Letters to the Editor
'Spin the Duke' is a ridiculous idea
I am the widow of Sargent Kahanamoku, Duke's younger brother. The decision for the statue's placement was made by Nadine, Duke's widow, the family and the sculptor.
The myth regarding "never turn your back on the ocean" holds true when one is fishing from the rocks or picking 'opihi, for it is dangerous not to face the wave action. But when one finishes swimming or surfing, how does he come out of the water? He certainly doesn't back out.
The family felt that the positioning of the statue was important and that Duke seems to be saying, "Welcome to my ocean."
There are several posters of Duke coming out of the water with his arms held high and with that wonderful happy grin on his face. And he isn't coming out backward — but he is facing Kalakaua Avenue.
As for the visitors who want photographs, there are many hours in the day for those other than at sunset. You say that rotating the statue could be a solution. To what? There is no problem — therefore we don't need a solution.
"Spin the Duke" is a ridiculous idea. Please leave well enough alone.
Mary Ray Kahanamoku
Mainland prisons don't breed gangs
I read the Sept. 4 article about Mainland prisons breeding Hawai'i gangs. I found this interesting since I used to work for that private company (CCA) in the South.
As for the Mainland "breeding" gangs, I beg to differ. The inmates from Hawai'i have banded together to protect each other like any other race in these prisons. I've seen it firsthand with Hispanics, African-Americans and Caucasians. Most of these inmates have come into the system already affiliated with gangs (for example: Cryps, Bloods, Folk, etc.). The inmates (including Hawai'i's) tend to stick to their own when it comes down to it.
This may be the first such bona fide gang that is known. The tattoos and code words are common among all gangs.
Being from Hawai'i, living in the South was an eye-opener. So I can imagine how Hawai'i's inmates felt when they were moved to the Mainland. The system and people are quite different.
Most Mainland prisons do have special teams monitoring gang activity. Maybe Hawai'i needs one too. Regardless of the race, there will always be gangs. And as long as there are prisons, inmates and staff will eventually clash.
Wendy Kumura-Dixon
'New kinds of transit' will indeed help us
Cliff Slater's Sept. 4 commentary ridiculed Honolulu's proposed Bus Rapid Transit project because "new kinds of transit" like BRT have not reduced traffic congestion in Mainland cities.
Slater has sucker-punched rapid transit for years with his false premise that modern transit systems are specifically designed to reduce traffic congestion.
They're not. San Francisco's BART, Washington's Metro and similar transit systems worldwide were conceived as attractive and convenient alternatives to the private automobile and gridlock.
Here's a question for Slater: Has Honolulu's traffic congestion increased or decreased in the nine years since the city abandoned its proposed fixed guideway project, which he fought every step of the way?
The answer is obvious. Slater's so-called victory has resulted in no modern rapid transit alternative to the growing traffic congestion we confront daily.
BRT won't reduce that congestion much, if at all, but it will be a comfortable travel alternative for residents and visitors alike. The city deserves our thanks for its BRT vision and the support of everyone who believes it's time for Honolulu to enter the modern transit age.
Doug Carlson
Fluoridation facts make one wonder
Because of the recent surprise announcement of plans to fluoridate on Lana'i, many of us have learned more than we ever wanted to know about sodium fluoride. When you investigate the facts yourself, you will find many compelling reasons to question this outdated idea, which was born 50 years ago when we thought DDT was so safe that children were sprayed at picnics.
There are two obvious questions for the medical community:
• How can you ethically advocate dispensing a drug without being able to control the dose the patient receives? You would be prescribing an unknown dose to a patient you have never met and whose existing fluoride intake is unknown to you. Remember that kidney patients, diabetics, babies and others must restrict their fluoride intake.
• Furthermore, how can you advocate using contaminated industrial-grade chemicals on the population instead of pharmaceutical-grade fluoride, which has been tested and approved by the FDA for human ingestion?
We all want nicer smiles on our kids, but even a million-dollar pro-fluoridation ad campaign won't change the fact that refined sugar causes their cavities and that fluoride is not a "magic bullet" to prevent them. They need to brush after eating candy. It's that simple.
Anyone interested in children's health should learn the details of the fluoride issue before they try to sneak it into your island's water, too.
Ron Gingerich
Lana'i City
Give them the boot
Instead of confiscating cars of street racers, why not just lock the car wheels with the boot. The car can sit at their home and they can stare at the consequences of their act every day.
Debbie Smith
