Letters to the Editor
Enough: Ehime Maru tragedy was accident
Regarding Kyle Kajihiro's April 3 Island Voices commentary, "Militarism sank Ehime Maru": The sinking of the Ehime Maru is a tragedy, just as many tragedies in our great country's history. There is no denying the U.S. military has tragedies every once in a while; that is a part of the military life.
The intense training and exercises that our military participates in every day is one reason there are accidents sometimes. This intense training is another reason Kajihiro is able to live freely in such a great country. Think about who keeps this country free.
Let's get this straight. The Ehime Maru was an accident. Why do people insist on bashing the military and trying to come up with these unbelievable accusations?
The Japanese government wants more from our military than Cmdr. Scott Waddle's apology. Why? The Japanese government still refuses to apologize or admit to the atrocities they committed in other Asian nations before and during World War II. I don't believe their military's actions were accidents, either. Do you call the slaughter of 300,000 Chinese and the rape of women and children in Nanking an accident?
Brian Johnson
Mansho deserves better treatment
City Council members were delighted to see Rene Mansho capture the attention of the eager media writers. They see that the media have put aside the collective misdeeds of her colleagues for the moment, so the council joined in to punish Mansho and show the city that the council will not tolerate rule violations by council members.
I wish there were some way the council actions against Mansho could be tossed out.
Like one of her most productive predecessors, Toraki Matsumoto, Mansho has done a ton of good in her district. She was guided by her overpowering desire to serve her constituents; whatever she did, she worked for the best interests of her community.
In fact, she might have tried to do too much. She established college scholarships for teens, worked in various aspects of senior citizen programs, upgraded facilities in the neighborhoods in the entire district, etc. Nothing was done for personal gain. Her constituents appreciated her work; no one ran against her in a couple of elections.
Mansho gave up a promising career as a schoolteacher and administrator to take on her present position. We were fortunate she remained in office this long. Unfortunately, she is not eligible to remain in her seat for another term. We will have great difficulty finding a replacement as qualified and as willing to serve.
Mansho will pay back whatever the Ethics Commission says she should. I feel the additional fines are excessive. I think they should be suspended. The council members should back off. Rene Mansho deserves fairer treatment from her colleagues.
A. Kakazu
Mililani
Waterfront project needs to be tweaked
I hope that Architects Hawai'i will not take too much offense if one architect offers another a bit of constructive criticism based on a cursory look at the renderingÊtitledÊ"A World Class Concept for Kaka'ako" (Island Voices, March 29).
First, I applaud the amount of open space immediately along the oceanside and the opening of a mauka/makai view corridor, but why fill this corridor with parking? I hope, also, there will be some restrictions on the amount and bulk of retail structures permitted along the water on the Kewalo Basin side.
Second, I applaud the exuberance of the free-form swirls of some of the structures. But why is there such a striking difference in the rectilinear style of structures for the Bio-Med Center and The Performing Arts, Science, Technology and Ocean Science centers? I would like to see more of these shapes, provided they are original.
Architects have often tried unsuccessfully to borrow the nautilus form to produce stunning buildings. However, it is simplistic to assume that inappropriately cribbing one of nature's most perfectly suited concepts to enclose three different theatrical venues will automatically bring Sydney Opera House status to this project.
William Kibby
Hawai'i must not stop fight against miconia
I read with dismay the March 21 article about a 60 percent reduction in state funding (only $200,000 statewide, intended to cover several invasive species) for the miconia containment and bio-control effort.
I understand that our governor and Legislature are hard-pressed to come up with funds to pay teachers and other public workers. But the future of all of us — especially today's young people — will be tremendously diminished if our leaders are so shortsighted as to try to find "savings" by cutting miconia funding.
If momentum is lost and the ongoing effort to stop miconia fails, Hawai'i's rain forests will consist only of this single species — as is the case in Tahiti already. If not stopped, this plant will eventually erase half of Hawai'i's plants and animals and seriously degrade our watersheds.
Miconia control can't wait.
Marshall Loope
Library is critical to growing Kapolei
Is nothing sacred anymore? I loved hanging out at the public library because it was the ideal environment to study and because I knew there was security. My parents felt secure leaving me there.
I was already disappointed that I couldn't go to the library as early or late as I wanted to because of the limited hours of operation. How dare state officials target such a dedicated institution for such a cut.
Kapolei is a growing city. With the opening of Kapolei High School, there is a need for a public library.
Ruby Marcelo
Police are ignoring sidewalk violators
Going along the Ala Wai for a walk on a recent afternoon just after 3:30 p.m., I was struck by how many HPD members can be spared every day to oversee the tow-away of a few cars parked there.
I was also struck from behind by a youngster on a skateboard and also nearly struck in the same fashion by three bicycles barreling down the walk with no regard for walkers or joggers.
