Letters to the Editor
Let us mourn, love each other, be vigilant
In remembrance of the tragedy of Sept. 11, I look back on where I was one year ago today. With a sense of deja vu, I was where I am now, in the Persian Gulf serving in the United States Navy, doing my part to preserve freedom and ensure the safety and well-being of not only Americans but all people who perpetually thirst for a way of life free of tyrannical persecution.
The senseless loss of innocent lives on that day tears at my heart. How inhuman has humankind become and what does the future hold for our children and continued existence on this Planet Earth?
The Creator of the universe was surely in need of angels because the heroes who left us that day continue to make a profound impact in our lives today.
Let us mourn for those lost lives. Let us never take for granted the precious freedom and way of life that we enjoy each day.
Appreciate each other. Take care of each other. Love each other.
Remain ever vigilant, for America will continue to stand strong, united as one.
Efrem Williams
United States Navy
Persian Gulf, Bahrain
Fish-farming operation given close scrutiny
Regarding Sook Han Lau's Aug. 31 letter on open-sea cage farming: The Department of Land and Natural Resources would like to clarify some of his points.
As part of the processing of Cates International's permit and lease to start a fish-farming operation, the question of impact from pollution sources such as excess feed and fish excrement was raised, reviewed and addressed, and continues to be monitored by the DLNR. Water quality is being monitored (with Department of Health oversight). Previous monitoring showed no adverse impact to coastal water quality.
DLNR's efforts included the processing and review of a Conservation District Use (CDUA) permit application for four cages (not 20), lease agreement execution and site inspections.
The processing of the CDUA and lease both provided opportunities for the public to review the proposal and provide testimony and comments. The public is encouraged to review documents on file at DLNR (CDUA and land lease) for their own satisfaction.
A presentation was made before the 'Ewa Beach Neighborhood Board on this ocean farming venture, with the board voting to support this project.
The DLNR is aware of the concern over the potential for the cumulative impact of open-ocean fish farming and will continue to oversee such ventures in terms of impact to our natural resources. At the same time, we support establishing clean industries, those that will contribute to the overall economic diversification for our state.
Gilbert S. Coloma-Agaran
Chairman, Board of Land and Natural Resources
Logging operations help protect forests
President Bush recently, in Oregon, gave a speech on forest fires, critical of certain environmental positions. As a former sawmill owner, I would like to convey my experience.
My company did not own forests, thus we had to purchase from U.S. government agencies the raw material, timber, which we converted into lumber. This was done at public auctions where the highest bidder obtained the right to log a specific quantity in specific locations.
There were a goodly number of conditions, one of which was that we, the successful bidders, had to construct access roads into the forest we were allowed to log. There were strict federal specifications as to the grade, width, surface, etc., which were enforced. This obligation to build access roads was a great financial burden as we had to pay for the road building before logging could start. We were ultimately reimbursed (if we completed the contract) by making small deductions as we paid for the timber.
After the logging was completed, the roads remained the property of the Forest Service and became service roads, closed to the public. The point here is that without those service roads, Western forests are virtually inaccessible to firefighters, and the Forest Service does not have the means to build them on the millions of acres of federal land.
By banning all logging, under environmental pressure, forests without service roads became targets of hazardous conditions. We are all aware of the millions of acres that have been consumed by fires recently. But there are other hazards. Trees are animate organisms; in order to grow, they need water, nourishment and good health. When in good health, their immune system will protect them against diseases and normal insect attacks. When those attacks reach epidemic proportions, trees can no longer protect themselves, and they wither and die.
During my last years in Oregon, vast tracts of timber in eastern Oregon succumbed to a deadly insect epidemic. These dead trees would still have been useful to industry; private interests would have paid for them, built roads and removed a hazard. But their logging was banned. So the dead trees eventually fell and dried out — becoming giant piles of kindling wood for forest fires (mostly caused by lightning).
The world very much needs to protect the environment, but let good sense prevail.
George Cassarno
Criminal justice system in disrepair
Our criminal justice system is in crisis.
Rather than addressing the root causes of crime, poverty, unemployment, racism and inequality, prisons serve to perpetuate them. Yet, taxpayers are called upon to spend millions of dollars to build bigger prisons to lock up more and more disenfranchised members of our society.
Incarceration does little to provide prisoners with the skills and resources to reintegrate into freedom. Prisons foster dependency and violence, punish independent thinking and action, and break apart the bonds of family and friends.
Allowing the criminal justice system to continue as it is will only serve to reinforce injustice and despair.
Lael Salmonte
Halawa Correctional Facility
Genetically altered crops risky for Hawai'i
Hawai'i's foray into genetically altered crops warrants extreme caution (Advertiser editorial, Sept. 5), not only from the ecological standpoint but a business standpoint, as well.
First, the jury is still out on the safety — both to humans and the ecosystem — of genetically altered organisms. We can't expect to have anywhere near a complete understanding of what nature created over 3 billion years in a matter of months.
