that these people take their huge responsibility so lightly.

As for Ms. Lee’s inference that police enforcement of this law is lacking, I have to disagree with that. I believe the general feeling is zero tolerance in this matter. Every effort should be made to cite offenders.

Julianne Barcia

U.S. has exploited all Native Hawaiians

Mahalo to the Advertiser for recognizing Mr. Apio’s "1,000 Cuts ..." as an honest voice for most Native Hawaiians (approximately 10 percent of Hawai‘i’s population) and those rare non-natives whose empathy range exceeds their cultural limitations. I am an independence activist who agrees that under U.S. law, racial entitlements are not "pono." Many natives feel otherwise. Mr. Apio speaks for both.

What is not being addressed is that state and federal entitlements are "damage control" — the "buying off" and dividing of the native population, who otherwise have a unified claim that the United States has illegally occupied our nation-state in violation of international law. I challenge anyone to show me a lawful annexation treaty. All Native Hawaiians know in their gut that we have been exploited by the United States and are becoming a people without a history.

History is not a choice, by the way. Our culture requires physical substance for its native expression. The all too grooved path of "manifest destiny" is fraught with cultural casualties. Wake up Americans. You cannot take the Hawaiian-ness out of "aloha" but you are taking the aloha out of Hawai‘i.

Michael Locey
Anahola, Kaua‘i

Only in Hawai‘i can roadwork take so long

I totally agree with your editorial (Feb. 21) regarding the closure of the Ward and Pi‘ikoi eastbound on-ramps to facilitate the Punahou off-ramp project.

What process does the state actually go through in agreeing with the contractor that the project will take eight months? Good grief, a 10-story building could be completed in the same period with the kind of oversight and pressures put on by any business in the private sector. Three miles of the San Diego Freeway were rebuilt in three months after the earthquake that struck that area a few years ago. But here in Hawai‘i, 300 yards of an off-ramp takes eight months.

Another time-consuming project was the Lunalilo Street off-ramp. The work on that flat length of road took months to complete causing major inconveniences to motorists in terms of wasting time and precious energy.

Finally, there are about six or seven highway lamps on the medial strip of the H-1 between Pensacola and Ke‘eaumoku Streets that turn on during the day and off at night. These lamps were just installed during last year’s freeway upgrade but have never worked properly. Does anyone in the State DOT really care or is this a reflection of the kind of quality work it is willing to accept?

Steve Chang

State’s school teachers deserve a brighter future

My name is Melanie and I am from Kahalu‘u. I just wanted to say that I really appreciated Mike Leidemann’s insight into the topic of teachers deserving better pay. Personally I feel that teaching is the most rewarding career anyone could ever have (next to being a parent). To have the opportunity to teach and mold a child to become tomorrow’s leaders, firefighters, lawyers and parents — what a huge responsibility. My mom has been a kindergarten teacher at La‘ie Elementary for 30 years, and my sister has been teaching at Kahalu‘u Elementary for the past four years. I am working full-time, but also going to school to become a teacher as well. Teachers alter our future toward a better tomorrow. Let us all hope that our teachers and students get what they deserve: a brighter future.

Melanie K Saizon Afualo

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