Letters to the Editor
Readers respond to national tragedy
• • •
Tragedy points up need for training
We were transferred to Hawai'i eight months ago and from the beginning we have been made to feel like unwanted strangers in our own country: from almost weekly articles about Makua Valley, to suggestions that military residents should pay additional fees, to demands for the military to be kicked out of Hawai'i altogether.
Now, in the face of the most horrendous tragedy in our history, Hawaiians, as well as the rest of the country, are demanding revenge. Who do you think is going to carry out that "revenge"? How do you suggest they train for it? The very people who so many don't want here are the same people who are willing to risk their lives to protect you.
I pray for the thousands of families who have lost their loved ones; I pray for the safety of you and your families. I hope — if the time comes and our husbands, fathers, brothers and sons are sent off to fight for you — that you will put aside your petty hatred and pray for us and our families.
God bless America — and all of her people.
Beth Dreyer
Waialua
Forget missile shield, focus on airport safety
Like many other people, I was stunned to know that a group of terrorists could commandeer so many aircraft at once and cause so much damage.
Instead of pouring money into the black hole that is the Star Wars system or the Strategic Defense Initiative (or whatever they are calling that missile defense boondoggle these days), why don't we put that money into better security measures for our airports?
Because air travel has become such an important part of our economy now, doesn't it make sense to provide for more and better-trained security personnel, better equipment and procedures?
If the new era of warfare is this kind of terrorism we've seen this last week, shouldn't our first line of defense be at our airports and in our commercial airliners and cargo carriers?
Bob Dusendschon
'Aiea
Park & Ride would have eased traffic
We all see the necessity of the heightened security surrounding our military bases and airport facilities — however, we do not see the need for the traffic that accompanies the security.
Coming from the North Shore (departing at 7:40 a.m.), my morning commute seemed to move along as usual until I reached the Dole Plantation on Kamehameha Highway. It was all stop and no go. The time was 8 a.m. When another 20 minutes passed and I had only moved as far as Poamoho Plantation Housing, I called to work to let them know of my guaranteed delay.
The policy of "one checkpoint gate in and one gate out" security at Schofield and Wheeler had crippled the roadways moving through to downtown Honolulu. There we all sat in our vehicles.
It dawned on me that some sort of Park & Ride operation setup in Mililani or Waipi'o areas (maybe the new Central Park?) would have helped to alleviate this traffic. Likewise for military personnel traveling from the North Shore communities like Waialua, Hale'iwa and beyond.
Yvette N. Fernandez
Let's show aloha for victims' families
For the families and 'ohana of those individuals who lost loved ones, Hawai'i, show your aloha and kokua to their 'ohana. It is times like this the families most need your comfort.
To the individual who wrote that we must forgive those "responsible for their acts," perhaps that individual should say this to the victims' families. That was cold-blooded murder of innocent people.
God bless Hawai'i in its support for the victims' families.
Joe Freitas
Follow the money to locate bin Laden
I have read that ultimate terrorist Osama bin Laden has anywhere from $250 million to $350 million. He has dedicated that fortune to destroying us.
Do you think for a minute he has that money buried in caves in Pakistan? Of course not. The money is in banks around the world. With the computer systems at our banks, they can trace where, when, how much is spent on a single Visa transaction anywhere in world, approve it or turn it down. We could locate where this madman has his funds.
We spend $75 billion a year for the CIA and NSA to provide security. Perhaps $156 of that money would be better spent with the banks tracing down this man's funds and cutting him off at the purse strings. It is hard to be a major terrorist without money for bombs, guns and airline tickets.
It is a cinch our government agencies couldn't uncover a huge plot like this. But if the banks can stop a person from charging a $35 item that is over his limit ... I say let them go find him. He won't last a heartbeat.
Bob Gaddis
Let's heed the call for a new America
Horrific, stunning, tragic, terrible. These are the words we hear again and again.
The Blitz, Pearl Harbor, Korea, Vietnam, Kennedy — these were the defining moments of our generations — our children are now being faced with their defining moment. But they have been smothered in a web of ignorance, disinterest, concerned with themselves and their world, propelled by a media less concerned with informing than with selling.
