Letters to the Editor
Apologists won't make our economy improve
Yale student Lee Hiromoto writes in the May 24 issue of The Advertiser that Forbes magazine has done us wrong by its recent article on Hawai'i's economy, saying that its author "passes judgment on our state based solely on spreadsheets of statistics."
Then Hiromoto derides people who are as concerned about our economy as Forbes is as "money-minded" creeps "for whom monetary economic wealth and economic efficiency are the great ends in life, the ultimate goals beyond all others." Hiromoto implies that people who understand how crucial economic health is to our well-being are necessarily materialistic and shallow.
Let me say, as a fellow college student, that what's really shallow is when people my age assume it's profound and "idealistic" to have utter contempt for those who actually care about maintaining our standard of living.
Hiromoto asserts, "The best measure of our state's success are the smiles on the exuberant faces of children frolicking in the waves at Kailua Beach or the many happy families roaming through Pearlridge Shopping Center." But when our unemployment level rises further, we'll likely see much fewer of these smiles Hiromoto speaks of.
Forbes isn't critical of Hawai'i residents — just our overbearing state government. And evading reality won't solve our dilemma.
Stuart K. Hayashi
Mililani
It'll be a tough call: football or family
Watch the Warriors in a Christmas bowl game or spend time with the family?
Last Christmas, Uncle comes over half-stewed, and Aunty is constantly putting him down, so we can understand why he reaches for his flask to take another sip. Their kids are running wild, clamoring to eat, as they have arrived with full pampers and empty tummies. My wife is ticked because I did not put the stuffing in the bird before it went into the oven. The oven was off for hours, and I could still feel the heat.
So let's see if I have this right: stay downstairs with the family putting on my best smile, trying to maintain a sense of sanity, or wander upstairs to my bedroom and watch the Warriors in a bowl game with a nationally ranked football team?
Well, sports fans, it looks like another tough call: see the game and watch the penalties stack up. After the game, you could be assessed not just one, but two cold shoulders, possibly the entire body will seem like it's chilled, and you may even end up sleeping over at Uncle's.
Smoky Guerrero
Mililani
Computer 'rap sheet' article was inaccurate
Your May 21 article "Computer may give wrong rap sheet" cast an inaccurate and unfair representation of Hawai'i's criminal history system and public access to it. Rudy Mendez complains that, after accessing the system, he found he was listed as having a criminal record. That complaint does not tell the whole story.
To access the system, Mendez provided his name, date of birth, Social Security number and gender. If all the information submitted did not match, no record would have been found. In this case, the computer system found a match on his name within an acceptable date-of-birth range. But because the Social Security number did not match, the requester (Mendez) was alerted to contact the Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center about the record.
When Mendez belatedly did so, he was advised that his name was apparently used as an alias by Rudolph Mendoza, a fact over which we have no control, and that we need to compare his fingerprints against those of Mendoza to remove his alias name. To date, we have not received his fingerprints.
Hawai'i's criminal history system is in the top 15 percent in the nation for completeness and timeliness of its information, which is why your article is so offensive. The public, the criminal justice agencies and the Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center deserve better reporting than this.
Liane M. Moriyama
Administrator, Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center
Workfare criticism ignores the facts
Dick Rowland, formerly of the Libertarian Party and now with the Grassroots Institute, callously said in a May 23 letter to the editor that Gov. Cayetano "gets a charge out of having people in poverty and begging scraps from government." This is ill-conceived — particularly since Hawai'i has received national recognition for moving citizens from welfare to work.
Two years ago, the state received a $5 million cash bonus from the federal government when we posted the greatest improvement in the entire nation in earnings gain and ranked second of the 50 states for improved success in the work force. A federal report just last week listed Hawai'i as one of 15 states that posted further declines in welfare rolls in the last quarter of 2001. This is not encouraging "begging," but encouraging self-sufficiency.
We've enacted a $2 billion tax cut over six years, implemented de-pyramiding of the general excise tax, put progressive high-tech laws in place, kept the growth of government in check and shifted government resources to where they will produce the greatest results — education.
The same group that opposed Gov. Cayetano's ultimately successful push for an increase in the minimum wage at one end, and opposed our administration's $1 billion economic stimulus package at the other, now blames the governor for poverty?
Jackie Kido
Director of communications, Office of the governor
Memorial Day lei made the New York Times
Last week my wife and I were making one of our many visits to Kaua'i. I read The Advertiser article regarding a possible shortage of flowers for the annual placement of lei over the graves at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl).
I remember thinking sadly that it would be a shame if there weren't enough to decorate every single grave. Imagine my delight when, upon returning to the Mainland, I read in the Memorial Day issue of the New York Times a beautiful story of statewide support that culminated in another successful tribute to our fallen military veterans. I was especially impressed with the reference to the efforts of the students and faculty of the Wilcox Elementary School in Lihu'e on my "home" island of Kaua'i.
The aloha spirit is alive and well, thanks to these youngsters, their teachers and many other people throughout the state of Hawai'i.
Conrad Ege
Vietnam veteran
Nanaikapono should be new school's name
As a graduate of Nanaikapono Elementary School in the 1980s, I feel I should have some input regarding the name of the new school mauka of Farrington Highway. The name Nanaikapono, as I understand it, was decided by Nanakuli's residents who strongly believed in the power of a Hawaiian name.
