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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, July 20, 2002

Letters to the Editor

Trustees were arrogant on admission decision

How arrogant and disrespectful it is for trustees of Kamehameha Schools to try to have Hawaiians believe they had to let in a non-Hawaiian because they couldn't find a qualified Hawaiian.

Even more arrogant and disrespectful is the application of a non-Hawaiian student, who would obviously do well at any school, taking a seat away from a Hawaiian.

Both trustees and applicant do not seem to understand Hawaiian history or where Hawaiians stand on the socio-economic ladder in Hawai'i.

Steve Tayama


Kamehameha's aloha should go to Hawaiians

Fifteen percent of those who are invited to attend Kamehameha Schools are orphans or indigents. Many are admitted even though they do not score in the upper ranges of what we deem necessary to be at Kamehameha.

Maui could have admitted a Hawaiian student in this range even though not an orphan or indigent. Our school could have changed its criteria on this point in order to allow one more Hawaiian to benefit from Pauahi's legacy.

If we are establishing schools on the outer islands to service more Hawaiians, it is contradictory to say we can't find one Hawaiian student to meet our standards. We have students who score below the 50th percentile in reading at our O'ahu school who succeed due to excellent study skills and other factors that lead to educational success.

Historically, Hawaiians have been at a disadvantage with all the aloha that was and is inherent in many of our people. Kamehameha's aloha should first go to Hawaiians.

Ruby Lowe
Reading teacher
Kamehameha O'ahu campus


We shouldn't politicize sexual orientation

A July 9 letter writer accuses the state GOP and Linda Lingle of embracing homosexual activism, and states "conservatives on the issue of homosexuality in the state will have no motivation to participate in the gubernatorial election at all."

As a conservative Republican candidate for governor, I believe that every person should be treated with dignity and respect. But I don't believe in politicizing people's sexual orientation.

The only way voters in the upcoming Republican primary election will know for sure which candidate can be trusted to defend traditional values is through free and open debate. Furthermore, to deprive our citizens of debate is an insult to the voting public.

Republican ideals are based on fairness, openness, honesty and integrity.

John Carroll
Republican candidate for governor


Ford Island should be kept the way it is

Has the U.S. Navy and ultimately the secretary of the Navy lost the meaning of what Pearl Harbor really stands for? As the U.S. Navy prepares to build more housing on Ford Island, as if there isn't any left at Barbers Point, they "need" to put in a commercial development to help defray the costs.

One would think that after Sept. 11, the U.S. government, in this case the Navy, would wake up and see that the first time American soil was bombed is now going to become a commercial development to help pay for personnel housing.

How are we to show our children and future generations that America is not vulnerable if we continue to tear down those very things that brought this country together in 1941? With the Federal Building in Oklahoma City and the World Trade Towers demolished, there really are no visual reminders of what enemies, foreign and domestic, can do to the way of life that we all love so much.

The U.S. Navy needs housing on Ford Island about as much as I need a house on a swamp. I drive through Barbers Point weekly and see empty housing. What gives?

Let's preserve Ford Island the way it should be — with a memorial to those who lost their lives fighting a fierce enemy so that present and future generations can see what happens when America lets its guard down.

Susanne Dykeman
'Aiea


Anderson's gas price solution won't work

Andy Andersen has a solution for high gas prices: Create a public company to bring down gas prices by 40 cents per gallon. Which Democrat is misinformed?

The governor and his people have been stating for the past year that the state is in financial distress. Threats of worker furloughs and layoffs have been publicized, unless the hurricane fund can be raided.

Now comes Andy, creating a public entity that increases the size of government, creates more payroll and benefits, and he expects the revenue to cover the expenses. Wrong!

The obvious solution to this problem is twofold:

• Reduce or eliminate state taxes applied to gasoline (the money was supposed to fix our roadways — that isn't happening).

• If there is a violation of law regarding price-fixing, investigate and prosecute the offenders. If the present law does not have the teeth to fix the problem, the Legislature must create a law that will protect the public.

Sorry, Andy, you failed the test for reasonableness. If it were reasonable, the state wouldn't do it anyway.

John Slater