Letters to the Editor
Lingle must tell us where she stands
David Shapiro's May 8 column about the state GOP raises important concerns. Like Shapiro, I would also like to know where my opponent in the Republican primary, Linda Lingle, stands on important issues.
My opponent has already stated publicly she supports abortion, but what she hasn't explained is just how far she would go to promote her abortion agenda if elected governor.
The "pro-abortion stance or no stance at all" choice that was given to delegates to debate at the recent Republican state convention demonstrates an absolute disrespect and disregard for the opinion of the majority of Republicans. If elected governor, Lingle would show the same disrespect and prove she stands for nothing except her desperate need to get elected.
It breaks my heart that Lingle and the hierarchy of the Hawai'i Republican Party support the anti-family agenda pushed by radical homosexual activists wanting to equate homosexuality with a bona fide minority status. Unlike my opponent, I oppose domestic partnerships and school board policies that would subvert the values of parents.
Equally disturbing is Lingle's silence on the Second Amendment rights of gun owners and her absence from the recent assisted-suicide debate. A government without a moral backbone, a government of expediency, is not a government to be trusted.
I tremble to consider what President Bush will think of a Hawai'i Republican Party and candidate for governor who stand so strongly against all that he is fighting for.
John Carroll
Powers-that-be again hiding heads in the sand
Once again we have seen the usual knee-jerk reaction by our esteemed powers-that-be to anything negative about Hawai'i or its business climate.
Instead of facing up to the criticism and evaluating it with a view to fixing the problems, our governor and other state and city moguls trot out the usual self-serving platitudes that we have read again and again and again.
As one who spent 20 years as a small-business man in Hawai'i, I can testify that anything positive or successful in business here is achieved in spite of, not because of, our local government and the nightmare of controls and regulations it has generated. In addition, I found that the various bureaucracies continually display a disdain, rather than a helpful attitude, toward the people they are paid to support.
It would be interesting to have the local media conduct a serious poll of people in various levels of business in this state regarding their experiences with the atmosphere they encounter. But don't hold your breath — the media appear to be as much of the "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" as any politician or bureaucrat.
R.W. Parkinson
Kalama-Baker family turned to compassion
The tragic death of young Zaney Ann Kalama-Baker and the difficult decision her family made to honor her life through organ donation touched me deeply. My heart goes out to the Kalama-Baker family.
Organ donation is an urgent medical issue that raises two important issues: individual, personal decision-making regarding the moral principles of selflessness and compassion, and social responsibility and cohesion regarding the greater common good.
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, there are more than 77,000 persons on the national transplant waiting list. Approximately 42 percent are minorities. On average, 16 individuals die each day waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Yet it is estimated that more than 60 percent of those who die and would qualify to be a donor never have their organs offered for possible donation.
Because of the important decision the Kalama-Baker family made, the lives of three people will be changed forever.
"Make no ke kalo a ola i ka palili: The taro may die but lives on in the young plants that it produces." From " 'Olelo No'eau," translated by Mary Kawena Pukui.
Maile Taualii
Most of OHA's money goes to beneficiaries
In his March 28 letter, "Hold state lawmakers accountable for money," Ken Ka'ahanui was almost right. As he stated, OHA has indeed done many wonderful things in the past and many more are on the way.
He is also right in correcting Patricia Carroll's previous letter that erroneously implied that revenue due Hawaiians from the use of ceded lands was a government handout. This revenue is not general fund tax dollars. It is revenue mandated by law for Hawaiians, generated from the use of ceded lands.
Where Ka'ahanui was woefully incorrect was his assumption that 60 percent of OHA's operating budget went toward administrative overhead, such as salaries. Not so. Only 28 percent of our operating budget is allocated for administrative overhead. This is far more efficient than many public and private organizations. The remaining 72 percent goes toward programs that help our beneficiaries.
To find out more about our operations, Ka'ahanui is welcome to see our Web site at www.OHA.org, or call us at 594-1888.
Yes, we are a unique organization, but we are extremely prudent when it comes to administrative overhead. We are doing far more with fewer staff members, down by more than 15 percent from two years ago. Our programs and advocacy efforts are the heart of our organization, and our operations budget shows our emphasis is, and will continue to be, on bettering the lives our our beneficiaries.
Clyde W. Namu'o
Administrator, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
McDermott's diatribe ignored the reality
Regarding the April 26 Island Voices commentary, "Rep. Mink refused to condemn terrorism," by state Rep. Bob McDermott, a Republican candidate for Congress: In it, McDermott attacked Mink for voting against a zionist House resolution (HCR-280) "condemning the use of terror by Palestinians" — but not by Israel. He goes on, raving about "the terrible massacre of innocent Israelis" — but not of innocent Palestinians.
Wow! In a state whose government spares no effort to keep the public in the dark, it's refreshing to see a legislator so totally candid — even to the point of advertising his own bigotry and revealing his intellectual capacity as limited to the blind aping of zionist hate propaganda. Bravo!