"Nanakuli" can be interpreted as "looking to the knees" or another one I heard is to have "deaf looks." This was because ancient Nanakuli residents could not offer proper hospitality to passing visitors for lack of fresh water, so residents would look down in embarrassment to passers-by. Residents of the emerging homestead didn't want their children to take on the attributes of the name Nanakuli, so they named the school Nanaikapono, meaning "look toward righteousness."
I think current residents still believe in the power of a Hawaiian name and want their children to look toward righteousness. Therefore, I feel the new school should be given the same name as the existing school.
Raphael Kaliko
Salute to Philippine heritage appreciated
I appreciate the tribute by Col. Al Riggle to Asian and Pacific immigrants in Hawai'i in his May 14 Island Voices commentary, "Saluting Asia-Pacific heritage."
It was a fitting and timely expression of appreciation and recognition, especially to the Filipino American community, which will celebrate the opening of the $14 million Filipino Community (Filcom) Center in Waipahu on June 11 and the Philippine National Day on June 12.
The Filcom Center is the largest Filipino community center in the United States. It is a symbol of the pioneering spirit and resilience of the Filipino. It is a tribute to the accomplishments of Filipino immigrants, the "sacadas," and their descendants, who are now distinguished government officials, doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers and other professionals, entrepreneurs, employees and skilled workers — all proud contributors to Hawai'i's economic development and rich cultural diversity.
Col. Riggle also paid tribute to the heroic contributions of the Philippine Scouts of World War II, thereby lifting the spirit and morale of the dwindling number of World War II Filipino veterans, now frail and aging. Every National Day of the Philippines, the Philippine Consulate pays homage to and remembers these veterans who fought with the Americans and will pray for the success of our on-going campaign against terrorism in the southern Philippines with the help of the Americans.
Rolando S. Gregorio
Consul General, Philippine Consulate, Honolulu
Vicious dog attacked, killed small Maltese
This is a warning to all unsuspecting pet owners in Foster Village about a savage, vicious dog.
On Friday evening, May 17, our small Maltese dog, Charmer, was brutally attacked and killed while on a walk near our home by a large dog that broke away from its owners. Poor Charmer never had a chance as the dog pounced with no warning and viciously crushed its teeth around Charmer's fragile seven-pound frame. It was the most horrible experience, watching our beloved family pet bleed to death before our eyes.
Sadly, according to the Humane Society investigator, this happens all too often, yet there is very little they can do against the offending owners of such menacing animals unless we choose to sue for damages. Our family is heartbroken; so please, let this be a warning in hopes it doesn't happen again in our formerly tranquil neighborhood.
The S. Dunn Family
School bus fare hike a subsidy decrease
Keola Kamaunu's May 28 letter gets it completely backward — the school bus fare hike is a subsidy decrease, not a tax hike.
A subsidy is the government "selling" a service for less than it costs to deliver the service, in effect giving money to the recipient of those services. A tax is the government taking your money and giving you nothing directly in return. Citizens, including those who don't have any children, pay taxes to support subsidized school bus fares.
If that's too complicated for Mr. Kamaunu, let me simplify it: Sen. Bob Nakata consistently votes for tax increases and against tax decreases. He even opposes eliminating the incredibly regressive tax on food, rent and prescription drugs. Sen. Nakata doesn't deserve praise from the taxpayers, as Mr. Kamaunu contends — he deserves a pink slip.
Jim Henshaw
Kailua
Seat-belt use good; seat-belt law bad
Regarding the Click-It or Ticket campaign: wow, what a completely anti-American invention.
I completely agree that seat belts save lives — in fact, I always wear mine. I also agree that parents should be required to have their keiki buckled up. But a law that requires me to keep myself safe seems insane.
Aren't we the "land of the free"? How exactly did the HPD become our very own personal safety officers? Should I look forward to "no running with scissors" and "never swim within an hour of eating" legislation in the future?
Regardless of whether the law saves lives or not, it's intrusive of our personal liberties. We would not stand for a ban on eating high-fat foods or going to the beach without sunscreen; why do we stand for this?
Jeff Jacobs
Jaywalkers create other victims, too
On the day before last Thanksgiving, I was leaving the UH campus via Dole Street. Just a few feet 'ewa of the University Avenue intersection, two junior high-aged girls darted across the street, weaving between cars, ending up in the path of my car. I came to a screeching stop, inches away from one of the girls. Thankfully, I did not hit either of them.
I got out of the car and called to the girls, who were, by then, headed toward the University Lab School. I was in tears, thinking about what could have happened if I had struck either or both of those children. A police officer was behind me. He stopped, too. He had witnessed the entire incident, so he cited the girls for jaywalking.
They were lucky. They were not injured. I hope they learned a lesson. After 20 minutes, I was calm enough to drive home.
The girls who were hit on Punchbowl Street were not so lucky, but they likely were filled with the same sense of invincibility that my almost-victims felt.
My heart goes out to the driver of the car in last week's incident. While my mind was filled with thoughts of all the what-ifs, that driver lives with the reality of striking his or her victims.
I have to wonder who the victims are here. The car's driver and passengers, or those who were struck?
Robin Makapagal
Kane'ohe
