Letters to the Editor
Fisherman didn't do it for the thanks
Regarding the July 4 letter on Portlock heroes being unrecognized: My friends were the three fishermen who initially called 911 while fishing near Hanauma Bay. One had to give the firefighter directions as he was unfamiliar with the names of the various fishing spots and the locations (this has happened before on other 911 calls). My friend also explained the tide and that the victim would probably drift near Portlock.
The friends were glad to hear the woman was rescued off Portlock. They weren't formally thanked, but they didn't do it for the recognition and hold no ill feelings. They would do it again if it meant saving someone's life.
A suggestion from us fishermen is for rescue staff to learn the names and locations of the fishing spots so that rescues can be made in a more efficient manner. It surprised the fishermen that the rescue search focused on the diamondhead area since the strong dropping tide pulls toward Sandy Beach.
Perhaps the fishermen can share their knowledge about the coastline with rescue staff in hopes of making future rescues more successful.
Laron Kageyama
GOP is hypocritical on campaign reform
The Republicans' cries of anguish over Gov. Cayetano's veto of the campaign spending bill seem to demonstrate a nice piece of hy-pocrisy.
If you go to the Web site of their leading contender for governor, Linda Lingle, you will find that she includes a newspaper article dated May 22 in which she states, in response to the passage of the bill: "Recent state efforts to reform campaign spending are na•ve and only help incumbents."
In criticizing the bill, Ms. Lingle said: "Instead of regulation, the best reform is to require full campaign disclosure so candidates must report who is giving them money."
Now the Republicans, with crocodile tears and roars of outrage, are seeking a special session to override the governor's veto of a campaign spending bill that their leading contender claimed, on her own Web site, was "na•ve at best and dishonest at worst."
Rather than a "breath of fresh air," the more appropriate description would be "doublespeak."
Richard S. Miller
Special privileges abundant at prison
Even in the process of losing her privileges, Rene Mansho has received special privileges in the fact that she has gotten the attention of Public Safety Director Ted Sakai, who began an investigation. It appears he is more concerned with the publicity than whether or not federal law is being obeyed at the facility under his direction.
Of course he is on top of Mansho's situation. She is high profile, and anything affecting her will come to the attention of the media.
Not so for the deaf prisoner Charing Bernard, who continues to be denied school or rehabilitation services, continues to have her phone calls unfairly and arbitrarily limited, continues to be denied work, while many of the guards and the social workers refuse to communicate with her even at the most basic level (written notes), let alone providing for effective communication through the use of an interpreter.
I visit the women's prison in Kailua fairly regularly and have noted from the beginning the inconsistency with which the rules are applied by the guards responsible for checking visitors in. Visitors are not supposed to wear any jewelry except for wedding rings, and yet I have gone in behind one local gentleman wearing several large gold Hawaiian-style rings. I was refused entry because the request had not yet been approved (I accept that; I follow the rules), but while waiting in line I heard and saw the guard make an exception for a man in front of me who was from another island because the guard was from the same island as the "unauthorized" visitor.
I have submitted to the pat-down by the female guard and asked to open my mouth so she could look for contraband, while her male counterpart was not asking the men to submit to the same search. So, there are definitely "special" privileges being passed around on all levels.
Wake up and smell the roses, Mr. Sakai.
Cheryl Kaster
Na Lima Aloha
'Goliath' HECO was slain by land board
I can hear the cheers across the land. The Internet is crackling with e-mails comparing HECO to Goliath and rejoicing in the land board's courageous decision to deny the permit.
The opposition to the 138,000-volt transmission line along Wa'ahila Ridge was almost universal, comprising every relevant civic, political, environmental and cultural jurisdiction, along with the majority of the people.
The media, including The Advertiser, were strong in their opposition. To paraphrase "Casey at the Bat": There is no joy at HECO, for HECO has struck out.
The opponents of the power-line project owe many thanks to the courageous members of the Board of Land and Natural Resources who voted to deny the permit: Chairman Gilbert Coloma-Agaran, Fred Holschuh, Lynn McCrory and Timothy Johns. The members of the board, unpaid appointees, were caught in the heavy crossfire of this issue. It was a huge responsibility.
On the one hand, their decision might affect the electric power delivery to tens of thousands of people in East Honolulu. On the other, the ridgeline of Wa'ahila would be irremediably scarred and defaced, incurring the wrath of tens of thousands of people all over the state.
The board chose for the first time in history to deny HECO a requested power-line alignment, weighing HECO's dubious "ring of reliability" against the certain harm to the ridge and the sensibilities of residents and tourists.
The big loser is, of course, our electric company. Not just the $13 million or so it wasted to obsessively promote the project, but more importantly, the major loss of credibility and good will of its customers. To get these back, a reduction in corporate arrogance is a good place to start.
