Posted on: Friday, July 26, 2002

Letters to the Editor

Integrity, gentleness marked John Siofele

On July 22, close to 900 people packed 'Aiea United Methodist Church grounds to both mourn and celebrate the life of 18-year-old John Siofele. As many people are well aware, John died last week when the car he was driving struck a bus.

It was widely reported on television, radio and in the print media that alcohol was in his blood stream at the time. While this information makes a tragic situation even more poignant, it was, unfortunately, the last "news" the public heard about John. He deserves better than that. In fact, none of us should be known or remembered solely by one of our mistakes — even our most costly ones.

John was a young man of integrity, humility, gentleness, joy, friendship and a deep faith. That is what we came to celebrate on Monday. That is what this state has lost by his death.

James A. White
John's pastor, 'Aiea U.M.C.

Hawaiian children are not less gifted

As a student at the Kamehameha Schools, I resent the remarks by some Hawaiians, believing they are supporting other Hawaiians, that Hawaiian children are not smart enough to attend other private institutions and therefore can only attend Kamehameha.

When I was accepted to Kamehameha as a 7th grader, I was also accepted to Punahou, Iolani and Mid-Pacific Institute. I decided on Kamehameha. I know many other Hawaiian students who had the same choice between good institutions, and some chose Kamehameha, while others chose other schools.

Hawaiian children are not less gifted intellectually than children of other races, and I hope those people who want to support their Hawaiian children can understand that.

Becky Soon

Concepts of equality, justice go hand in hand

First, let me admit that my family has benefited from the princess' generosity with educational grants and programs. I do, however, have a few questions a part-Hawaiian friend asked me some 20 years ago.

If the missionaries had specified a "preference" for haole to attend privately owned Punahou School, how would the public react to that? Your children, no matter how bright, athletic or talented, could not attend a school of higher quality solely because of his or her race. And if it is racist to deny Hawaiians their rights simply because of their race, then isn't it also racist to grant benefits because of their race?

Throughout the years, many of my family and friends have told me, "But this is different, this is a private will, and the princess is like an ancestor and we are her descendants. Families can give their assets to whomever they want to."

Well, the very public tax-exemption status enjoyed by Kamehameha Schools allows the public to mess in the princess' private business.

But really, I wonder if that really matters. See, I think that even the most ardent Hawaiian activist is bothered by this "preference." After all, the concept that taking over a kingdom is wrong, that reparations should be given, that an apology should be issued are all American ideas. In old Hawai'i (and elsewhere), the strong ruled the weak, and the latter had no recourse.

How can we adhere to the American concept of justice but ignore America's concept of racial equality?

Nani Tavares
Wai'anae

Those who need it most are being denied

I was fortunate enough to get admitted into Kamehameha in the seventh grade. Since then, I have heard my teachers speak of my peers and myself as "the cream of the crop."

If this is true, it is only because each of us has had the proper educational foundation in applying to Kamehameha, which allowed us to get accepted. I went to a private school prior to Kamehameha, which helped me to prepare for the admissions process. I knew the standards for those who applied were set at a high level. Regardless, I still persevered.

However, there are underprivileged Hawaiian children who do not have the access to excel in outstanding educational facilities. Most of the time, they do not get accepted because they do not have the opportunity to thrive intellectually in a challenging environment. This usually has a lot to do with the applicant being not "qualified."

These are the students who need the help, but Kamehameha is ignorant when it comes to their circumstances. Is this what Pauahi would have wanted?

Kanani Souza
12th grader, Kamehameha Schools

Don't blame the Corps for harbor problems

The "Wai'anae harbor near brink" article in the July 15 Advertiser contains two statements that lack merit and justification:

• "Critics claimed the harbor was unsafe because a breakwater designed by the Army Corps of Engineers was inadequate to protect it from south swells."

• "He (Richard Cansibog) also suspects the breakwater may have contributed to the rapid deterioration (referring to the catwalks)."

As a former construction inspector with the Corps of Engineers, I worked on three breakwater projects and a new pier on separate islands within the Kawajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. I am very familiar with the plans and specifications for breakwater projects. The Corps of Engineers has designed and constructed numerous breakwater projects in the Hawaiian Islands and throughout the Pacific Basin.

To this very day, the Wai'anae harbor breakwater is still performing the job it was designed to do — to protect the boat harbor against the powerful forces of nature — and believe me, there were some huge waves pounding on it.

I have walked the breakwater almost daily for years with other shore fishermen when the halalu or akule are running. No structural failure or even minor cosmetic damages were observed from the south swells or any other wave action. As far as the catwalks go, their design or the breakwater has nothing to do with the rapid deterioration. In a marine environment, the usual problem is lack of maintenance.

Peter Aquino
'Aiea

Restaurant review left bitter aftertaste

In Matthew Gray's July 12 critique of Roy's Restaurant, he writes: "Roy's is the best restaurant that I never want to return to." We are comfortable with that decision for many reasons.

First and foremost, we are not confident that Mr. Gray possesses the credentials or the knowledge to be a restaurant critic.

