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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, December 29, 2002

Letters to the Editor

Friend shouldn't have to fight if we go to war

My friend David is an Army Reservist who just got called up to serve in active duty for two years. So I will tell you why I don't want us to go to war in this new year:

Because David is a person who sees joy in all things. Because he is creative and loves music and has a wonderful sense of humor and can bring laughter to any situation. Because he is so loved by his family and friends. And because I don't want to see him broken for the rest of his life by the memory of the awful things that soldiers are called on to do in wars. Because David is too good to be a part of something that is sure to kill innocent civilians, to bring suffering to the mothers of soldiers, to wreak havoc on the environment, all in the name of a cause that our leaders can't fully articulate and for a war that most citizens do not support.

It is hard for me to believe that our president is close to anyone like David because if he were, I am quite certain that he would not be so eager to send us into war in Iraq.

Noli Hoye
Wainiha, Kaua'i


Residents do not want $1 million row of trees

The city wants to spend $1 million to install a median strip with 50 monkeypod trees and shrubs along Lunalilo Home Road in Hawai'i Kai to give it a sense of community and let others know they are entering Hawai'i Kai.

The Hawai'i Kai Neighborhood Board does not support the project, nor do the residents living along the affected road. The city has not done a traffic analysis of the affected area, has not consulted the police and fire departments about the impact on response time and has not even notified the residents along the proposed project.

The city admits it has no idea how much it will cost to maintain the trees but expects it will be handled by the shrinking maintenance budget. It is also unrealistic to expect one moving car, one parked car and a bicycle to share a 16-feet-wide lane. The justification for spending $1 million is that the money has already been allocated and will lapse if a contract is not awarded by Dec. 31.

I find it incredible that city Managing Director Ben Lee advocates spending $1 million on trees while claiming other things must be cut from next year's budget, which would mean scaling back the police station for East O'ahu.

I would like to invite the rest of the taxpayers to see the $1 million row of trees in Hawai'i Kai next summer so they can feel like they are "entering the community" and know that it was money well spent.

Dustin Horie
Hawai'i Kai


Sen. Hanabusa has vision to carry on legacy

Sen. Colleen Hanabusa opened her headquarters in Hilo on Dec. 11 in her bid to fill the seat vacated by the late beloved Patsy Mink. Rep. Mink was a strong, fiery advocate for the women and children of Hawai'i. Hawai'i needs someone who can ably fill her shoes and carry on the legacy she so firmly established.

I believe that Sen. Hanabusa has the vision, determination, experience and most of all, the courage to continue to represent the second congressional constituents. She has a legal background and is an expert in labor law.

Being of the fourth generation from Wai'anae, she has grown up in and understands the needs of rural Hawai'i and the need for economic growth. Since her district of Wai'anae and much of the 2nd Congressional District consists of a large Hawaiian population, she will fight for Hawaiians' rights as an indigenous people.

It takes extraordinary courage at great personal cost and risk to take a public stand and forge for fair, equitable and creative legislation.

Sen. Hanabusa has shown she can do it. She has my vote for U.S. congresswoman for the 2nd district on Jan. 4, 2003.

Ruth H. Matsuura, M.D.
Hilo


Dedication to job at home truly remarkable

As a longtime member of the Manoa Neighborhood Board, I know all too well that solving community problems — from too many potholes to not enough parking spaces — can be tedious work.

Ed Case knew this, too. Yet his participation at our monthly meetings was truly remarkable. On numerous occasions, after grueling three-hour sessions, he would still be there (sometimes alone in the audience), listening to our concerns and offering expert advice. His reports indicated that he was putting in the same long hours at the Legislature on our behalf.

Matters before the U.S. Congress are certainly more weighty than the issues of our valley. If Ed handles these with the same degree of interest and dedication that he displayed back home, he will make an outstanding contribution to Hawai'i and our nation.

C. Richard Fassler


Site is a sanctuary for endangered species

I am outraged by this year's Christmas present to Pahoa from our government: the desecration of one of our local natural treasures, Lava Tree Park. Since Dec. 10, the government has been defoliating Lava Tree Park with the irrational justification of the eradication of the coqui frog.

This secretive operation disregarded the fact that the park is a sanctuary for many other species: in particular, our endangered Hawaiian bat. In addition, many of the plants and trees that have been chopped off are indigenous to the area and irreplaceable, even if the government had the intention and the money to repair the damage.

Also, the citric acid it is spraying will damage or kill other nontargeted organisms, such as geckos and the animals that eat these organisms, including birds and the Hawaiian bat.

Lava Tree Park was a one-of-a kind place where people would go to meditate and contemplate on the beauty of nature. It was a place where local families would spend a Sunday afternoon over a picnic.

This desecration of the park may also affect the already fragile economy of Pahoa Town and our local business community that benefited from attracting travelers to such a local natural wonder.

We know that eradication of the coqui frog is impossible. Haven't we learned that each time we try to control nature, it backfires on us?

If this is a state park, that means it belongs to the people. Why did no one tell us about the defoliation program? Why was there no environmental impact study conducted? Why has government been so sneaky?

Fernando De Hoyos
Pahoa, Big Island


Lingle criticized after first month on the job

Gov. Linda Lingle has been in office less than a month. Let's look at the record.

She sent her chief minion to the City Council to read her letter opposing the rights of condominium owners, including many who voted for her, to buy the land beneath their apartments using a law that has existed for more than 10 years and based on another law pertaining to single family residences that has existed for 35 years.

Gov. Lingle has also reneged on the promise that she made to release $10.3 million owed to Hawaiians within 30 days of her inauguration. She doesn't have the authority to release the money, but some people will say anything to get elected.

Finally, Gov. Lingle has informed Hawai'i's nurses that she is maintaining a hands-off approach to collective bargaining in the private sector while hundreds of Mainland nurses are being brought to Hawai'i to take the jobs of our local nurses.

Well, thank you, Governor, for demonstrating so much understanding and aloha for our local people and our local values.

If Gov. Lingle can accomplish this much in less than a month, imagine how much she can accomplish in 48 months.

Richard Port
Former Chair, Democratic Party of Hawai'i