As the Legislature's action in passing the bill amazes the Honolulu Prosecutor's Office, it also amazes our office. I agree with Nishimura that "The real problem seems to be getting adequate treatment programs and funding and bed space, and it seemed somehow that people supporting this program were implying that this bill would solve those problems. Well, simple funding would have done it."

Craig A. De Costa
Deputy prosecuting attorney
County of Kaua'i

Prisons should allow inmate phone cards

I read the May 10 letter from Kevin Johnson concerning the high cost of collect phone calls originating from prisons. I can relate to that situation.

Families and friends are left to pay extremely high prices for the privilege of speaking to their loved ones in prison. The phone companies need to look at their prices and compassionately work something out to accommodate the families and friends of inmates.

I offered my friends phone cards. These would make the calls more affordable. However, the inmates are not permitted to have phone cards. They usually don't do the dialing themselves. A guard does it.

Phone services need to be more affordable. Prisons should allow inmates to use phone cards and do the dialing themselves.

Paco Gomes

Prisoners shouldn't gripe about phone calls

Regarding Kevin Johnson's May 10 letter on the cost of phone calls from prison: Where do you come off grumbling you can only have 15 minutes for a telephone call and how much your family has to pay for these phone calls?

You're in prison, pal, or have you forgotten? You are lucky you can actually have telephone privileges. I don't feel you should have those privileges. If you weren't in prison, it wouldn't be a problem, now would it?

Don't you be grumbling about costs or anything. We taxpayers have to pay for the meals you eat every day. If I had my way, I wouldn't pay for them, but I still have to.

Gail Gali
Na'alehu, Big Island

Legalize drugs, then hold people accountable

To hear the way some people go on about it, one would think that crime, sometimes even sin, never existed until the '60s and the advent of popular drug use. Obviously, that just isn't so.

I agree with one letter writer's opinion that criminals who victimize others should not be allowed to bypass accountability for their crimes by blaming it on drug use, and winding up in treatment instead of suffering the consequences of their actions. That's a cop-out to the max.

But there are millions of drug users in this country who don't resort to those methods to procure their drugs. In fact, the vast majority hold steady jobs, pay taxes, contribute to charitable causes, do good deeds for others and are generally upstanding citizens, despite the fact that their country has declared war on them.

Why do government agents think they have a right to spend millions of tax dollars to constantly vilify and wrongly castigate millions of American citizens because of the acts of a few? Should we judge all politicians or law enforcement personnel based on the criminal acts of a small percentage of their numbers?

Zero tolerance is not a policy at all; it's tyranny, plain and simple. That's the main reason it's such a dismal failure. The true war is cultural in nature. If the "beats" and the "hips" had kept listening to Tennessee Ernie Ford, waved the flag and gladly marched off to 'Nam, the current situation would never have emerged.

I think the best thing that could be done to drastically lower the "real crime" rate is to legalize all drugs. Then hold people accountable for their behavior. In fact, if they commit a crime while under the influence, including alcohol, the penalties should be twice or three times worse.

Larry Temple
Kailua

Child safety seat bill should have passed

I was skimming through the column "Tax bills that passed or failed" in the May 11 paper. The one bill that made sense and failed was the $25 tax credit for each child safety seat purchased, and the traffic laws that ride with it.

I know I'm not the only one who gets angry when he sees a bunch of small kids hopping around in the back seat of a car while driving down the highway. Seems to me that $25 is a small price to pay for a law that encourages booster seat usage and stiffer penalties for those who refuse to comply.

I would like to think the safety of our children would be a No. 1 priority for the Legislature. I guess not.

Mike Hoffman
Pearl City

State business laws are modern, up-to-date

On May 10, Denim Haruo Imua Cretton commented in the Island Voices column entitled "Focus on long-term results for Hawai'i" that: "A few years ago, we upgraded our state to promote high-tech, a great idea. The problem is that we did not adjust our incorporation laws to create a business-friendly environment that will foster new growth and the eventual reinvestment of profits."

He is incorrect.

The Cayetano administration has undertaken a comprehensive modernization of not just Hawai'i's corporation laws, but all the business laws, including partnerships of all types and limited liability companies.

Working closely with the business community and representatives of the Hawai'i State Bar Association, this administration completely replaced Hawai'i's Business Corporation Act two years ago. We are also one of the easiest states in the country in which to incorporate and one of the first with online initial business registration filing capability.

The Cayetano administration has also updated the securities laws supporting capital formation to finance new businesses.

In short, Hawai'i now has the most modern, up-to-date business laws we have ever had at any one time in the history of the state.

Ryan S. Ushijima
State commissioner of securities

Ethical behavior also exists in sports

Contrary to Ferd Lewis' opinion, good sportsmanship and ethical behavior exist in sports, at least at the high school level.

