Posted on: Thursday, August 28, 2003

Letters to the Editor

Police chief's joke was blown out of proportion

What is going on? Is it such a slow news day that we have to dedicate a half page to report that the police chief sent someone a joke via e-mail?

Gimme a break. Talk about blowing things out of proportion. Did anyone complain? No. Was anyone offended? No. All he was doing was trying spread some laughter around to his co-workers.

His job is full of drugs and violence and stress. Was it distasteful? Maybe, but did you need to make such a big deal about it? This is a man who has dedicated almost 40 years of his life to protect and serve the community and has done a great job as chief of HPD, so if you really feel the need to report on him, try reporting the good things he does; don't try to sell papers by putting a bogus blown-up story on the front page.

And by the way, I have heard the joke, and I think it's funny.

Kamehameha should give up its tax status

Kamehameha Schools has enjoyed a long history of discrimination not only on the basis of race but also of religion (for employment purposes). The religion part was taken away by the courts a few years ago.

So, here we are where the school wants to continue its racist policies. It can be done, but not by the will. A will or trust left by someone doesn't mean that illegal parts must be followed.

There is a simple solution to this. Kamehameha Schools must give up its tax-exempt status. Once it does this, it can continue its racist enrollment without a problem.

It is a simple case — just as Bob Jones University did.

No evidence to prove gayness not a choice

Mitch Kahle's claim that a person's sexual orientation is not a choice (Aug. 25) is dead wrong. As with Kahle's other obsession, atheism, there never has been, and never will be, any scientific evidence to support his contention, and there is plenty of circumstantial evidence against it.

Natural selection favors the perpetuation of only genes that will enhance survival and reproduction. I would like to hear Kahle's explanation of how a theoretical "gay" gene could do this.

Everything in nature tends toward patterns of complimentary opposites; dark and light, yin and yang, hot and cold, male and female. Homosexuality is opposed to this, and is therefore lopsided and unnatural.

Yes, Mitchell, there is a God, and he made sex a beautiful thing, not a strange, lopsided perversion. Your contention that "humans are incapable of choosing their preferences" sounds curiously fatalistic. I could have sworn that when you were arguing against the existence of God, you insisted that we all had free will.

Of course we do, but some possible choices have grim consequences.

How about a darkness curfew for all of O'ahu?

My friend Vernon and I were talking about the Advertiser story in which the City & County proposes to close more city parks at night because of crime, violence and problems with public safety.

I wish I had thought of this one.

Perhaps the city should institute a "dusk till dawn" curfew; that would solve the safety issue. All the good people would be at home behind locked doors, and only the bad guys would be out at night.

2,000 new rental units will make traffic worse

Did anybody stop to consider the impact on our community by opening up 2,000 rental units in Iroquois Point and Barbers Point? Fort Weaver Road is used by 56,000 commuters daily. Traffic is already backed up by 5:30 a.m., and it can take up to one hour (or more) to make the 5-mile trip from North Road to the freeway entrance.

My guess is that no one involved in this project lives in 'Ewa Beach. I'm sure that if they had to deal with the traffic on a daily basis as we do, they would never support such a plan without addressing the traffic problem first.

Private contributions should not be disclosed

The decision of the Office of Information Practices that June Jones' contract should be disclosed because the public has a right to know is misplaced. The decision appears to satiate the public's curiosity rather than its right to know.

The funding appears to be structured such that taxpayer funds are used to fund the lesser portion of the contract. The larger portion is funded by private contributions made directly to pay coach Jones' contract. This is a direct gift to coach Jones, not to the university, nor to the state of Hawai'i. As such, it does not involve taxpayer funds and consequently is not subject to disclosure requirements.

The OIP apparently did not analyze the contract to ascertain its relevant components and its careful structuring. It took the position that the contract must be read as a whole and its entire terms must be disclosed. This is the easy way out.

