Letters to the Editor
Move forward now on new 'Aiea library
Gary Okino hit a grand slam home run in his July 3 letter ("'Aiea area deserves to get new library"). 'Aiea does not just deserve a new facility, it needs one to replace the 35-plus-year-old building that does not support the current information age.
A centrally located, well-planned, cost-efficient full-service facility that has taxpayer support is a no-brainer. Since 1999, the community, the Vision Team and the neighborhood board have overwhelmingly supported the 'Aiea Town Center with a new library as an integral piece of the plan.
It makes sense to commit funds to purchase the acreage now, while it is available and affordable. Then the residents of 'Aiea, Halawa, Pearlridge, Waimalu, Wailuna and Newtown will be able to plan on having the facility they deserve, and our elected state and city representatives, not appointed bureaucrats, will act at our behest.
Carl L. Jacobs
Member, 'Aiea Neighborhood Board 20
'Vision' money is only small part of budget
The worries expressed in your June 26 editorial ("Mayor's Vision teams deserve closer look") are unfounded since they stem from a misconception.
The "Vision" money in the city capital budget is not a good measure of what major community needs are being met. Vision project money has been, is now and most likely will always be a rather insignificant portion of the budget (a small 6.5 percent of the 2001 CIP budget is devoted to Vision projects).
Money for Vision projects does not displace monies for other projects. Vision projects are merely added to whatever else is necessary if the City Council deems them to be affordable. Consequently, there already are millions more for each community's "needy" projects in CIP budgets.
The 2001 CIP budget, for instance, contains $30 million to $40 million (in addition to the Vision projects) for projects in Kailua (much of it covering the "gritty" sewer projects you mentioned (the Kainui Street sewer is under way; the Hamakua-Keolu sewer will begin soon and the Kalaheo sewer replacement is gearing up for a new start). All have been funded in recent CIP budgets. These aspects of the Vision process would have been apparent if you had given it a closer look.
Analyzed objectively, the mayor's "Vision" idea — a masterstroke of outreach to community grass roots — also is an example of good municipal management. It does just what you say is desirable: attending systematically to necessary infrastructure improvements by priority, while helping to realize individual community "dreams."
If good management concepts produce acceptance in the voting booth, it is well deserved and welcome as a tangible measure of government leadership.
Don Bremner
Kailua
Society's priorities seem to be misplaced
I seem to remember that a small group of nurses on Moloka'i, ones who care for the injured and are responsible, in part, for the lives of some of the residents, were striking for a total of a few thousand dollars. Then today I read that the University of Hawai'i president is making $442,000 per year with a $1.5 million parachute, plus all types of other benefits.
Something about this does not sound right, or maybe it is just me.
T. Kroll
Kailua
Sexual consent bill addressed key issue
It is unfortunate you supported Gov. Cayetano's veto of the recently enacted sexual consent bill relating to minors.
It is a most important piece of legislation for it acknowledges that children are having sexual relationships before they are mature enough to comprehend the immense social ramifications of these activities. Most of these youngsters remain incapable of coping with the unintended problems they often create.
Americans are known throughout the world as having an extremely high incidence of teenage pregnancies. Hawai'i, for example, sees 30 out of every 1,000 teenagers between the ages of 15 to 17 give birth to children.
Too often, these usually unintended births reflect socioeconomic hardships and difficulties in the home. For too many of these youngsters, it means they will continue to live in impoverished conditions, too often unable to fully overcome the heavy burden of nurturing and supporting the child.
For many youngsters, they will learn that these social relationships are fleeting and transient, invariably leading to more and more sexual partnerships. Our medical clinics and hospitals show these pleasure-seeking activities of young adolescents often lead to much pain and suffering.
The message to adolescents between 14 to 16 years of age must be clear and explicit: You are too young and not mature enough to engage in sexual intercourse at this stage of your life. You must learn much more about yourself and how you fit into this world before you pursue these sexual activities.
I believe that we must somehow require the male partner to assume more responsibilities for his role in these sexual relationships. Too often, it is the female who must endure the pain and suffering by herself.
Donald F.B. Char, M.D.
'Sweetheart deal' describes Ka Iwi
Hurray for Henry Peters, who continues to show great character even after the atrocities the State of Hawai'i practiced against him, Dickie Wong and Lokelani Lindsey.
Peters was accused of making a "sweetheart deal" with Jeff Stone by selling Kalele Kai to Stone and his partners for $12.8 million more than the appraised value of the property. Yet now we have handpicked pseudo-trustees by Gov. Cayetano who have sold Ka Iwi Beach to the state for $12 million while the property had an appraised value of over $80 million.
That's at a loss of $68 million. And yet 30 percent of the $12 million is to go to Kaiser Permanente.