We have to help them understand the rest of the world and how they can learn to elect leaders of intelligence, dignity and stature, who can lead and inspire them to move out into the world and not continue to perpetuate the old-style, arrogant, what-is-best-for-America, isolationist U.S. of A.
In the last few days I have been gratified to hear young people express their desire for a new America, one that is part of the total humanity and not separate from it. One with leaders who can lead and not disappear to secret places when needed. One where we work together with the rest of the world for peace, the environment and an end to bigotry and racism.
A. Holmes
Our generation's defining moment
In light of recent events, this is a time for our country to unite, regardless of political affiliations.
Believe me, I am not a fan of George W. Bush — even in the vaguest sense of the word — but he is our country's president, to whom we look for guidance and solace in this time of national mourning.
Unfortunately, this horrible tragedy is our generation's defining moment, just like the Vietnam War was for our parents, and World War II was for the "Greatest Generation."
For years, I've read columns and commentary about how our generation is one of comfort, convenience and complacency. Maybe this travesty will give birth to more responsible citizens full of patriotism and humility willing to pull together for the sake of the nation and, of course, mankind.
Napualokelani S. Wiley
Wai'anae
War not the answer to this tragic event
President Clinton worked very hard for peace in the Middle East and was respected and making good progress. After just eight months in office, President Bush has reversed all that with his belligerent foreign policy, and we see this most tragic result.
Will this administration compound the tragedy by taking us into war? War is not the ultimate test of patriotism — peace is.
Nancy Bey Little
Absolute security would harm freedom
I am hearing news that there will be some extreme changes and restrictions to our free and open society as Americans. This disturbs me greatly, because this only serves victory to the enemies of our freedom. How are we to balance our openness and freedom with absolute security? We can't.
When you give up your freedom for security, you gain neither. The people who attacked us are of an ideology of absolute control: control over movement and control over thought, two freedoms that we as Americans cherish sweetly.
Shall we ensure absolute safety or absolute freedom? Think upon this very, very carefully, people.
Francine M. LaPorte
Personal agendas aren't appropriate
How callow, shallow and utterly without respect for the vicious attack on America some have proven themselves to be.
Witness Howard Wiig railing against SUVs in his Sept. 12 letter. The loss of human life in this tragedy seems to mean nothing; it appears to be merely an economical vehicle with which to advance an agenda.
Instead, we should be concentrating on further solidifying the bonds of American unity, if for no other reason than to be able to support each other in the coming harsh months.
If others feel as I do, growing more angry and resolute, and hardening my heart against the personal tragedies that will befall the unfortunates who find themselves in the path of our retribution, then we will all need to be strong for each other to be able to do (and live with) what our elected leaders choose for us to do.
Brennan F. Schweitzer
We'll move forward to a better tomorrow
The events of the past few days have really made me think. On the surface, as with most Americans, I am angered by the brutality and cruelty of terrorism, appalled by the extreme loss of life, and amazed at the bravery and resiliency of New Yorkers — especially by the selfless actions of the police, firefighters, construction workers and medical personnel.
The events of Sept. 11 were surreal. The images of the commercial jet disappearing into the side of the North Tower and the fireball from the opposite side of the building seemed straight out of a movie rather than the network news. It made the realization that loved ones were experiencing these horrific series of events that much harder to believe.
A wise person once told me that we must always look at misfortune as opportunity — that successful people will find the positive out of a negative and move on. New Yorkers will have an opportunity to build an even bigger and better trade center — one that will provide the office space and infrastructure to meet the needs of our nation's financial sector for generations to come. The money spent on building it will create jobs, which in turn will stimulate their local economy.
Our transportation infrastructure will be overhauled, which, according to commentators, was desperately needed for some time. Airport security will eliminate outdated procedures and upgrade technology.
And in the process, citizens will gain a greater appreciation for what we have and the sacrifices made to get it.
Perhaps this is naive thinking. Yet, there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel if we are to believe that our nation will survive this terrible tragedy.
Today we grieve. Tomorrow we begin picking up the pieces and moving forward to a better and brighter tomorrow.
Erik K. Abe
Pearl City
