Letters to the Editor

Principal Nagasako popular, outstanding

While I can appreciate M.E. DeRego's desire to support the kids who play on the brand-new Kapolei High School football team (Letters, Sept. 4), he's wrong when he suggests Kapolei principal Al Nagasako should go elsewhere.

Mr. Nagasako is an outstanding principal. He's a leader and innovator who is popular with both students and teachers. Kapolei High School is lucky to have him.

Go, Hurricanes!

Chris Parsons
Kapolei

It's not Pidgin English, it's Hawaiian Creole

I find it necessary to refute the letter regarding Pidgin English printed in the Sept. 4 issue.

Contrary to the contributor's statements, what children have spoken for many decades here is not a Pidgin. It is Hawaiian Creole, a unique language in and of itself.

Plantation workers in Hawai'i developed a Pidgin as a rudimentary form of communication because they were unable to learn each other's languages. According to language expert Steven Pinker, their children began to apply distinct rules of order and grammar to that Pidgin, transforming it to the Hawaiian Creole language.

Hawaiian Creole was designed and promoted by its users, not their plantation masters. It is no wonder we are so proud of it and its many benefits.

Culturally, it joins people who share similar historical experiences, beginning in the plantation era. In an academic sense, to be fluent in both standard English and Hawaiian Creole is to be bilingual. Knowledge of multiple languages encourages intellectual growth and cultural sensitivity, and I feel that all of Hawai'i's children who speak English and Hawaiian Creole are richer for it.

I agree that proficiency in standard English is absolutely necessary to be competitive and marketable in today's economic and political environment. This does not require the elimination of Hawaiian Creole in our students.

Many factors, including family situation, educators' qualifications and accessible services, contribute to academic ratings. To blame the language for substandard performance on (Mainland-based) standardized tests is to oversimplify the issue; to lose it in the quest for better English instruction would be sad and foolish.

Keith I. Izawa

'Traffic calming' is getting out of hand

I read that the spokeswoman for the city Department of Transportation Services was very pleased with the changes to the 'ewa-bound bus stop on Wai'alae and 11th Avenue. Previously, the bus pulled out of traffic to load and unload passengers. That pullout area is now bricked over and the bus stops in the traffic lane, which the DTS spokeswoman said was "good" because it "calmed" traffic.

Recently, as I approached that intersection, there was a bus in the right traffic lane taking on passengers and a car in the left lane signaling for a left turn. The traffic was perfectly "calmed" — nothing at all was moving.

Apparently this was so successful that they are now going to do the same thing for the kokohead-bound bus stop at 11th and Wai'alae.

The DTS has got this "traffic calming" bug, but I think that some mature person with common sense ought to take a look at it.

Harold G. Loomis

Forget restaurants, shopping on Ala Wai

First we have a state that thinks harbors are for rich yachties who have no redeeming value, and now we have a city that thinks once the Ala Wai Canal has been dredged, we can begin to pollute it with restaurants, shopping areas and paddle boats.

Shouldn't we have one area in Waikiki that can be enjoyed for its natural beauty without catering to someone's whim to sip a Starbucks coffee while gazing at a tourist in a paddle boat?

Diane E. Myslicki

Voting for same people doesn't solve problems

There have been a lot of people voicing discontent with the politicians in Hawai'i and the economy.

I read in the news that leading politicians of the Democratic Party warned the public of a very dirty campaign coming up. And it has already started. Is that because they know they are going to lose on their solutions to the issues? Will there ever be a campaign that is fought only on the issues that need to be corrected and discussion of each of the candidate's ideas on how to accomplish the corrections?

The politicians who are supposed to be doing what is best for the state and public are only doing what the party wants. Sen. Avery Chumbley decided to not run again and graciously offered his support to Roz Baker. Doesn't he and the Democratic Party realize the people voted her out in favor of Jan Yagi Buen because she was not doing the job she was elected to do? Quit supporting the good ol' boys and do what is best for the state and public.

If the people of Hawai'i want to change the political atmosphere and economy, they have to change the way they vote. Vote for the best person for the job, not by political party. If you continue to vote for the same people who have been running the state, we will continue to have the same political and economic atmosphere.

Rick Wilcox
Makawao, Maui