Letters to the Editor
Leasehold conversion law lost its moral intent
Like rain that falls incessantly from above, the constant downpour on Hawaiian trusts, entitlements and lands is slowly eroding away the foundation of our people.
The deluge of lawsuits, condemnation of lands and threats upon Hawaiian institutions are inundating the few resources the Hawaiian people can claim. Yet again, those who have much are bullying those with so little.
The recent passage of Bill 53 through its second reading before the City Council is an example of outright political pressure exerted by those who have the money to lobby our council members against the will of the people.
The mandatory leasehold conversion law has lost its moral intent and is now up for grabs to the highest bidder.
The Queen Lili'uokalani Trust is being threatened by Bill 53, specifically, the queen's ancestral lands in Waikiki. A considerable portion of the income generated from these properties is used for services and support our people receive through the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center.
Lunalilo Trust. Kamehameha Schools. Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. The lawsuits and manipulation of the law by attorneys who seek to cast down the rights of Native Hawaiians and indigenous people continue.
Where does this leave you, my dear Hawaiian people? Are you content to sit on the sidelines while all that our ali'i entrusted for our care is swept away?
"You must remember never to cease to act because you fear you may fail!"
Our beloved queen's words should stoke the fires in the hearts of her people. Remain silent no longer!
Malia Evans-Mason
Waialua
Surge in deaths may be tied to market
In regard to the July 28 article, "Surge in autopsies a mystery," the reason there are so many more accidents this year is because of the falling stock market.
As people's (especially elders') assets are vanishing overnight and clinging hopes of the oh-so-sacred and holy market's return are dashed against the rocks of fraud, ignorance and greed, people have lost confidence in the future. Their future and their children's future are numbed by the fear and lack of prospects. Scrambling in an effort to hold on to what they've got, pay the rent and possibly make more, people are not paying attention to the here and now. Therefore, more accidents.
It's not as far-fetched as it may sound. People's mortality is tied to their ability to provide a decent standard of living for themselves and their families. It doesn't mean that the stock market is our savior; more likely, we invested in a sacred golden calf, and Greenspan as the New Messiah.
Philip Wolf
'Hobby,' if made legal, would create more jobs
Why is there so much fussing about chicken fighting? If the government was smart, they would legalize it. Why? Because it will bring more jobs for the people of the Hawaiian Islands, and it is also culture. Anyway, it's not as bad as they say it is. I read the July 29 article about the chicken fights and yes, there are a lot of people that come. But some of them are only there for the Filipino food. So you people out there who give us cockfighters a bad name, we are human just like you. The only difference is our hobbies and I love my hobby.
Kalei Gomes
Kihei
Morning-after pills do not cause abortions
The July 29 letter from Dr. Nathan Hoeldtke, "Know the facts about 'morning-after pill,'" is an attempt to convince us that emergency contraception is a form of abortion. This letter from a physician in our medical community is troubling, but not surprising from those opposed to a women's right to choose.
The public confusion about the difference between emergency contraception (EC) and medical abortion results from such misinformation. The anti-choice forces nationally have also tried to "clarify" the definition of a "child" to include the moment of conception, not to expand access to health care, but to limit the rights of women to make their own childbearing choices. All do not agree when life begins.
Emergency contraceptive (EC) pills do not cause abortions; they prevent pregnancy and the need for abortion. EC will not induce an abortion in a woman who is already pregnant, nor will it affect the developing pre-embryo or embryo. Oral contraceptives, including EC, prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation, fertilization and/or implantation.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Women's Association define pregnancy as beginning with implantation and agree that EC does not cause abortion because they have no effect once implantation has occurred.
Half of all U.S. pregnancies, or about 3 million a year, are unintended. Half of unintended pregnancies and one-third of all pregnancies in the United States end in abortion.
Knowledge and easy access to EC could prevent an estimated 2.3 million unintended U.S. pregnancies each year and reduce the number of abortions by 800,000 annually.
EC pills, when taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex, reduce a woman's risk of pregnancy by 75 percent to 94 percent. They are most effective when taken within 24 hours after unprotected sex but can be effective up to 120 hours.
Women may need EC even though they regularly use contraceptives. The need arises when contraceptives fail or are not used correctly, men and women fail to plan ahead, or when women are forced to have sex against their will. In these circumstances, the responsible course of action may be to use EC pills to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.
Barry Raff
CEO, Planned Parenthood of Hawai'i
Driver's frustration to be reflected in vote
I have enjoyed living in Wai'anae for the last 30 or so years, even though it is a long drive to town for work, and an even longer drive home because of the backup from Nanakuli to up the hill and sometimes back to Kahe power plant.
Now the political season is bringing out the sign wavers to promote the runners. Although sign wavers should have absolutely no effect on traffic flow, they do affect it, backing it up as far as Ko Olina, adding as much as 40 minutes to my transit time.
Since you don't give a squat about the time that I spend in traffic, I guess I won't give a squat about giving your runner my vote. I will be tracking which candidates' signs are out there and how far we are backed up. I can assure you that I will vote accordingly, as I am sure that many others will do the same.
Fred A. Rackle
Makaha
Number crunching has political motive
It is so ironic that the July 30 story on Gov. Cayetano using state worker time to rebut Linda Lingle's plan to revive the food tax credit and other worthwhile changes was near two stories that reported on public workers who went to jail for using public worker time to campaign. When caught with this illegal activity, Cayetano said he was going to have state workers "analyze the plans of all the major candidates."
