Letters to the Editor
Armed forces are all everyday heroes
Three weeks have passed since the terrorist attack on America. News coverage has been scaled back, flags fly at full staff, and people are starting to travel again. I almost decided not to write this because I did not think it was timely. But I realized that what I would like to express should not be limited by time or fear of redundancy.
In the days following the attack, I was surprised to find myself doing things I never do (or at least never thought I'd do): I donated blood, went to church and gave to the relief fund. It was all I could do to help, but it didn't seem to be enough.
I was surprised to discover that my boyfriend, who is a military intelligence officer, was also feeling an overwhelming sense of frustration and helplessness. He spoke of giving up his plans to attend law school and instead extending his commitment to try out for the Army's Special Forces, where he feels he would actually be "doing something useful." It saddens me to know that this brave man, who has given up so much to serve his country, does not know what a difference he has already made.
To my captain and all others serving this great nation — whether you sweep floors, process paperwork or crawl through the mountains of Afghanistan — you are all everyday heroes. You have made and continue to make many sacrifices to protect the liberties that the people of this country hold dear.
For that I am very grateful and very proud.
Shelley Iwamoto
We should get to know Afghanistan's people
We recently returned from a trip to Japan where the people we encountered were the kindest, friendliest and most helpful people we have ever met. This got us thinking.
It is easy to stereotype people we don't know, especially people of a foreign — and very different — culture. The Afghans, for example, are nameless and faceless strangers whom we in this country know next to nothing about. This is probably why it seems to feel relatively easy for some Americans to talk about going to war against them in our efforts to "get" Osama bin Laden.
Before our trip to Japan, the Japanese for the most part (even though there are many of them here in Hawai'i) were nameless and faceless to us too. But after being welcomed into their country with such warmth and hospitality, I don't feel they are remote strangers to us anymore.
Maybe if Americans knew more about the Afghans, fewer would feel comfortable with the idea of bombing Afghanistan (or attacking in some other way) and very likely killing and maiming thousands of innocent people in a remote country on the other side of the globe.
Sandy Flaherty
Joanne Heisel
Some UH players showed disrespect
Like many UH football fans, I looked forward to our first home game since the Sept. 11 tragedy. Unfortunately, I was disappointed at the lack of respect displayed by some of the players during the Pledge of Allegiance, and the playing of the National Anthem and "God Bless America."
The players walking around, talking and doing knee bends while the fans were reciting the pledge and singing the songs was totally uncalled for.
Frankly, it was an embarrassment. I am grateful that the game was not televised because the cameras might have focused on some of those players.
The players should have known better. It was an insult to the fans and their own teammates who properly observed the moments.
What is even more disappointing was the lack of leadership by the coaching staff. They might have prevented this by telling the players what was expected of them prior to the game.
John Pepe
Makakilo
New York memorial should include flag
On Sept. 5, I returned from a family visit in New York. On Oct. 1, John Griffin's column requested reader thoughts concerning a memorial on the site of the World Trade Center.
Let the memorial be: a portion of the facade that eerily stood over the ruined site; a plaque with the names of all who were lost; a very large version of the photograph of the three firefighters who raised an American flag early in the rescue effort; and the flag itself. Place those items in the enormous lobby of the new World Trade Center that will be under construction while the United States and its allies, and any other country that chooses to help, remove the scourge of terrorism from the Earth, using whatever means are deemed appropriate. I look forward to standing on the highest tower of the new WTC when I again visit New York in the near future.
Last month, my wife and I received our tax return. We had planned to spend it in stimulating the economy; instead, we forwarded it to a fund set up for the families of those brave rescue workers who were lost attempting to save lives on Sept. 11.
The hundreds of millions of dollars that will be collected through such funds will stand in stark contrast to the shabby treatment afforded Palestinian refugees since 1948 by their Arab brethren and neighboring Middle Eastern countries. We take care of our people, not use them for political purposes.
Frank Genadio
Kapolei
In midst of tragedy, a good Samaritan
I was living in Oklahoma and wanting to come home to Hawai'i. The date was set for Sept. 11, but I ended up getting stranded in Houston awaiting my connecting flight. I had only $200 on hand and needed to find a place to stay.
After finding a place and running out of money, I called the airlines to find out when my flight was, and to my surprise, all flights had been cancelled for an unknown amount of time. I started crying on the phone when Lee Spiller of Continental Airlines told me to hold on the line. When he returned, he offered his home to me. His daughter came the next day to pick me up and took me to their home. I stayed with them till Friday to go back home to Oklahoma, then to Hawai'i the following week.
It makes me feel good knowing that there are still people in this world willing to help others in need. I wouldn't know what I would have done without them.
Mahalo to Lee Spiller of Continental Airlines in Houston and his family.
Karen Sugioka
Drilling in the Arctic won't stop terrorism
Your Sept. 24 editorial suggesting a postponement of the debate on arctic drilling so as to not equate such an important issue with the current and necessary focus on terrorism was a wise stand.
There is not enough oil in the Arctic to meet our demands, would take years in any event and will do nothing to stop terrorism. To stop money flowing to terrorist organizations, financial methods such as freezing assets and tightening money-laundering laws are far more effective.