Mr. Gray states in his review that Roy's utilizes a "bread minstrel" to divvy out the bread throughout the room and that it would be easier to have a basket of bread on the table. If Mr. Gray were truly observing the staff that night, he would have seen the service assistant assigned to his table was replenishing his bread as needed.

Mr. Gray says: "In 1988, when this Hawai'i Kai spot opened, people were still somewhat fascinated by the open kitchen." He goes on to say that, "Nowadays, that concept is dying out because its excess of visual noise is the antithesis of what patrons really want, a relaxing environment." When Roy opened the first restaurant in Hawai'i Kai, it was among the very first restaurants in Honolulu with an open-display kitchen, and people were more than somewhat fascinated by the participatory environment.

Mr. Gray has obviously never been to any of the hottest concepts on the Mainland like P.F. Changs, Spago's and China Bistro.

Mr. Gray makes the assertion that Roy only cooks when, as he puts it, "flashes are popping and cameras are rolling." While it is true that Roy spends less time in the kitchen because of his many duties, Roy does spend a significant amount of time on fundraising activities that benefit the community in many ways. To discount those efforts is unjust.

Rainer Kumbroch
Operations manager
Roy's Restaurants Hawai'i

Dog owners need recreational outlets

The July 18 article about dogs on the beaches focused on enforcement of leash and litter laws. However, it's important to recognize that the vast majority of dog owners who bring their pets to the beach are responsible, law-abiding citizens who are only exercising their right to recreational use of the beach.

In the last "Get the Drift and Bag It" campaign, there were 142 incidents of dog feces and 246 incidents of dirty diapers. We think everyone acknowledges that most parents clean up after their toddlers, and yet we haven't heard any outcry or call for the Department of Land and Natural Resources or the Honolulu Police Department to patrol the beaches ticketing the few offending parents.

According to a June 2001 Ward Research survey, 37 percent of the households on O'ahu include a dog. There is a great demand for recreational opportunities by this third of our population. That demand has yet to be met by the Department of Parks and Recreation for off-leash parks or the DLNR in the form of off-leash beaches.

On behalf of that third of all our neighbors, we urge the responsible city and state agencies to see the growing need for off-leash recreational facilities and to do as many cities around the country have done by developing them for our community too.

And on behalf of the majority of dog owners who are responsible, who are picking up after their dogs and who do keep their dogs on a leash, we urge the few offending dog owners to please not spoil things for everyone else.

Pamela Burns
President and CEO
Hawaiian Humane Society

Bus stops should have trash containers

While driving from Waikiki toward Pearl Harbor, I noticed trash along Ala Moana at a bus stop. It was right across the street from the harbor where a lot of tour boats and dinner cruises leave from.

Bus stops should have trash cans with a weekly collection. I know this will cost money, but this is also what tourists see as they travel from the airport to Waikiki.

Kim Snell

Hawaiians, Samoans one people

Recent remarks by Haunani Kay-Trask, Lilikala Kame'eleihiwa and some of their colleagues about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson playing King Kamehameha are not worth honoring with a reply.

I would like, however, to point out that there is a difference between "self-proclamation" and "self-evidence."

Trask and Kame'eleihiwa can proclaim whatever they want, but scientific and cultural evidence indicates that my Hawaiian cousins came from Samoa, where they were created from "papa," literally and ironically translated as "the rock," by Tagaloa, our native Atua.

I would like to point out as evidence findings from the Lapita pottery, the cultural heritage of King Kamehameha in Kohala, the legends of Pa'ao and Pili, and early settlement at places like 'Upolu Point in Ka'u on the island of Hawai'i, or Savai'i as we call it.

I do not claim to be Hawaiian, nor do I wish to become one. I am Samoan and very proud and comfortable with it. But I am disappointed that Trask and a relatively young generation of Hawaiian scholars are manipulating our common Polynesian ancestral heritage in an effort to advance their own collective political cause.

I am of the opinion that all of us, be it Samoan, Hawaiian, Maori or Tahitian, have a moral obligation to teach our young people the truth about our common ancestral heritage. Our heritage is the one thread that has held us together as a people.

Master navigator Nainoa Thompson and the brave crew of the Hokule'a can attest to that fact. They were honored, celebrated and were told, "welcome home" with love, dignity and respect on every island the Hokule'a landed on. Nainoa was not accorded such high honors because he was Hawaiian but because he was, in our Polynesian hearts, "one of us" — ivi, toto ma a'ano.

Trask and her colleagues might want to consult their elders (tagata matutua) in the Hawaiian community and seek their wisdom about the truth surrounding our common ancestral heritage.

If Hawaiian leaders could summon the courage to re-examine the evidence and learn more about the facts, young people might not have to resort to "self-proclamation" in order to carve a new identity for themselves. Because strong "self-evidence" indicates Samoans, Hawaiians, Maoris and their Polynesian cousins are one people.

Aumugaolo Ropeti Ale
Samoan matai and UH graduate
Toamua, Independent State of Samoa