Second, Hawai'i's agricultural strengths are in premium and specialty crops: Kona Coffee, organic crops and seasonals (like cabbage for St. Patrick's Day in March). We simply can't compete on a large scale with the hybridized, monoculture crops of larger ag-growing regions. So why would we want to jeopardize our premium crops, like Kona Coffee, by introducing risky, genetically altered crops?
Third, some major food producers are turning away from genetically altered foods, like Gerber baby foods, which gave up GMOs in its products in 1999. Novartis, Frito-Lay and McDonald's are also asking suppliers to provide GMO-free products.
Hawai'i is shutting itself off from these markets if it embraces genetically altered foods.
Karen Shishido
Waipahu
Hirono's reluctance to debate says a lot
The reluctance of Mazie Hirono to participate in a second debate as proposed by KITV lends credence to the contention of Ed Case that her platform, record and vision for the state won't endure close scrutiny.
Her closing statements omitted any response to the challenge from her opponent to continue open debate, and may give voters the impression that her leadership could not enhance the efforts within the island community to find some more meaningful direction.
Perhaps it's not too late for our lieutenant governor to reconsider the significance of the rapidly approaching primary.
Michael Helms
Kurtistown, Big Island
'None of the Above' would be appreciated
Mahalo for printing Brent Hancock's letter to the editor ("Elections: 'None of the Above' should be a choice," Sept. 5). I've often felt that the public would warmly welcome being able to vote for "None of the Above."
I'm sure more people would vote (something Hawai'i needs desperately) if they had this choice. It would certainly draw favorable national media attention that Hawai'i is keenly sensitive to people's feelings toward elected officials in general.
I hope our Legislature will discuss it next session. There'll be details to work out so government doesn't screw things up even worse. And besides, "None of the Above" might win several races.
Alan T. Matsuda
Candidates' signs have been vandalized
In our small neighborhood, a Democrat-for-governor sign was pulled out of a lawn and rubbed in dog excrement. Another neighbor found his Republican-for-governor sign was taken from its stake. How can we possibly resolve important local and world issues when some people can't even abide a mainly two-party state?
We should treasure the fact that we have choices for who represents us. Most people around the world do not have that privilege.
Let's hope that these really childish gestures were uncommon incidents.
Suze Salm
Kailua
Here's what you can do to help
The fight against terrorism is a greater burden than the police, firefighters and military can bear alone. As we go through the memorials of 9/11, it's appropriate that we dedicate ourselves once again to the fight.
The enemy is among us, and our defenders need our help to identify those who would do us harm. The bottom line is it requires the thought, input and participation of every member of our society to make this work.
As we remember 9/11 and memorialize the victims, it's important that we be aware of our surroundings and stay actively involved in the fight against terrorism. You can make a difference.
I don't recommend anyone take up arms and act on suspicions; you could be wrong, and innocent people could suffer. But you can all help by simply reporting when you see something that just doesn't seem right.
If you see anything similar to what is listed below, call your local police or FBI office. Send an e-mail. Tell the police officer at the corner. Join the Citizens Corps. Don't delay, and don't approach or follow the suspects. Your information is twice as valuable if the bad guys don't know they have been spotted. This gives the police a chance to apprehend them, and keeps you and your family safe from reprisal. Here's what to look for:
- Tests of security. Attempts to gain access to restricted areas using a cover story or ruse; attempts to duplicate or buy uniforms, badges, passes or other security-related documents.
- Repetitive activities. Three or more occurrences of the same type of abnormal activity or sightings of the same suspicious person or vehicle in the same area.
- Surveillance. Attempts to record security force or restricted-area security activities not normally of interest to visitors or tourists. The bad guys take photos, videos and measurements to use for their planning. This could also happen in densely populated areas. Someone who makes sketches of the location of trash bins in a shopping mall and watches to see when they are emptied would be an example.
- Suspicious activities, incidents. Activity that seems odd or out of place. Attempts to conceal actions from observation of security forces. People who don't fit in, who avoid casual conversation, or become nervous and leave suddenly when questioned. Serious faces scanning the crowd when everyone else is smiling and focused on the entertainment. People conducting surveillance or tests of security measures are all examples.
- Specific threats. Threats that contain specific time, method or location for attacks are of immediate interest and concern and should be reported without delay, even if you don't take the person seriously. Let the police sort it out. If nothing else, it will show the guy with the big mouth that threats are taken seriously. It could result in a visit from the police.
I firmly believe that there will never be another successful hijacking of a passenger aircraft that ends in a crash into a populated structure. Not on an aircraft that carries American citizens. This is not to say that the enemy will not try to destroy more passenger aircraft. But we as Americans will not go quietly into that nightmare again. We have taken personal ownership of the fight. We are all in this together. We all have a role to play. The American people are a force to be reckoned with when we are stirred to action.
This message is dedicated to the memory of the brave souls on United Airlines Flight 93 from Newark, N.J., which crashed near Shanksville, Pa. Ordinary citizens who rose to the call to battle and gave their all.
Christopher G. Brewer
Major, Special Forces (retired)