These new pseudo-trustees are obviously not protecting the will or the assets of Bishop Estate. They should be removed and a new set be appointed'as directed by the princess' will.'
Eugene O'Connell
Wai'anae
Homosexuals never had the right to get married
In the July 3 letters section, Alex Miedzwiadok says that the Hawai'i Constitution has an amendment that "took away the rights of gays to marry."
When did they have the right to begin with? You can't take something away from somebody if they've never had it.
Clayton Loveland
State Library critic must be into fiction
Buck Joiner's June 27 letter contains four paragraphs on our "pre-Renaissance" State Library system, and one of complaint about a system of record-keeping that is traceable way back to the ninth decade of the 20th century — not exactly medieval times.
What exactly are the "letters" and "packages" that are so slow in arriving to patrons?
In my experience, the only regular mailings are overdue notices and notices of requested books being held. These arrive in a reasonable time.
Could "packages" refer to the requested books themselves, arriving at the library of the patron's choice? This is done at a remarkably fast pace; a requested book may arrive the day after it's requested. And I even have received books from other islands (primarily from Hilo) in a very short time.
Some, of course, are slower, but that has to do with the large number of requests already for the book, not to the pace of the shipment.
Yes, it's a good idea to take your library card to the library with you. Everyone, including the librarians, is held to this. And this is the only good idea in Joiner's letter. It has nothing to do with whether or not you "exist," but has to do with some ancient technology of electronic record-keeping that involves bar-coding.
Or does Joiner know of some large system that waives this for individual cases? I would assume that Joiner is familiar with this technology, and am therefore surprised that he is surprised at it.
I call the system imperfect, but very good for a large, statewide system.
Roland F. Perkins
Wai'anae
Rare-plant collection deserves to be saved
David Orr has provided effective and dedicated oversight for the notable endangered plant collection at Waimea Falls Park. We are delighted and relieved that his valuable stewardship continues.
The Audubon Society's recent interest in being involved at the park is indicative of the widespread respect for the existing rare-plant collection there. Surely, such a treasured legacy of Hawai'i is deserving of preservation.
Margaret Armstrong
Conservation Chairman
The Garden Club of Honolulu
Pedestrians must follow common sense
In response to John Shupe's June 28 letter ("Pedestrians should also pay attention"), all I can say is, Amen!
Physics will tell you a 3,000-pound car is no match against a pedestrian when it comes to stopping distances. If you don't believe me, try crossing when a car is 15 feet away from you traveling at 30 mph. Who's brave enough to prove me wrong?
Another peeve I have is pedestrians crossing against red lights while a driver is close to the intersection with the green. Very irresponsible and absolutely dangerous.
Here are some street smarts to think hard about:
• Pedestrians will be given the right of way if they follow the rules. Give the driver a chance to stop for you without having to think fast and slam the brakes.
• Pedestrians should be ticketed and explain their actions to a judge if they are caught crossing against a red.
• Drivers need to realize the right-of-way rules when making left turns. Too many drivers try to beat the driver going straight by turning in front of him. It's dangerous. If the other driver wants to challenge me by turning in front of me, fine. If I hit you, keep your mouth shut and admit your guilt because you should have known better.
If my way of thinking bothers you, I'm simply exposing the real-life truth and hope to knock some sense into those who may have a remote chance of testing my theories. My advice to you is don't. Stay safe and use common sense.
David Cabatu
America came through for this grateful veteran
There has been a great deal written lately about how much this country owes its veterans — monuments, tributes of all kinds, including upgrading of medals won in combat. This all makes me a bit proud to be a veteran, but a much stronger feeling has persisted over the years.
As a rudderless high school dropout just after World War II, I joined the Army for an 18-month hitch, during which I was sent to Korea for over a year, an experience that helped me grow up. As a result of this service, I received a free ride through college, as well as a two-year exemption in the University of Hawai'i's ROTC program, from which I received a commission in the Army reserve.
This led to a few more years of active service when I returned to Korea following the outbreak of the Korean War. As an infantry platoon leader, I was forced to prove myself'while leading men in combat, a huge challenge at considerable risk, but I was well prepared by my training.
When I came home in one piece, I not only had the confidence that such an experience provided, but after returning to civilian life, I found that my military service opened many doors to employment in jobs for which I would never have qualified without it. The government guaranteed my loan when I bought a house, and to this day I am proud to be among those to whom a grateful country continues to pay tribute.
Now I must return the favor. This country has done more for me than I ever did in return. It was the government and the taxpayers who provided a confused lad with low self-esteem to become an educated,'productive and'confident member of society through military service. Without this service, I would never have realized my potential.
But more important, it is the satisfaction, even a tinge of pride, that'I've felt for all these years knowing I was challenged and I succeeded in serving my country in a small way.
Have I really served my country? Maybe so, but my country has served me to a far greater degree.
Jim Tully
