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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, June 2, 2002

Letters to the Editor

Jeremy Harris is a terrible role model

"I don't believe I can win so I am stepping aside." How could anyone be surprised by Jeremy Harris' withdrawal from the governor's race?

His "I can't win so I quit" attitude goes along with his phobia for potentially tough situations like striped uniforms on convicts. What a lesson for kids everywhere. "When the going gets tough, quit." Or is it "only play the game if you can win"? Or "it's not about standing for something, it's about the polls." You figure it out.

But you know whom I have more respect for now? Those unknown, no-chance-in-hell candidates that you see in the local newspaper election guides. The ones with zero budget, no poll standings, and only ideas and a handful of family and friends who (might) vote for them.

Yeah, those candidates don't get elected much, but if local politics was really about substance instead of style, any one of them would have beat the pants off Harris.

Patrick DeBusca Jr.
Waipahu


Explanations are just political spin

Here we go with the political spin that we all know and love (or actually hate). Last November, Mazie Hirono claimed to change her mind in order to run for mayor "because she feels a void in city government." Obviously such a void doesn't concern her now.

Why not run for the City Council? Too manini, I guess. She added that her decision "has nothing to do with my believing or feeling that I could not win for governor." If that were the case, why did she only enter after the mayor dropped out? She is simply looking for any high-profile job. It doesn't matter what position.

Hey, Mazie! In case this political thing doesn't work out, I hear Tom Brokaw is quitting.

Chalk up another deceitful candidate simply seeking fame and power rather than running on principle and truthfulness.

While we're at it, ask Rep. Ed Case a question, will you? When Ms. Hirono dropped out, he claimed he expected to benefit most from Hirono's departure because he believes they both appeal to constituents concerned with issues such as campaign finance reform and women's rights. Will he now come out and say her re-entry hurts him most? I think not.

The race starts on July 23. Ladies and gentleman, start your deceit, uh, I mean, your engines.

John Martin
Moanalua


Democrats show they know race can't be won

The Democrats seem to have a problem in getting a lamb willing to go to the slaughter of the governor's election this year. First, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono rightly determines she cannot win, even though, historically, it should have been hers for the asking. Now, Mayor Jeremy Harris sees the race as unwinnable, and he intelligently bows out.

The state Democrats need to quit fighting over who will lose to front-runner Linda Lingle in the November election. It doesn't really matter which Democrat wins the right to lose, let's just get on with the race.

Garry P. Smith
'Ewa Beach


Why not use natural grass at stadium?

The May 30 story that the Hawai'i Tourism Authority is willing to pay for new turf at Aloha Stadium made interesting reading. I am just curious why such a big fuss is being made about the stadium.

A lot of money has been wasted undoing the mistakes of the past: putting in plastic seats when wooden ones would have sufficed; using metal that corrodes because of salt in the air, etc. Now we have the expense of replacing the AstroTurf.

I fail to understand why we do not just use natural grass (since the climate is ideal), which would be cheaper to install and maintain, and be just as effective as FieldTurf. Why do we insist on throwing good money after bad?

If we have so much money, why don't we just build a new stadium without repeating the mistakes of the past and use the Aloha Stadium for what it is best suited: the weekly swap meets.

Raj Kumar Bose


Ticketed drivers aren't receiving due process

This letter is sent in response to Jeff Jacobs' letter of May 29 in which he asks, "Why do we stand for the Click It or Ticket campaign?" Government is trying to get as many people as possible to obey the law that they must wear their seat belts while traveling in motor vehicles instead of being allowed to exercise their freedom of choice.

I understand the reason we permit police officers to issue tickets to anyone who fails to wear a seat belt is exactly the same reason we permit those officers to issue tickets to anyone who operates a motor vehicle in excess of a speed limit.

But Our Founding Fathers tried their best to keep the government from being able to use the courts to extract money from the people by including in the Constitution the provision that no state shall deprive any person of property without due process of law. It is apparent to me that when the courts accept money from ticketed persons to "clear" their tickets without such persons appearing in court, the courts are brazenly and unconstitutionally depriving such persons of their property without due process of law. Should we permit this?

Clarence Shak


Kumu hula's genius won't be forgotten

It was truly a treat to watch the fruits of kumu hula Paleka Leina'ala Mattos' work. Her students moved like the poetry of hula, like mist, 'ohu, quietly wafting across the stage. I saw other kumu hula look in awe as they tried to figure out how Mattos was able to make all her dancers look like one.

Some say that Hawaiians die with their tradition and their secrets. Fortunately, for a culture in renaissance, Mattos revealed freely what she believed to be the essence of hula. Kau'i Kamana'o, her protege, has a heavy responsibility to carry on what he was taught.

There are few people who attain the status of kumu hula and who also become a part of hula lore. Without a doubt, Mattos' performing genius will always be in the memory and conversations of hula dancers and teachers.

Jerome Tabar


Priest shortage due to Vatican II reforms

The May 28 front-page article concerning the shortage of priests in the Roman Catholic Church didn't mention the real meat of the problem. It has nothing to do with the present scandals or celibacy.

The authorities only need to look so far as the tip of their noses and acknowledge the loss of true Catholic faith since Vatican II, which emptied out seminaries, secularized religious orders and desecrated many beautiful houses of worship, like our own historical Lady of Peace Cathedral in downtown Honolulu and St. Teresa's. From the very beginning of the reforms, signs were showing the church that there was no fruit being born, and it is from then that the problems should have been addressed.

What does the church expect the youth or anyone else to do without a symbol of leadership and strong prayerful life? The cassock and roman collar have been replaced by aloha or polo shirts. Religious habits have almost gone to extinction. Beautiful Gregorian chanting of the Mass and divine office is lost.

What is wrong with the Latin Mass and office? Vatican II stated that it should be perpetuated. Those priests and seminarians who are attached to the Tridentine rite are shunned and called schismatics. How can this be? This mass was said for at least a thousand years.

Forty years of Vatican II nonsense has brought the church to all this. What's wrong with trying to go back to tradition from which so many holy men and women were born?

Eric Wada