Arctic drilling and preventing terrorist attacks are two separate issues and should be dealt with as such.
Kathy Harter
New medical center must be developed
A Sept. 27 editorial emphasized, in the aftermath of the recent tragic events, the importance of maintaining and developing a viable education infrastructure in Hawai'i. This infrastructure should include the proposals presented last year to the Legislature by the dean of the John A. Burns School of Medicine, Dr. Edwin Cadman.
Dean Cadman emphasized the potential economic gain for this state if an improved medical research and technological development of the School of Medicine could be achieved here in the Islands.
In answer to the question, "Should the state proceed with plans to develop and enhance the research capability of the medical school in Hawai'i in light of the recent events?" I suggest that, with our obvious over-dependence on the tourist industry for our economy, the answer should be a resounding, "Yes, more than ever!"
Malcolm R. Ing, M.D.
Here's how to bring our visitors back
My mana'o to perhaps bring our visitors back:
• I think Gov. Cayetano and Mayor Harris should go to New York to invite our heroes and those who lost someone to Hawai'i. Work with the airlines, hotels, car rentals, restaurants, etc.
• Have all general managers from our hotels go to Japan and elsewhere to reassure our visitors that it is safe to return to Hawai'i.
• Our legislators should work on our own people and the military to get them back into Waikiki.
• Get all our entertainers to do a series of kanikapila, hang-loose entertaining like the old days, cultural workshops, etc. If everyone pitches in, say one day of kokua, it wouldn't hurt. I would be more than glad to teach a hula workshop for a day, and bring all my students, for all those who wish to learn the hula. Every day can be May Day, Aloha Week, etc.
We are all in this together, so if we all pitch in, I think we can do this. I feel this can be a good healing and relief effort on our part.
Kepo'omaikalani Park
Hu'i Park Hula Studio
Consider where flags were manufactured
Flag-flying — or the lack thereof — continues to be an issue on the talk shows and in the media. Meanwhile the irony of China churning out American flags to answer the "ultra" American patriots' demands for more flags escapes some people.
I did not hear outrage early in the summer when it was reported that a school blew up in China and many children died while they were manufacturing fireworks for the American 4th of July celebration.
How would Betsy Ross have felt to know that her beloved flag was being sewn by slave labor in China?
The case for excessive consumption and globalization must be re-examined by thoughtful Americans.
Monica Soroka
UH Board of Regents on a downward slide
I agree with Jan Becket's Sept. 30 letter that UH President Evan Dobelle must change his priorities.
As a 1989 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, I witnessed the beginning of the downward slide the Board of Regents took. The regents began planning for new buildings while cutting educational programs. Does the public remember the bio-med building, the law library, the business building and other fiascos? Does the public remember the three failures of the Mililani, Manoa and Maui high-tech parks?
UH's atmosphere is termite-infested: shiny white buildings with decaying educational programs, rotting students and robot educators.
Randy Lum
Let speeders feel sense of danger
Rita M. Miller's idea to have reckless drivers perform community service as crossing guards is brilliant. However, it is fatally flawed.
The crossing guards I know are dedicated individuals who are annually trained and carefully screened by the HPD. They are there not only because it is a decent part-time job with a decent salary, but because they care about the children and want to serve in their communities. Bottom line: They are there because they want to be and not because they have to be.
However, if we could modify Rita's idea: Let speeders and reckless drivers perform community service by becoming pedestrians. Let judges sentence them to accompany the crossing guards and the children back and forth across the street. Let them see what it is like on the other side of the windshield. Let them watch the cars speeding toward them doing 40 mph in a 25-mph school zone and wonder/hope/pray that the cars will see them, slow down and stop in time.
In other words, let them see what schoolchildren and pedestrians in Hawai'i have to deal with every day.
Mary C. Hunter
Kapolei
Crosswalks should protect pedestrians
Living in Hawai'i is great except when one is a pedestrian trying to cross the busy streets within the crosswalks.
Too many drivers, especially at rush hour, are either ignorant of the law to yield the right of way to pedestrians in the crosswalk or they are just plain discourteous by failing to yield. This is a dangerous situation.
Part of the blame can be placed on the city because the paint outlines on some of these crosswalks are not kept up and are difficult to see.
Let's encourage more aloha by showing appropriate courtesy to people in the crosswalks and let's see the city out there keeping up with clearly visible crosswalk outlines.
P.M. Tansey
Kailua
Airport delays dampen desire to come back
I just returned from a trip to the Big Island and can't wait to go back. However, if you hope to entice more tourists like myself, you will have to convince them they will not spend two of their days in your airports.
Unfortunately, the airlines are getting a free pass due to the high level of patriotism. They have always treated their passengers like cattle in reference to the antiquated check-in system, but now, due to their horrible inefficiency, it is even worse.
Only two security gateways for tons of passengers. Solution: more gateways.
Think it will happen? Believe in the tooth fairy? They won't change for the same reason they offer five or six check-in agents for hundreds of passengers who stand in ridiculously long lines, pushing their baggage along with them.
Stephen Austin
Bakersfield, Calif.