Alas, an open mind, more worthy of representing the Aloha State in Congress, might consider the other side of the coin: In half a century of U.S.-supported Israeli holocaust, two and a half generations of Palestinians have grown up as refugees in their own land. Concentrated in camps, they've been shot, bombed and terrorized, have seen their homes and livelihood destroyed, their families decimated, by what to them must surely be a U.S. and Israeli "axis of evil."
That is their world, the only reality most living Palestinians have ever known. So how do we expect them to react?
How would we react if a foreign power kicked us out of our home and terrorized us? Would we not fight such invaders tooth and nail, with every rocket, every bomb, every gun, rock and baseball bat we could muster? Would we not hail those brave men who sacrificed their very lives to avenge the rape of the land of their fathers, as heroic freedom fighters, as our new Nathan Hales? But then, I suppose, to McDermott, the Minutemen were terrorists too.
F. William Pelzer
'Public service' ads can be really scary
The Wall Street Journal story you reprinted on May 15 reporting that anti-drug ads don't work on young people is old news to advertising professionals.
Advertising is advertising. A negative political ad claiming "My opponent, Whatta Nutt, is a liar and a thief" serves only to reinforce the name Whatta Nutt in the minds of viewers or readers, who may blindly vote for Nutt on election day.
Ads claiming that tobacco or marijuana can be harmful or lethal serve only to reinforce the awareness of those substances in the minds of young viewers or readers.
Advertising people know this phenomenon well. Advertising people also know that the creative ads we prepare in "public service" campaigns reflect well on the agencies that produce them, and become highly profitable for the agencies, if the funding for the campaigns comes from committed "nonprofit" sponsors.
In other words, public service often is self-serving. On a national scale, that can be really scary.
Jim Winpenny
Sell station or face license revocation
Regarding Emmis Communication Corp., KHON and KGMB: Emmis is not a naive investor led astray like the dot.coms and Enron. Emmis knew when it bought its second TV station that regulations require it to divest ownership of one of the stations.
Emmis also knew that the market value of any asset is not guaranteed — it may rise, drop or tread water.
The FCC should tell Emmis it must enter into a valid sale of one of the stations by June 30, as presently directed. If such a sale is not under negotiation by that time, the FCC should revoke both licenses under Emmis control and put them up for auction — no ifs, ands or buts.
David W. Nightingale
Pearl City
Soccer complex, park demonstrated vision
Try to imagine Waikiki without Kapi'olani Park or Ala Moana without the beach park. Today we appreciate the vision of those who set those lands aside.
In that same way, people will appreciate the vision of Mayor Harris and his administration for setting aside such beautiful areas as the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex and Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Of course there must be some sacrifices for such actions, and one such sacrifice is the future debt service of these capital expenditures. However, in terms of the time to make capital expenditures, now is an excellent time, with interest rates incredibly low and a local economy that could use a shot in the arm from construction projects.
I agree with Manny Manendez that the soccer complex has already provided a positive economic impact. With proper management, the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex and the Central O'ahu Regional Park can cover their own costs, as well as be positive economic generators for the city and state.
I encourage the City Council to approve the budget for these visionary projects and the city to follow through on its vision of public and private partnership to operate them.
Alex Smith
HI-5 Sports
Outrigger CEO made case against Outrigger
Outrigger Hotels has played an important role in the development of tourism in Hawai'i, but its public relations strategy could be improved.
In a recent commentary, David Carey, president and CEO of Outrigger Hotels, purports to show how Outrigger is community-minded in supporting various government projects. Instead, he unwittingly provides the public with specific examples of how Outrigger Hotels has used its considerable influence in manipulating government to promote Outrigger's self-interest. The result is that government has engaged in some dubious activities.
As examples of government efforts supported by Outrigger, Mr. Carey cites the Convention Center, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority and the Waikiki Beach Walk project.
Years ago when a location was being considered for the Convention Center, Outrigger wanted it built close to its hotels. That would have increased Outrigger occupancy without any cost to Outrigger. Today, the Convention Center stands as a huge money-losing venture for the state because of the high debt incurred, which will take years to pay off, along with depressed revenues due to low utilization.
HTA receives more than $60 million annually in state funds. If HTA were to use these funds to increase the number of tourists coming to Hawai'i, Outrigger Hotels would certainly benefit. However, in a recently completed review of HTA, the highly respected state auditor found that its board "has failed to provide the vision, leadership and direction necessary to ensure that it achieves its primary mission."
The application of government's power of eminent domain in the Waikiki Beach Walk project is an outright abuse of that power. The project would have primarily a private benefit rather than a public benefit, with the profits accruing to Outrigger Hotels. Compare this project with a more typical use of eminent domain in which government purchases private property for road widening — the public enjoys faster commute times, and nobody makes a profit.
John Kawamoto