More state worker time wasted to have them tell us that the Democratic candidates have the best plans. In 1998, Cayetano did the same thing, having his number crunchers at DBEDT tell the voters that the state didn't have a deficit — we had a $150 million surplus (that quickly evaporated after the election).
It's time for a "New Beginning," one where state workers are not abused and facts not twisted by the party in power to help them get reelected.
Fred Gartley
Kane'ohe
Tiki entertainment gets mostly generic touch
In regard to the July 28 "Plundering Polynesia" story, what state of things is Allen St. James aiming for in condemning the use of tiki imagery for entertainment? Tikis where nobody will see them?
One only has to look at the result of what the misguided fear of political incorrectness has done to modern Waikiki:
In this once mecca of Polynesian culture there is hardly a Tiki Bar to be found, but lots of generic corporate outfits. From the Hard Rock Cafe to Banana Republic, Wolfgang Puck to Japanese chains, franchises that can be encountered in any city all over the world abound. Maybe some places apply a careful touch of Polynesia here and there, but all in good taste, just don't be Tiki-tacky! The result is a generic everyworld.
In the heyday of tiki on the Mainland, many Hawaiian, Samoan and Tongan expatriates frequented places like the Bali Hai in San Diego, The Seven Seas in Hollywood and Kono Hawai'i in Anaheim because they were as close to "home" as they could be. I am sure these islanders could differentiate between a sacred heiau and a place to have fun.
The obsession that true religion can only be treated with awe and stiff respect is a stuffy Christian notion brought on by the missionaries.
Ancient Polynesians were as playful as they were fearful in their dealings with their gods. The representation of their ancestors was giving them mana, and mana was and is a positive energy flow, be it at home or in a place of business.
I truly believe that my "Book of Tiki, the History of Polynesian Pop," which has been distributed worldwide, from Norway to Argentina, has increased the mana of Polynesian culture rather than harmed it. Pop culture has its place, just as authentic tradition does.
Sven Kirsten
Author of "The Book of Tiki"
Los Angeles, Calif.
Dog complaints fall on deaf ears
Whenever I've come across dogs running loose on the beaches or parks, I've been advised by authorities to call the Hawaiian Humane Society and let them take care of it. After reading the pro-dog, anti-human letter on July 26 by Pamela Burns of the Hawaiian Humane Society, I now know why nothing was ever done about my complaints.
The Hawaiian Humane Society should not be in the position of responsibility on this issue. Their pro-animal, anti-human bias is too great for them to be able to act objectively on issues involving dog-human interaction. They always take the side of the dog.
If a human claims that a dog has approached them with a vicious attitude or if a dog has been a disturbance or running wild or whatever, they will believe the dog owner.
The reason is simple. Just like parents who think that their children can do no wrong, the dog owners and the Hawaiian Humane Society believe that the dogs can do no wrong.
Only a person with an extreme pro-animal, anti-human bias could refer to "the few offending dog owners."
Few?
Evette Shamon
Don't butcher trees in thick of summer
Why is it that anyone in their right mind would want to trim, much less "hat rack," a tree in the thick of summer when that tree could be doing what it was meant to do: give shade? I look at the "hat racked" monkey pods at the airport and wonder what was going through the minds of those responsible for cutting the trees.
Do you have anger issues? Do you not feel loved? Are you overstressed? If so, don't take it out on a tree.
"Hat racking," or butchering of trees, is because of a lack of knowledge; and a tree that has been "hat racked" is never the same. It took years for our mango tree to produce fruit again and the tree became infected with opportunistic bugs.
Why haven't the monkey pod trees been painted black where the limbs have been lopped off to keep bugs from infesting? Why didn't those in charge for cutting consult with those who care for the monkey pods at Moanalua Gardens and get tips? No more hat racking trees in the thick of summer! This is supposed to be Hawai'i and not a desert of hat racks!
Reno Kapo Villaren
Marine Corps should get access to training area
The U.S. Marine Corps expressed their desire to begin limited jungle warfare training in Waikane Valley for Marine personnel stationed in Hawai'i. The Honolulu Council of the Navy League of the United States supports this training.
Our armed forces are engaged in assisting the Philippines rid its nation of terrorist threats. The training environment provided by Waikane Valley would allow Hawai'i Marines to train in jungle conditions similar to what they encounter in the Philippines and elsewhere.
The Marine Corps has stated that they will provide all necessary precautions, including an environmental study to ensure that the integrity of the valley is preserved. Clearly they will need to work with the residents and users of Waikane Valley and the greater community, which is part of their stated goal.
The Marines keep their word. I would hope we would keep ours also by providing our men and women who protect us with access to this important resource.
Glenn K.Y. Hong
President, Honolulu Council
Navy League of the U.S.
Hope for inclusiveness
The Boy Scouts Council of Hawai'i recently recognized me as their Distinguished Citizen of the Year. I share this honor with the other community organizations I am privileged to work with. They are the heroes who quietly and steadfastly provide a network of support working to better the lives of many individuals.
It also would not have been possible without two individuals who are my right and left hands at Washington Place, Ms. Donna Hoshide and Mr. Jim Bartels. To them, I owe my thanks.
I appreciate the great work that the Boy Scouts do in our community and throughout our country. However, it is my hope that they will one day open their arms and leadership positions to all capable individuals.
Vicky Cayetano