The police kept their attention on the cars and tow trucks; no attempt was made to enforce the law (clearly posted) against skateboards, rollerblades and bikes on the walkway. A strange example of selective law enforcement, to say the least.
R.A. Miller
Waikiki
Missionaries didn't suppress language
In an April 2 letter to the editor, the comment was made that "Native Hawaiians were discouraged from speaking their native tongue by missionary settlers in earlier times."
Yes, the language was suppressed, but not by missionaries. The first company of missionaries came in 1820, bringing a printing press with them on the boat. By 1838, they and Hawaiians had translated the whole Bible in the Hawaiian language, and published it on that printing press. The missionaries set up schools in the Hawaiian language, and in the 1850s, more than 90 percent of the Hawaiian people were literate in Hawaiian.
Around 1863, the mission was disbanded because of a recession on the U.S. Mainland during the Civil War. Thirty years later, in 1893, businessmen overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy. They were the ones who declared English to be the official language and suppressed the Hawaiian language. When the United States annexed Hawai'i in 1898, they continued that policy of suppressing Hawaiian.
Barbara Grimes
Makaha
'South Pacific' review deserves to be panned
I have several comments regarding your recent article on the new TV production of "South Pacific." First, anyone who knows much about the musical will also know that it was Ezio Pinza, not Mario, who originated the role of DeBecque in the original Broadway production.
Also, the comment that Bloody Mary was "presented as Polynesian" in the Broadway play is totally inaccurate because the script indicates several times that she is "Tonkinese."
As for "Happy Talk," the decision to drop the song seems strange to me, but it shouldn't worry the person who plays Liat at all, as Bloody Mary is the one who sings the song in both the play and the movie.
As for the movie version being "ridiculous," as Mary Rodgers opines, it's too bad she has such a limited opinion of its value, because the movie was, at least to me, a wonderful, evocative and delightful version of the play. And why do the producers think it's so important to change the play for "a new audience"?
Lastly, I have to agree with the writers when they say that (of Rade Sherbedgia) "his renditions ... were just heart-stopping." When I heard the CD, my heart stopped when he started to sing, but not because he was good. His versions of the songs are the worst I've ever heard.
Larry Whitson
Kane'ohe
Aloha Bowl is being played on wrong day
The Aloha Bowl should be played one week before Christmas, not on Christmas Day.
Christmas is for the family, and in Hawai'i we have many dedicated fans who want to be with their families on Christmas Day rather than being at the game.
If this game is moved to the Mainland, I will bet my month's pay that the attendance will not improve because of Christmas.
Jimbo Miura
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Governor on public worker contracts
Hawai'i must move forward
Several recent letters to the editor have criticized me for my reluctance to grant steep pay hikes for public workers — pay hikes that do not offer government increased efficiencies in return.
What the unions are demanding would cost the state $580 million. The state simply cannot afford that.
John Witeck, a longtime labor activist, fails to mention in his Feb. 23 letter that public workers continue to be offered pay increases. In 1997, teachers were granted a 17 percent pay raise. In current negotiations, teachers have been offered another 14 percent. An offer of 9 percent (including merit increases) remains on the table for university professors, and the United Public Workers just secured a 14 percent increase.
We hope the Hawai'i Government Employees Association will also come around and agree to a level of increased compensation that does not jeopardize basic public services for those who most need their government — or force a tax increase on the people of this state.
Hawai'i's limited resources need to be put toward building a better educational system. This is why the state has increased teacher pay, extended the school year by seven days and built more new schools than at any time in Hawai'i history.
Now, we need to continue to improve teacher pay — as we have proposed. At the same time, we must provide for other educational improvements, like adequate textbooks or equipping our children with the access to technology they need in order to succeed in the 21st century.
We also need a more efficient government. This is why we're toeing the difficult line of ensuring that in all contract negotiations, government efficiencies are gained.
And the last thing residents and businesses need is higher taxes. Not now, when we are finally realizing the state's largest tax cut ever — which will save Hawai'i's people $2 billion.
Finally, we must have the vision and the fortitude to undertake projects that will build a better future for Hawai'i. This means being ready to act when a confluence of circumstances presents itself — like having all the elements necessary to develop a world-class medical biotechnology center.
We have a good overall state economy, the visionary leadership of the University of Hawai'i's Dr. Edwin Cadman, an emerging biotechnology sector and a burgeoning health care industry. Not only will the center boost higher education offerings and provide quality work and industry in the Islands, but it will expand Hawai'i's ability to make significant scientific contributions to benefit our world.
Hawai'i is headed in the right direction — from student test scores nudging higher to an economy expanding faster. Let's have the wherewithal to keep going.
Gov. Ben Cayetano
