Letters to the Editor
Let's have some action on high gasoline prices
Yesterday's headline states "Local gas prices still high." Yes, as much as twice the price of some areas on the Mainland. Come to Maui and pay approximately 30 cents a gallon more than on O'ahu. Why? That much to barge fuel to Maui? I don't think so.
First, when oil companies get together privately, publicly or by any other means to establish the retail price per gallon, that is called "price-fixing."
Duh! Price-fixing is supposed to be illegal.
That leads to the second point. Why are our elected officials doing nothing about this?
This has been going on for years, and it's time for the constituents of these sorry excuses for legislators to let them know that they will not be re-elected unless they start doing what they were put into office to do — represent the people, not their own selfish interests.
Come on, people, start making phone calls or writing letters. If the bums don't respond, throw 'em out.
Paul Uster
Wailuku
Aloha Airlines union should reconsider offer
I am sorry that apparently the union cannot see the wisdom of Glen Zander's suggestion to keep more Aloha Airlines employees on the payroll.
Too often when we have a problem, we ask the government to solve it for us. I was really proud of Aloha for not going to the government but attempting to solve it by itself.
We all need to help in these times. I hope the employees reconsider.
Bobby Cooper
Hilo
Gambling is part of modern America
Facts refute The Advertiser's predictable anti-gambling editorial (Nov. 6). Gambling is part of modern America.
Hawai'i is in big economic trouble. Tourism revenues are plunging. Cruise ships coming to Hawai'i are not allowed to offer on-board gambling. So what do they do? They go to Alaska, the Caribbean and Mexico, offering all the on-board gambling one desires.
Why not allow these cruise ships to cruise Hawaiian waters and offer on-board gambling? The Patriot and the Independence would still be here if gambling had been allowed on them.
Why would anyone stay away from Hawai'i because some casinos offer gambling? Monaco offers gambling, and people still visit the rocky beaches of the nearby French Riviera. The reason people go to Las Vegas is not for the scenery and climate in the middle of the desert. It is because they can gamble.
Predictions are that it will be years before airline travel gets back to its pre-9/11 levels. That means Hawai'i needs to attract more of the available tourists.
Several hundred thousand trips per year are made by Hawai'i's citizens to Vegas to gamble. How many would spend that money at home if offered the chance? Let's find out.
Gary Edwards
Americans must ask uncomfortable questions
I agree with John Griffin's concern in his Nov. 4 commentary ("Is patriotism crowding out tougher questions?") that "not enough Americans are asking tough questions amid our understandable anger and patriotism."
Among the questions I think we should be asking ourselves are:
• Why did the Sept. 11 attacks (and others, such as the one on the USS Cole and the U.S. embassies in Africa) target the United States?
Americans need to face the terrible truth: Our country has caused great suffering in many parts of the world, and this makes people angry. That doesn't justify what a small group of fanatics did on Sept. 11, but it might, at least partly, explain it.
• Is the U.S. bombing in Afghanistan likely to reduce the threat of future terrorist attacks against our country?
Far from reducing the threat, I believe it will increase it. The U.S. government is bombing one of the poorest countries in the world, one that was already in ruins after 20 years of war and three of severe drought. Not one of the Sept. 11 suicide terrorists was Afghan. Now they are watching helplessly as their meager villages are being destroyed and innocent civilians killed and maimed.
If international relief agencies are not allowed to deliver food aid immediately (which they had to stop doing when the bombing began), more than 5 million Afghans risk dying of starvation this winter. And on top of all this, the United States is aligning itself with people even more ruthless than the Taliban — the Northern Alliance, widely despised throughout Afghanistan.
Joanne Heisel
U.S. foreign policy is out of control
Haunani-Kay Trask's remarks regarding U.S. foreign policy were accurate.
The tragedy of Sept. 11 cannot be seen in isolation. To many it was an obvious backlash to a policy largely based on the exploitation of lands and resources for at least the past 50 years.
Under the guise of "freedom," this policy has allowed Americans to dwell in their comfort, to uphold "our way of life," to keep driving down the highway. Fine. The problem is it has directly and indirectly displaced and destroyed the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent people. Is it then any wonder why so many hate the U.S.? American foreign policy has kept most Americans ignorant in their bliss.
Now, instead of attempting to look within and to really understand "why," the U.S. has again unleashed its weapons of mass destruction, which was the reason for the backlash to begin with. As the superpower hegemony, the U.S. has the power to make war or peace. It has chosen war, so war it'll be until Americans wake up to the deception of an out-of-control foreign policy based on greed and exploitation.
