Letters to the Editor
Search for Hokget saved reef system
The saga of the pooch abandoned on a ghost ship inspired much kindness from dog lovers and unselfish actions by fishermen; it also caused the search for 60,000 gallons of fuel on a crippled tanker heading for a disaster on a fragile reef system.
The successful rescue of the dog and vessel saved the huge expense of cleaning up a possible oil spill and conveyed a message of a caring community to dog lovers all over the world. Millions of publicity dollars could not equal this message of genuine aloha for our Hawai'i.
Not a bad return for the investment. Thank you, Hokget.
George Cassarno
Each Warrior played the game of his life
Finally, Hawai'i has a men's national championship. How sweet it is ... how sweet it is.
Everyone played the game of his life. But it all started with Kimo Tuyay. After getting pulled out of the Penn State game, Tuyay proved that he deserved to start. His sets were fantastic, and he was as unpredictable as he has been all season. The many backsets to Eyal Zimet kept Pepperdine guessing.
Tony Ching was phenomenal, pounding down nasty kills and coming up with earth-shattering roofs. Vernon Podlewski was sensational in the back row. One moment sticks out: He handled a serve by diving to his right, then delivered a pinpoint pass to Tuyay, who quick-set Delano Thomas for a thunderous slam.
But Dejan Miladinovic and Costas Theocharidis were the leaders. Time after time, Costas found the hole in the block and exploited it. It's unbelievable that he isn't Player of the Year again. And Dejan, what can I say? You'll be missed ... but never forgotten.
So congrats, Warriors! Through all the adversity, you proved once and for all that you are truly champions. You're a tribute to this state and a testament to the University of Hawai'i.
We are the champions, my friends!
Daniel Nunes
Give coach Mike Wilton an offer he can't refuse
What's next for coach Mike Wilton? Will he be BYU-bound or will he stay on and go for a 2003 UH volleyball national trophy? We all should call UH and demand that it offer Wilton a new contract he can't refuse.
Quality coaches are very hard to come by, especially for the University of Hawai'i. The coaches are the ones who show the Mainlanders and colleges that we are just as good as they. We also can beat them on their home turf.
The mayor or even the governor should hold a rally of some sort to honor the volleyball players as national men's volleyball champs.
Henry P. Tabudlo
Letter writer got it all wrong on Dobelle
Evan Dobelle has said, "Everyone has the right to their own opinion, but not their own set of facts." As such, Tom Shimabuku's May 1 letter did not deserve printing by The Honolulu Advertiser. The facts:
- Dr. Dobelle did come to UH from a small liberal arts college. However, just before that, he headed the City College of San Francisco for five years. With 90,000 students, City College is twice the size of the University of Hawai'i. Dr. Dobelle was recruited by UH and his salary was not negotiated. It is simply the same as it was at his last position.
- Before Dr. Dobelle came to UH, the regents made the decision to redo College Hall, as the president's home marks its 100th anniversary. The cost and delay of this project actually led to Dr. Dobelle reforming the way UH does construction projects.
- Dr. Dobelle has never asked for anyone's resignation — in a time of strategic planning, he simply invoked the regents' policy of having to give a year's notice that an administrative job might change.
- As to the Janet Jackson concert, the advancement fund in the UH Foundation, which is not constituted of designated contributions or tax dollars, was started in 1973 under President Harlan Cleveland. The concert was an opportunity for a number of affluent contributors to see the real world of pop culture and how it affects our students.
- And finally, Dr. Dobelle has no desire to have a posh new office. He is prepared to give his present office to the new UH-Manoa chancellor because no one previously gave consideration to where that person would be located.
Jim Manke
External affairs and university relations, University of Hawai'i
Drug abusers won't get help in prison
Regarding the May 3 letter by Guy Chang, "Drug abusers hurt more than themselves": Whoever says that sending a drug abuser to prison will reform him obviously has no experience with our state's penal system.
Do you know how many drugs are in prison? If an addict doesn't even understand his own disease, how do you expect 1,000 other addicts, who don't understand it either, to help him?
People need to get educated before they offer advice on drugs.
Amelia Woods
Kailua
California spends far less on education
Renee Ing's April 30 Island Voices commentary tells us that the Beverly Hills School District spends $18,000 to 20,000 per student versus California's average of $8,500, and poor, poor Hawai'i only spends $6,700. All this being far less than Europe, she tells us, and so all this "shows the extent of our underfunding."
Since she works for the city, one can understand her numbers being way off.
In fact, according to official data, in 1999, California on average spent $5,700 per student and Beverly Hills spent $7,963 per student.
As for Europe, only Norway and Sweden outspent the U.S. in public education per student — and then barely.
