Letters to the Editor
Build another prison for women inmates
We are Hawai'i female inmates currently incarcerated at Central Oklahoma Correctional Facility. There is much controversy about building another facility in Hawai'i to house more men; what about for women?
The state says it costs less to house an inmate in another state than it does in our home state. With all the money it spends on sending us so far away from home, Hawai'i could build other facilities for both men and women, keeping us closer to our families.
It seems the male inmates in Hawai'i have more privileges than what is offered the women. At present, the facility for women is overcrowded. So why hasn't the state thought of opening a new women's facility?
Suzette Anguay
Tuyet Walker
Stadium management doing outstanding job
At the risk of sounding somewhat repetitive, I would like to comment on the current desire of the University of Hawai'i to take over management of Aloha Stadium.
I will not speculate concerning possible policy and management changes that might occur under the supervision of any different organization. However, as the representative of a licensee that has used Aloha since its inception, I can be totally objective in evaluating the many facets of operating the facility from the viewpoint of a regular occupant.
Perhaps the one phase of current management that has impressed me more than any other has been the complete and dedicated effort of each employee in seeing that the facility is properly operated for occupants and spectators alike.
Manager Ed Hayashi and his staff have worked diligently over the years and have been extremely cooperative concerning every aspect of its use. We have considered it a distinct pleasure to have had the opportunity to schedule our baseball and football contests at such a well-organized government-sponsored venue.
It is my sincere hope that the forum that will be making the decision concerning any possible management change will do some extensive and empirical research and certainly much in-depth thinking before any change of management is effected.
Clay Benham
June Jones brought UH to higher level
Regarding the March 9 letter from Kathy Endo on Coach June Jones' salary: I'd like Ms. Endo to clarify who is the "we" she is referring to. I'm assuming she meant the people of Hawai'i. I choose not to be spoken for since she and I have totally different views on this matter.
Coach Jones took over a program that was 0-12 the year before. In his three seasons since, the Warriors own a 21-16 record, won a share of the WAC title and an O'ahu Bowl victory. This past season was culminated with a huge win over BYU.
I don't believe all of this would have been accomplished if his players weren't his highest priority. Who does she think provided the leadership and inspiration that led to the players performing at such high levels these past three seasons?
Coach Jones is also committed to recruiting locally. Look at how many local players he recruited during his short tenure. He recognizes the talent here in the Islands and has given those players the opportunity to compete at the Division I level while also playing in front of family and friends. He's built a cohesive unit with a nice mix of local and Mainland talent.
Furthermore, how many Warriors over the past three seasons are now in the NFL? True, all were talented, but doesn't she believe Coach Jones had a part in helping them get to the next level?
Ms. Endo, do you still believe Coach Jones' financial aspirations take precedence over his football players? Please don't question his integrity and aloha spirit unless you have all the facts.
Glenn Inouye
'Aiea
Was Afghanistan's earthquake man-made?
As if the Afghans have not had more than their share of calamities during the last two decades, tremors have taken a further toll of hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent lives there.
The exact extent of the loss to life and property could be much more as the rescue teams have not been able to reach all the affected areas due to the difficult mountainous terrain and lack of communications in the region.
However, a thought comes to mind that cannot be dismissed summarily. Could the shock waves caused by the mighty "Daisy Cutter" bombs have destabilized the lower strata of the earth and disturbed the tectonic plates in Afghanistan to cause such devastating tremors one after the other?
Col. Riaz Jafri (Ret.)
Pakistan
Where's the lawsuit over raiding of fund?
As a homeowner who has paid thousands of dollars into the state hurricane fund, I am troubled that our lawmakers are so eager to use these funds to solve the state's financial problems, which to a large degree have been caused by their own incompetence.
Doesn't this illegal use of the hurricane fund equate to a discriminatory high tax levied specifically against property owners in Hawai'i?
I would hope that there is at least one concerned attorney among us who is willing to file a lawsuit against the state to prevent this abuse of our tax dollars.
Kent Matsuo
Mililani
Republicans only hope to turn state around
I have read and listened to people criticize and mock the views of the GOP. Let's look at what we have now.
We have businesses avoiding Hawai'i because of red tape. We have a very high cost of living. We pay some of the highest taxes in the nation. We have locals leaving because of lack of good jobs and wages. Our kids' education is substandard.
I could go on, but I think you get the picture. Mock the GOP if you like. I and a growing number of people think the GOP is our only hope to turn this state around.
Christian Ogawa
Lihu'e, Kaua'i
Waikiki could use a break from events
Five years of construction, roadwork, detours, ugly orange plastic fencing (still there; please, can we have our park back) and now the traffic problems caused by Sunset on the Beach (how ugly the screen is) and Brunch on the Beach.