Tony Castanha
Israel was created out of barren desert
John McClain's memory of history, as given in his Nov. 6 letter, conveniently serves his prejudices. The fact is, Egypt is the only Middle Eastern country within its historic borders.
The Middle East is made up of nations carved out of the Ottoman Empire. One of these nations is Israel, which created a nation out of barren desert. (Jordan was created to accommodate Palestinians.)
Admittedly, the present ongoing conflict is a very sad one. Yasser Arafat, just very recently, had an opportunity to resolve the problem but chose not to. Is it possible that flaming the conflict is someone's agenda?
Seymour Katims
Ignore Ramadan
Why should the United States cease fire during Ramadan? Remember the Tet Offensive? Bombs away.
Robert McDurmin
College Hill remodeling getting out of control
Am I the only one outraged by the costs for Evan Dobelle's residence, now spiralling out of control?
Granted, an older home, 1902, requires many and frequent structural upgrades. However, most of the reported expense would appear to come under the heading of luxurious, arbitrary and unnecessary.
Will College Hill be the venue for fund-raising events? In what way will UH and the people of Hawai'i benefit?
One hopes well-heeled individuals follow through with reimbursement of all or most of these expenditures.
Victoria C. Hoagland
Micronesia has used aid from U.S. wisely
My letter concerns the Oct. 9 article "More aid to Pacific Islands advocated."
While I support Hawai'i's claim for a compact-impact refund from the federal government for the costs of Micronesian migration on its social services, I disagree with the sentiment that the additional funding for health and education in the islands as recommended by the General Accounting Office will be a waste. Investing more money in health and education may not have an immediate impact on migration, but the additional resources will go a long way in addressing some of the most pressing needs in the islands.
No one disputes the heavy burden of migration on Hawai'i. However, to be fair, credit must be given to Micronesians for taking the jobs that are shunned by the more affluent residents but which are critical to a strong economy. Additionally, their contribution to the state's economy through income tax withholdings and consumer spending must be recognized. To say that Micronesians are just getting but not contributing is not true.
In the article, the governor made the observation that the federal government has given substantial aid to the islands with "little accountability" for the money. There may have been instances where lack of accountability could be alleged in the way the Federated States of Micronesia had spent some of its funds. As a developing country, mistakes could have been made as we try to gain more experience in running our own affairs.
But, as the records will show, the FSM has utilized the majority of its funds wisely, resulting in significant strides in a number of critical areas, including the strengthening of democratic institutions, a stronger productive sector, a leaner and meaner public sector, better accountability, improved infrastructure, etc.
I commend your Oct. 10 editorial "State's Pacific burden deserves federal help" for painting a more balanced and objective picture of the situation in Micronesia. It recognizes that nation-building is a daunting task that takes time and sacrifice but that progress has been make in the islands and that someday they will be able to care for their own people.
I wish to thank the governor and the people of Hawai'i for the warm aloha and welcome that have been extended to our people.
Kasio E. Mida
Consul General, Federated States of Micronesia
Felix will benefit all students
Recent letter writers have framed the "Felix" debate in terms of IDEA and consent decree compliance. Such opinions miss an important point: The Department of Education's efforts to meet the needs of the Felix-class students are part of our greater effort to develop an educational system that supports all students in achieving meaningful educational goals.
The Felix Consent Decree requires a systems change, unlike the individual program requirements compelled by IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). As such, direct comparisons or attempts to determine which is more important are futile.
Systems change in education is about analyzing and adapting policies and practices in curriculum and instruction, student support and school management. The Felix court benchmarks identify changes in practice that are necessary to improve or build a responsive educational system.
Under IDEA, individual program requirements change at least every five years during reauthorization. Case law, the result of litigation involving a single student's educational program, redefines compliance on a regular basis. With IDEA, as well as systems change, the goal remains the same, but there are always new twists in the path.
One recent writer questioned the Felix requirement to annually test all special-education students in reading. There is little debate that the ability to read is critically important for success in school and later life. Most of us expect standard yearly assessments on everything from vehicle safety to health check-ups to job performance. For the most fundamental skill of reading, shouldn't our educational system conduct similar annual assessment to ensure that those requiring specialized instruction and support make progress?
The commitment of the State of Hawai'i to develop a system of care to meet the needs of Felix-class students is a necessary step toward the creation of the public education system that all segments of this community desire. Clearly, substantial progress has been made in developing a system of supports and services for students in need of educational and mental health services.
At this critical stage, constructive public debate will focus on what we want our educational system to provide for all students, and how we will know that it is performing well.
Robert Campbell
Director, Office of Program Support & Development, Hawai'i Department of Education
