Posted on: Friday, June 28, 2002

Letters to the Editor

Seat belts, helmets should be optional

Having listened to arguments on the merits of helmets and seat belts, I think people are really missing an important point:ÊWe have a right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

I cannot drive drunk because it endangers others, but not wearing a helmet or seat belt only endangers my life. Now, I know some would say that the cost to society warrants forcing me to use such safety devices, but I would say to them that freedom is expensive. Just look at the cost of the military.

If money and saving lives are the core issues, then we would be better served forcing people to eat right and exercise. After all, obesity and its related problems cost society more in money and death than not using helmets or seat belts.

Having made this argument, I would like to say that I do where my seat belt and my helmet, but doing so should be my choice. Ê Ê Ê

James La Monte

Metal railing is needed along Ala Wai Canal

I am a local runner who is disturbed about the recent killing of Jack Wyatt.

I have often run the same path of Mr. Wyatt along the Ala Wai Canal sidewalk. During these weekend runs, the public sidewalk bordering the canal can become crowded with pedestrians. Often, I have had to run close to the edge of the sidewalk to get around people. I must be careful not to fall off the edge because there is about a 5-foot drop into the shallow canal where rocks and a cement ledge are visible.

It seems to me this public sidewalk presents a health hazard to pedestrians. The city should install a metal railing alongside the canal in order to make sure people don't fall in and hurt themselves either accidentally or by random acts of violence, as was the case with Mr. Wyatt.

Isn't the city liable for injuries resulting from such dangerous placement of a public sidewalk without also erecting safeguards?

Stephanie McLaughlin
Mililani

New state quarantine fee is not justifiable

A fee of $525 for five days of quarantine is highway robbery.

For Dr. Foppoli to justify it by saying it is needed for operating costs is outrageous. For Eve Holt of the Hawaiian Humane Society to say that pet owners didn't mind paying the $655 so they will continue to pay $525 for the shorter confinement time is outrageous.

Pets are held hostage to that high ransom, and we pet owners pay, not by choice, because we are forced to by this 90-year-old law. We protested the rate hike a few years back when the 30-day quarantine went up by 130 percent, but to no avail.

I once gave to the Hawaiian Humane Society every year, but after Eve Holt's comments, I don't think I will be wasting my time and money on an organization that doesn't care about animals but only about publicity.

Jennie Wolfe
Mililani

Extremist liberals can't run on the issues

I am so pleased that The Advertiser published hit letters against me and my quest to bring balance back to state government.

The personal attack letters prove my point. The extremist liberals who are defending the political monopoly running state government can't run on the issues.

The status quo seems to be mesmerized by the arrogant mantra of the recent Democratic convention that articulated their belief that they have "a right to govern."

Auwe.

Sen. Fred Hemmings

Excellent candidates already are in the race

I don't understand why the media keep complaining that the Democrats don't have enough candidates for governor.

We have three very excellent candidates, every one of them way better than Jeremy Harris.

Let's quit whining, get behind one of them and get on with it.

Penny Guinn

Statistics show gun locks aren't answer

The June 25 issue of your newspaper shows Kerry McDonnell and his Project Homesafe giving out gun locks. Maj. Tim Slovak of the HPD states, "In the last decade, there were less than two unintentional deaths per year in Hawai'i." How much safer does Mr. McDonnell want Hawai'i gun owners to be?

The fact is, most gun owners are responsible citizens, and most gun statistics include criminal acts committed with guns. When the facts come out, accidental deaths are very rare, as reflected by Maj. Slovak's statistics.

Your paper also has a story on serious crime being up 3.8 percent in Hawai'i. Maybe Mr. McDonnell could direct his efforts toward the real problem, crime, and leave law-abiding citizens alone. Keeping criminals locked up would make Hawai'i much safer than gun locks preventing "less than two unintentional deaths per decade."

Those of us who refuse to be victims do not need Mr. McDonnell's locks; we need enforcement of existing laws.

Robert Thurston
Hale'iwa

'Lilo & Stitch' is way too heavy for children

I am writing to criticize the movie "Lilo & Stitch." I lived in Hawai'i for five years, studying at UH-Manoa. Two of the worst aspects about living there were the domestic violence and racial tensions. Both of these were prominently featured in the Disney film "Lilo & Stitch." After seeing the movie, I was thoroughly depressed.

The movie's trailer clearly promoted the film as a story about a cute little alien who comes to Hawai'i and befriends a cute little local girl and they go off on an adventure. Instead, Stitch deliberately and violently destroyed things for the first hour and 15 minutes of the movie, while Lilo got into fights and lived in a broken home with domestic violence.

I'm not saying these issues aren't real and shouldn't be examined in a movie, but this was a Disney movie and way too heavy for kids. "Lilo & Stitch" could have given more attention to the beautiful things about Hawai'i and its people.

The film didn't even do justice to the issue of domestic violence in Hawai'i. Just saying the word "'ohana" is no protection from an abusive family member.

Matthew Newland
Omaha, Neb.

Economics should sort out smoking ban

Regarding the smoking ban in restaurants: I think the City Council should have required each restaurant to declare itself smoking or nonsmoking. The economics would have sorted out whether the restaurant would fail because of a ban.

Nonsmokers, being the majority, would probably dictate the course of action a particular business would choose. It would still leave room for those businesses that want to cater to the smoking crowd.

As far as the employees go, many of them smoke. It's an industry that for some reason has a high rate of smokers. There would be opportunities to relocate to a facility that meets that person's lifestyle. Some would be unhappy in a nonsmoking environment while others would want to relocate to that environment.

An outright ban is simply imposing the City Council members' personal beliefs on the public. I'm sure they will point to the medical evidence as the need for this law. The bottom line still remains that this law is a reflection of the council members' personal beliefs under the cover of the public good.

S. Nelson
Hale'iwa

More time for exercise

Mr. President:

Regarding your remark that we ought to exercise daily: If you sincerely wish that to be an eventuality, then reduce the workweek to 35 hours.

William J. King

'Under God' added by war survivors

I seldom have a visceral reaction to the news, but I had one today when I learned that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because of two words: "under God."

These words were added in 1954 by a Congress composed of men and women who had fought, survived and won World War II. There was no doubt in their minds that for them to win that war, as all who have fought wars know, God had to be involved.

No wonder this court is the most overturned court in the United States. I bet they are wrong on this one, too.

Kenneth W. Rhylander
Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Suit against pledge shows lack of aloha

James Wataru