Letters to the Editor
Iraq war resolution reminiscent of 1960s
It's eerie how much this war resolution reminds me of the start of the Vietnam War.
The fake rhetoric is the same. The real political and economic causes are very parallel. The Congress, the media, the polls and the pundits support it overwhelmingly, just as they did Vietnam.
The only opposition is scattered: individual grassroots activists, universally condemned for being unpatriotic. That will change over the next 10 years as the war grows.
Probably the public won't oppose this war until we re-institute the draft. This time, let's start with the Harvard and Yale freshman classes. Let's not let anyone whose father is in "Who's Who" get into the National Guard. Better yet, let's start with any senators or congressmen or presidents who skipped Vietnam.
Sally Raisbeck
Wailuku, Maui
How can you forget what happened to us?
As a survivor of the World Trade Center attack and a witness to the deaths of thousands of innocent people, I recall coming out of Ground Zero and seeing ordinary New Yorkers holding banners that said "Thank You."
Even today, tears come to my eyes when I think of some unknown American who expressed so much by merely painting a piece of cardboard with those two simple words. I also recall signs that said "We Shall Not Forget!" Forget?, I thought. How could anyone push out of their conscience a memory of the people burned and ground into the dust just because they appeared for work one sunny morning in September?
Reading your Oct. 13 editorial opposing our war on terrorism and supporting the most reactionary elements in Congress, including our entire delegation, I suddenly realized what that anonymous New Yorker meant by "We Shall Not Forget!" When your venom and hostility for the American way of life and its people reach the level of your editorial staff, it compels a few questions:
Are you capable of any compassion? Or is it a distinguishing mark of the Democrat that everything is political? Are you so blinded by hate for President Bush that you will automatically oppose everything and anything on his agenda?
Honest people will disagree on virtually any issue, but it saddens me to see your editorial board without a single individual who is not filled with compassion for ordinary Americans, your neighbors, friends, your 'ohana.
There is a place for political disagreements in a free society. There is no place for visceral hatred of your political opponents. This hatred will destroy you from inside, like a disease.
Gregory Sheindlin
Editorial on Iraq was wrong on all counts
It seems that neither The Advertiser nor our congressional delegation can see the forest for the trees when it comes to Iraq.
Your Oct. 13 editorial stated that President Bush has not proved that Iraq is a direct threat, that Iraq would support Muslim fundamentalists or that speed of U.S. action is important. While the administration's message has been somewhat muddled, there's ample information to call you wrong on all counts.
The threat? Stability in the Middle East (code words for uninterrupted flow of oil) is a paramount interest of the U.S. Shake that stability by the emergence of a nuclear-armed Iraq, and the global economy could be shaken violently as well. Given Saddam's frantic efforts over more that 15 years to develop nuclear weapons, it seems certain that he will eventually do so unless we stop him. A nuclear-armed psychopath sitting on top of 50 percent of the world's oil reserves sounds like a direct threat to me.
Would Saddam ally himself with the Muslim fanatics? Might not happen, but the price of being wrong about a source of smallpox or anthrax for terrorists could be unacceptably high for U.S. citizens. After 9/11, such is no longer unthinkable. If we act forcefully now, we may be able to stem the proliferation of these horrible weapons.
Why is speed important? Because we may not know that Saddam has armed himself with nuclear weapons, a thing he is determined to do, until it is too late. If he does so, our ability to stop his next invasion of a neighboring oil state (or states) could be seriously weakened and the price of military action raised beyond reach.
What we have before us is a very clear case of "pay me now or pay me later." Unfortunately, our congressional delegation has repeated their Gulf War head-in-the-sand response.
Jeff Pace
Republican Party just blowing smoke
With all the smoke in the air, you'd think it was a huli huli chicken sale. Instead, it's just the Republican Party trying to cloud another issue.
When the Democrats informed the public of Linda Lingle's large Mainland financing, Republican Party Chairman Micah Kane reacted once more by creating a distraction. Instead of addressing the topic directly, he spouted off about the Democratic Party's own Mainland contributions.
This would have been fine if we were comparing parties, but we're not. Democrats specifically talked about Lingle, not the Republican Party. Lingle raised 27 percent, or over $700,000 of her campaign money, from Mainland sources, while Democratic candidate Mazie Hirono raised only $60,945 in Mainland funds.
The numbers are clear, but Kane would rather not let facts confuse the issue. He'd prefer to set up a smokescreen of irrelevant accusations and tangential complaints. It's another attempt to hide the true nature of Republican motivations and reeks of deceit.
At least a huli huli chicken sale smells good.
Ry Barbin
Wailuku, Maui
Mainland contributions seek a better Hawai'i
Attempts to distort the truth about Mainland contributions to Linda Lingle's campaign continue. Some would like us to believe the reason so much money is being donated is that the Mainland contributors are trying to control our politicians and want something in return.
Many of the businesses in Hawai'i, which include stores, restaurants, hotels, etc., are Mainland-based companies that do want something in return. They, as well as thousands of locals, see the need for change in our government as the only chance to improve our economy and business outlook by implementing true change in our government. They see that our state is struggling economically and does not support businesses. These businesses provide jobs for many locals.