At the HHSAA Track and Field Championship preliminaries recently, a Hilo coach sought me out to report that one of his own athletes had been inadvertently awarded a fair jump in the high jump competition. The Hilo coach thought she had knocked the bar off and should have been assessed a foul.

Fortunately, the self-reporting didn't hurt the competitor's chances. The fair jump was confirmed, and she lives to jump another day.

Michael Ho

Hail and farewell, Steve; I'll miss you

I was shocked reading in The Honolulu Advertiser of the passing of my friend Steve. The obituary reported his age as only 49.

My mind flashed back to the days when Steve and I worked together as part-time employees in the neighborhood theater. Back then both of us worked second jobs so our wives could stay home with our young children. In the breaks between the busy times at the theater, we would share our hopes and aspirations for our kids.

We also told each other about the fun times from our pasts, sharing tales that had made lasting impressions. We met challenging times over the years. Both of us faced being unemployed from our "day" jobs and looked hard to find other work. These hurdles helped develop our friendship as we faced them together and encouraged each other.

We both left our part-time jobs at the theater for different reasons, but both of us were thankful for our friendship. Living in the same Windward community provided occasions for chance meetings. As time passed, it would become more difficult to find that common thread that once kept us so close. Life has a way of doing that to friends.

Steve's obituary stated he was acknowledged for being named employee-of-the-year at his primary job at The Honolulu Advertiser. I read with interest that he continued to work part-time for other employers.

I don't know the circumstances of Steve's passing and I do not understand why he would be taken from us at such a young age. He was truly a good man who loved his family and his God. He worked hard to make his home and community a better place. It's hard to believe that I won't see Steve's smile or hear his laughter any more.

I know where Steve is today, and I wish him the peaceful rest he so richly deserves. Goodbye, my friend, I will miss you.

Dave Murakami
Kailua

Story of 3 teens lifted our spirits

Kudos for your decision to place three teenagers — Vallet Lee, Shinyoung Oh and Claire Tsutsumi, who represented their school in Math Bowl XXIV — on the front page of the May 8 Advertiser.

It seems that we have been wallowing in news about too many leaders abroad and at home who have disenchanted us with their value systems, be it in education, politics or the church. Granted it sells newspapers. But in the meantime, have we been selling out our future because of such recognition?

This third-place team could have been totally unrecognized by our media, or wound up on a back page somewhere, as they weren't national champions. But you lifted our spirits by publishing Suzanne Roig's wonderful and refreshing article to remind us that moral values are still alive.

Cherry Jeong
Kailua

Honolulu should be helping the homeless

We shouldn't just keep pushing the homeless out of places, but should help them. The city should build places where the homeless can go to get themselves cleaned up and fed and taught job skills.

It is terrible that people can donate thousands to help rescue a dog but not donate for the homeless. If the city wants to clean up the homeless situation, why not help them instead? They're people, not animals.

Edric Takara
Student, Castle High School

Royal treatment given for medical procedure

I started my journey down some long hallway in the Queen's Medical Center looking for signs of my destination. At almost every turn along the way, I was greeted with an "Are you OK?" "Do you need any help?" Seeking admission, I was greeted with a giant smile and an "Aloha! Let me get you started on your way."

That was Christine, the first in a long list of people who sought out my every need and fulfilled them graciously.

"Hi, I'm Sue, and we were expecting you. You're in 825. Let me help you get settled in."

"Hi, I'm Berly, and you'll be more comfortable in these. Let me know if I can get you anything."

"I'm Dr. Mah, and I understand that you're having some problems. Dr. Tsuruta and I are here to help you."

Boy! Talk about the royal treatment. Things were happening so fast, yet I didn't feel any pressure. As I began to make myself comfortable, it was gently announced, "We can take you in now."

Then it was, "Hi, I'm Jin, and I'm here to help you with an I.V. Then it was "Howzit, brah, ready to go?" Then it was Berly again: "You won't need these; let me help you."

I was met downstairs by Mr. Hee and his crew. "You must be bored with all these same questions being asked, but we want to take good care of you."

When I came to, I was shivering, but with a wave of his hands, Mr. Hee did his magic and I was fine again, being whisked off to 825.

"Hi, I'm Addy, and I'll be caring for you since Sue is getting off soon. Please let me know if you need anything."

All vitals were handled courteously and professionally. I felt as if I were the most important man in the world, and it was obvious to the entire staff I was.

At checkout, concern was all over Lori's face as I had expressed my intent of jumping on my motorcycle for the short four-block ride home. Needless to say, I relented. How could I risk letting such a caring bunch of people worry needlessly? I was their entire focus for 24 hours.