It is not the funding; it is the way Hawai'i spends that funding on a bloated DOE bureaucracy — that is the problem.
A few years ago, I wrote about school spending by state and tried to correlate it with student results. I could not; there was no correlation whatsoever.
Cliff Slater
It's about saving jobs
Why don't you guys be honest and admit that you don't really care if this idea of moving part of the Pacific Command is what is best for the defense of this country and has more to do with saving jobs in Hawai'i?
Jerry Okamura
Kula, Maui
Without privatization, taxpayers get stuck
The well-made suggestions of Aveline Bareng on May 2 bring to mind my similar comments on the savings from privatizing government services, to wit: "Let public employees compete for the work" (Letters, Nov. 5, 1997); "Call for reform will fall on deaf ears" (Letters, Nov. 25, 2000); and "Civil Service reform bills are bottled up" (Letters, Feb. 13, 2001).
Bowing to union pressure, county- or state-staffed predetermined contract award evaluation reviews of bid proposed savings and performance will continue to circumvent meaningful benefits to Hawai'i's taxpayers.
John K. Kingsley
Wahi'awa
McDermott is myopic on Mideast problems
Bob McDermott is as dreadfully wrong as he is myopic. He speaks only of Palestinian terror and omits actions by Israel's army and government this past month.
Apparently, Rep. McDermott has been grazing exclusively from the Israeli propaganda trough. Without even a minimal acceptance of people who blow themselves and others to bits, the facts are painfully obvious. The government of Ariel Sharon and the out-of-control Israeli "Defense" Forces have wreaked havoc on Palestinians and the infrastructure that could lead to hope for Palestinians in controlling their own affairs. Israel's refusal to allow U.N. inspectors to visit is proof positive there is a fear of the truth being discovered.
Although some in Hawai'i's congressional delegation are "in Israel's palm," we should be grateful for Patsy Mink — someone who thinks for herself and tries to get the facts straight.
The old fear that Palestinians want Israel driven into the sea has been milked for all it is worth — never much. A proper posture for U.S. politicians is to insist that both parties live side by side with respect, justice, and in peace; to choose sides, as in past patterns, is eventually destructive of all peoples, institutions and countries in the "Holy Land."
Willis H.A. Moore
Rep. Mink can't have it both ways on Mideast
While Rep. Patsy Mink is an honorable and valued lawmaker, her negative vote on HCR 280 implied it's impossible to be anti-Palestinian terrorism while pro-Palestinian statehood, which is untrue.
Further, the May 2 letters to the editor from Lucas Noll and David Mielke regarding state Rep. Bob McDermott's April 26 article are misleading.
Consider the U.N.'s failure in 1948 to send a fact-finding mission when the five surrounding Arab nations invaded tiny newborn Israel; and ever since, Israel has been the U.N.'s favorite subject even while there's been genocide in Rwanda, ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia, strife in East Timor, the "disappearance" of refugees in the Congo and a decades-long occupation of Tibet by China.
I'd suggest Rep. Mink introduce a bill to export aloha to the Middle East, plenty accommodation and respect.
Janet Dagan
Larry Johnson ideal for HTA board position
So I read where Donna Mercado Kim is against the nomination of Larry Johnson to the Hawai'i Tourism Authority board for "undisclosed" reasons. The only surprise to this news is that Larry would even want to subject himself to the political games so deeply ingrained in our local politics.
Frankly, I can't think of a better person to be appointed to this vital position. I have known Larry since he was the Waikiki branch manager for the Bank of Hawaii some 30 years ago. His integrity, experience and tell-it-like-it-is attitude are sorely needed. He has no special interest or side agendas, and would only consider this position to truly promote the state and industry he loves.
The only problem that Mercado Kim could possibly have is that Larry will not bow to her demands and influence. She would much prefer to have someone on the board whom she can control.
If the recent events of Rene Mansho have taught us anything, Mercado Kim would be well advised to keep her constituents' interests in mind instead of her own.
It's about passion, not politics.
Fenton Oishi
Church doctrine let bad situation develop
As I see it, the Catholic Church is culpable on more than one count regarding the unchecked inappropriate behavior of its priests.
Along with most people, it is appalling to me that this has been allowed to continue for as long as it has. But I believe the church is also largely to blame for the fact that it ever happened in the first place.
It is not just coincidence that so many homosexuals end up choosing religious life — many, I believe, with the most sincere intentions. By condemning homosexuality as a way of being, the Catholic Church has made the priesthood one of the only options these members have to lead what it would consider a valid existence. Unfortunately, such repression of who and how people simply are — not to mention the learned negative self-image — can only manifest itself in the most damaging ways.
When is this institution going to get out of the Dark Ages and start its real mission of saving lives instead of ruining them.
Ashley Lee