We can no longer afford to have our teachers go on strike, or have the state close airports and cut government services and expect the private sector to foot the bill. Make Nov. 5 the day for a new beginning. Please vote.
Francis Okudara
Wailuku, Maui
Lingle now silent on key state issues
When Linda Lingle signed her nomination papers at the state Capitol, she pledged to work to repeal the bottle deposit bill, the cap on gasoline prices and regulation of health insurance premiums. Why have we heard no more about this first revelation of her agenda should she become governor?
Can it be that the reaction to this revelation of her anti-consumer outlook persuaded her to resume her bland, noncommittal stance of 1998?
The bottle deposit bill received widespread support as a way to reduce litter. Lingle said it should be replaced by curbside recycling. The 5- to 15-cent deposits will inspire all aluminum can collectors to keep our highways clean.
I can remember the days when gas in California was 30 cents a gallon and 45 cents here in Hawai'i. The oil companies have always made higher profits here. Lingle says a cap on gas prices would hurt business. Where is her concern for consumers who have been gouged for decades?
Hawai'i is one of only two states that do not regulate health insurance. Now the dominant insurer can use predatory pricing to keep out competition. Rate regulation would allow a second source to review the price calculations and have a legal floor against inadequate rates.
Piilani Kaopuiki
Demands by OHA must be rejected
Your Oct. 14 editorial "Let OHA take a stab at Hawaiian nation" says OHA can give Hawaiian racial nationhood "its best shot." Stabbing and shooting are good names for what you're suggesting.
When OHA demands ceded land revenue from the Legislature in January, let's not shoot ourselves in the foot by giving money to help OHA stab us in the back. Who wants to make Hawai'i look like Bosnia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe or Fiji?
Your editorial suggests "a poll of all OHA-registered voters." Well, thanks to the Rice decision, we ended segregated voting in Hawai'i. All registered voters of Hawai'i are now OHA-registered voters. A proposal to carve up Hawai'i into racial enclaves should be rejected by all of Hawai'i's people in a show of unity, equality and patriotism.
In 2001-2002, OHA held a series of public meetings and telephone interviews asking "the community" to set priorities for an OHA strategic plan. Education was by far the top priority demanded by ethnic Hawaiians, then economic development, social services and Hawaiian culture. "Nationhood" ranked dead last. Yet now OHA unanimously adopts nationhood as its top priority, plus the Akaka Bill, ceded lands, native rights and international law.
Get real! Don't give OHA another penny. Abolish it.
Ken Conklin
Kane'ohe
Use common sense on Patsy Mink's seat
With regard to filling Patsy Mink's House seat: I don't understand why there has to be a special election at all. How much will it cost to hold a special election to fill this seat for a few weeks?
How much of that cost could go toward stocking the shelves and opening the Kapolei Library? Or fixing streets? Or helping kids with school supplies? Or any of the other hundreds of things the state can't seem to afford?
Common sense, people, common sense.
Lorri Lake
Kailua
Leaving Mink name on ballot is insane
My sympathies go out to the family and many supporters of Patsy Mink. She will be missed. However, the thought of leaving her name on the ballot for the elections is insane.
Tragic as her death has been, the country still needs to operate. The state needs to save its taxpayers' money.
It would be nice to honor her memory, but this is not the right way.
Do the right thing: Vote once.
Eric Metcalf
'Ewa Beach
We need more help against O'ahu thieves
Can the limited police force improve the patrolling of Kailua Beach parking lots? Is there an immediate possibility of increasing the representation of police officers at sites that are notoriously, perpetually, regularly vandalized?
I am a theft victim — twice — and I'm careful and local. I know not to hike certain trails or park my car in places that are routinely vandalized. I lock my car, park in well-lighted or trafficked areas ... and I still got hit by thieves at 5:30 p.m. in the first row of cars at the Kailua Beach parking lot. The thieves were witnessed by many, and the dastardly deed was reported within minutes, and the policeman arrived within minutes and the consensus was "not much we can do" and "it happens all the time." This is a shame.
I see the statewide statistics, yet I am unable to see any changes in the way these crimes are dealt with by police or what actions are taken to stop the steady stream of thieves at our tourist places and elsewhere. How many cars are vandalized in a week at the same place? Too many. How many bicycles are locked up by owners but stolen each week? Too many.
C. Oliva
Teachers teach to make a difference
Teachers are a special breed of people. They go through years of education to enter a profession that does not come with much respect.
To make matters worse, teachers are not highly paid professionals. We can pay our baby sitters at least $5 per hour, per child, but we expect our teachers to do more work for less money per child.
If the starting pay of a teacher is $35,000 per year and they work five days a week, for 36 weeks, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.,1,080 hours per year on average, they are getting paid $32.41 per hour. That sounds like a lot of money, but spread over 20 children, that is a mere $1.62 per hour, per child.
The future does not look prosperous for teachers, but hordes of young adults and nontraditional students, too, flock to the College of Education to pursue a career in teaching. The lack of respect and lack of a prosperous future do not deter many of the would-be teachers.
As you can see, teachers do not go into teaching for respect or for prosperity. I believe teachers go into teaching to make a difference in a child's life, to be around children, to give the children everything they need, especially since the children may not be coming from homes that can provide them with everything.
D. Daryl Fong