Sometimes we are literally trapped in our towers, other times trapped in our cars trying to get to or from the supermarket.
Now that Sunset on the Beach has moved to other areas, please, could Waikiki have a break.
Lois Raynor
Hawai'i doesn't need a top-down leader
Jim Shon, former legislator, cries out for help in "In search of a real leader" in the March 19 Honolulu Advertiser.
Poor Jim, frozen in the headlights of life, about to be run over and smashed, offers no hope. He waits for his "leader." He doesn't have enough self-government in him to move himself out of danger. His answer to the above will be "not me, society." But American society (as opposed to a communist one) is made up of individuals who are self-acting, self-governing from the bottom up.
Let's hope we continue to lack a top-down leader. Meantime, one of you might consider responding to Jim's need for a father figure and lead him to temporary safety. But be careful, you could end up adopting him permanently.
Richard O. Rowland
President, Grassroot Institute of Hawai'i
Voters are watching traffic camera bills
After 28 years of licensed driving, I received my first speeding ticket in the form of a picture of me driving north on H2. Evidently I was driving 61 mph in a 55-mph zone — with the flow of traffic but six miles over the speed limit.
What is the intent of this program beyond the obvious ones of raising more revenue for the state and enriching a private contractor's coffers?
Is it safer to drive below 55 mph when the flow of traffic is closer to 65?
I strongly support HB 2167 and SB 2077 in immediately repealing the photo traffic enforcement system. To quote from both bills: "The system has caused numerous disruptions to drivers and pedestrians in the state."
As a resident of Waipahu, I can assure Sen. Brian Kanno and Rep. Mark Moses that many of us are closely watching from your districts.
Until this program is repealed, I will be the one causing a traffic disruption by driving my faded-red 11-year-old 4-Runner on H1 and H2 daily at 54 mph while the cars behind me maneuver around me to maintain the flow of traffic.
The good that has come of this is that I, and hopefully many others, will pay much closer attention to what our state government is doing to protect us from ourselves.
Scott M. Simms
Waipahu
Certain conditions warrant speeding
Honolulu police officers should be the only ones allowed to issue speeding tickets. They can judge whether or not a speeding violation is even necessary.
The photo van system is not a fair way to issue speeding violations. There are certain conditions on the freeways that should warrant a vehicle to speed slightly over the limit as long as it doesn't cause a hazard. These are some of the conditions:
- If a vehicle driving in front of you is billowing out a visible cloud of carbon monoxide or diesel fumes from its exhaust pipe.
- If a vehicle in front of you is driving in an unsafe manner.
- If a vehicle in front of you is releasing objects such as rocks, dirt or other debris.
- If there is a person with a medical emergency in your vehicle.
- If a vehicle has another car riding its bumper.
I hope politicians realize that most residents do not support the photo cam system. If they don't do something about it soon, residents are bound to let their voices be heard on Election Day.
Frank Munden
Harris may be right about 'conspiracy'
Although I would not vote for Jeremy Harris, I think there might be some merit to his claim of "conspiracy" against him.
Your paper has given an inordinate amount of print on "resign to run," especially in the editorial pages.
Is this "journalistic impartiality," or are you being politically driven?
Keola Choo
State libraries must filter out pornography
The Advertiser's position that Hawai'i's libraries should not protect our children from pornography is mistaken and potentially dangerous.
First, the state has a duty to protect our children while they are in its care. We have seen a gradual, but continuous, increase in the involvement of the state in the lives and well-being of our children. From state-operated schools, it has expanded into A-Plus, Pre-Plus (Plus-Plus?) and other programs designed to care for our children. It is disingenuous for the state to eagerly seek the role of provider of these services and then disclaim any responsibility for our children, including access to objectionable material, while in its care.
As an important part of the state Department of Education, libraries should be intimately involved in this duty.
Second, if the role of libraries were simply to warehouse information, we could fire all our librarians and use janitors to turn the lights on and off. When we enter a library to do research or locate appropriate reading material, we don't expect librarians to simply wave toward the shelves.
Librarians perform a critical job by organizing knowledge and acting as guides to patrons in accessing that knowledge. In this role, it seems obvious that "filtering" is a key process. (That's what our librarians and The Advertiser led us to believe during the book-buying contract fiasco, at any rate.)
The real problem seems to be that there is a hidden agenda not against filtering, but against filtering pornographic material from children. There will always be technical challenges in performing the filtering function. I call on university library and information sciences departments to aggressively take on this challenge.
At least The Advertiser did not bring up the tired saw about filters hindering research into "breast cancer." The Hawai'i State Library system should evaluate and implement cost-effective filtering solutions to prevent online access to pornography by children.
Scott Smart
Mililani