Jim Harwood
Better coverage was needed of celebrations
Millions of people worldwide participated in gay pride celebrations throughout June. On the same weekend that thousands of residents and visitors gathered in Honolulu for this occasion, major events were also held in New York City, San Francisco, Rio de Janiero, Paris, Seattle and Atlanta, to name a few.
The weekend marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riot, when a group of mostly drag queens and transsexuals decided to stand up against the discrimination and violence they experienced at the hands of police and society. This milestone event launched a movement for equality and justice that continues to this day.
While The Honolulu Advertiser did feature a photo and listing of activities in the weekend's TGIF section, it's too bad there was no news coverage in your paper of this global event. A few sentences about the history of persecution and injustice gay people have experienced would go a long way toward overcoming ignorance and intolerance.
Even more, readers would have learned how gay pride is celebrated in Hawai'i with many civic, cultural and business groups and individuals coming together to make our community a better place.
One of the headline speakers was Micah Kane of the Hawai'i Republican Party. While the GOP has a long way to go to demonstrate its commitment to civil rights, the longest journey does begin with the smallest step.
I wish The Advertiser had done a better job of reporting on this important community celebration. Mahalo to everyone who helped make this event possible.
Eduardo Hernandez
Potty-train the birds, and I might feed them
I made a comment against feeding the birds in city parks because of the droppings they produce while roosting in the trees. In a July 8 letter, William Chambers claimed that humans make more waste than birds.
As far as I can see, at least humans put the waste in its proper place and not on the sidewalk or on someone's back. When the birds have passed the potty-training course, I will reconsider feeding them in the city parks.
Second, these wild birds are quite capable of surviving on their own. Just look at the wildlife in the Amazon jungle.
Michael Nomura
Kailua
June Jones is being hypocritical on mopeds
June Jones is overstepping the bounds of his authority and demonstrating his hypocrisy by telling his University of Hawai'i football players they cannot ride mopeds since they could get hurt if they are involved in an accident.
If memory serves, wasn't Jones involved in a motor vehicle accident he claims he has no memory of?
So, to be fair, Jones should promise he will no longer drive an automobile since he will lose his memory when his vehicle happens to run into a fixed object.
If he cannot promise us this, then perhaps he should concentrate on being a football coach and leave the trappings of a dictatorship elsewhere.
John C. Pinero
Black market visitor housing flat-out illegal
Regarding your July 9 story about the "siege" of Maui's black market housing for visitors that brings in tens of millions of dollars of revenues to line the pockets of illegal rentals: What, besides sensationalism, is your story about? It's about poor crooks who don't pay taxes, don't obey lodging standards and community laws, and so on.
When I look at it, I wonder why these people are not in jail instead of using The Advertiser for a bully pulpit about their law-breaking, use of county facilities such as parks, police, fire, clean beaches and ad campaigns.
They sell lodging without a license, lodging with probably unsafe or unsanitary conditions. They add to the law enforcement burden and want to be able to complain about it.
G. Everett Spring
Makawao, Maui
Mahalo to the 'angels in very fast vehicles'
Several weeks ago, I required the services of paramedics and an ambulance escort to the emergency room. Looking back on the experience, I am amazed at the exceptional work this team performed.
Without such performance, death for myself and my unborn child was imminent.
I don't know the names of the particular workers who helped me that day, but to them and all other paramedics who save lives on a daily basis, I want to say thank you — you are angels in very fast vehicles.
Jackie Lacy
Libertarian Party will focus on the consumer
Micah Kane's June 21 commentary presents a disturbing view of the role of government and of his candidate, Linda Lingle.
Centering the campaign around questions of who is or isn't most "pro-union" or who will do the most to protect civil service jobs denies equal protection to the rest of us. The Libertarian candidate, Tracy Ryan, will not put public employees in a privileged position at the expense of the taxpayers.
If government employees were interchangeable, then the idea that cuts could effectively be made through attrition might make some sense. But different government jobs require different skills and backgrounds. Cutting government requires setting priorities based on an understanding of what the public can most readily get along without.
The new smaller government must employ people who most closely match the jobs that remain available. In the cuts-by-attrition model, we will end up with high-priced administrators doing entry-level work or, even worse, entry-level clerks in over their heads.
Libertarians believe the highest standard of living is achieved when government stays out of the economy. A government that sees its role as cooperating with organized labor, or big business, will always end up as the pawn of these groups. A pro-business or pro-labor government cannot be pro-consumer at the same time, no matter how many silly bills it passes that says it is.
When elected, Tracy Ryan will respect the rights of all of our citizens. She will work to shrink government to produce only the services that the private sector can't provide by itself. She will stay out of picking winners and losers among private industries and allow you, the consumer, to have that power. She will shift our economy to one driven by market forces, rather than government cronyism.
The 20th century should have taught everyone that free markets outperform centrally planned economies. Let's vote for what has been proven to work everywhere it has been tried.
Roger Taylor
Chairman, The Libertarian Party of Hawai'i