Inasmuch as private-sector donors are involved, their rights are involved and they are not subject to public disclosure. Thus, under the decision of the OIP, names of individual contributors must be disclosed notwithstanding their desire of anonymity.

Timmy Chang should also be held responsible

In response to Ferd Lewis' column on how UH "dropped the ball" on the Timmy Chang situation: Shouldn't Mr. Chang be held somewhat responsible in not obtaining the grades necessary to pass the six credits that were required of him?

With all the academic help provided to UH athletes, I believe that essentially Mr. Chang "dropped the ball." Hopefully he will learn from this suspension that if you don't get the job done in the classroom, you don't get to play on the field.

J. Morgan
Honolulu

Professional student

So Timmy Chang has to sit out one game because he didn't complete six credit hours in a semester.

I hope he soon figures out how to earn those six credits, as at that rate it will take him up to 10 years to graduate. Some program.

Bus strike: solutions and accusations

Time to protest was during teacher strike

In response to those who complain about the pay of teachers compared to that of bus drivers: During the teachers strike a couple of years ago, students from Honolulu Community College marched to the state Capitol in support of all teachers in the state of Hawai'i. Were there thousands of people or even a few hundred other than teachers and students in support? No.

The organized protest of students was the perfect opportunity for those who complain loudly about the differences in pay to show their support, especially since the students protested during the duration of the strike. If you were not there, then be quiet. I was there, were you?

Let taxicabs pick up fares at the bus stops

Let's have three to four parking spaces at each bus stop, and make taxi cabs agree to charge a max of $2 per passenger, with the option of full fare for an "express" rider.

Allow the driver to pick up additional fares along the route, but he would call another cab if he sees people at a bus stop and is unable to pick them up.

I personally can't see a businessman (passenger) paying his chauffeur (driver) more than he is earning himself.

Is moving the answer?

Dear Mr. Bus Driver:

My dad said that if your boss can't afford to pay you what you are worth, you need to move on and find a new boss. My dad is now a policeman in Seattle, Wash. I miss my dad very much, and wish he would come back and be a policeman here.

'City' isn't saving any money during strike

News stories have not offered a single reason why bus drivers should be paid more than schoolteachers or police and fire department employees.

There have, however, been some specious arguments surrounding the issue. It is particularly annoying to hear the suggestion that the city saves money when the drivers are on strike and those funds should be used to pay for the increase the drivers desire.

The city is comprised of individual taxpayers, and many of them are paying considerably more to find alternative forms of travel than the city saves in bus system shortfalls. In total, there are no savings; in fact, there are excess costs. Should we reward the people who cause this excess cost?

Everyone deserves blame for bus strike

The OTS bus drivers walked out on strike, the first since 1971. Everyone deserves some blame, including the bus drivers' union, the OTS management and the City Council.

First, the union has maintained the city has enough money to afford pay raises and the other demands. It claims that striking was a last option. But Honolulu has been operating at a loss for the past couple years with the Harris administration. Second, the OTS bus drivers are some of the highest-paid bus drivers in the nation. Enough is enough.

OTS management maintains it has no money to meet the union's needs but is not willing to compromise. Like any business, it would get an "F" for the way it has handled negotiations.

The Transportation Committee headed by Councilman Nestor Garcia has simply maintained that there are no direct funds to help pay for what the bus drivers want; however, it has money to pay for other essentials — the soccer, baseball and softball fields in Waipi'o.

Shame on everyone, and see you in next year's elections.

Traffic smooth-flowing

Thanks to the bus union's strike, there is no traffic. Driving on the H-1 going east by Kapalama, there is usually a lot of traffic, but today it was smooth-flowing. Seems as if everyone made other arrangements, so maybe the bus system should be shut down.

Commute time during strike is much better

Thank you, bus drivers. I understand the bus strike is hurting many. But my commute down Ala Moana, Nimitz, Kapi'olani, King and Beretania is so much better now that there are no buses on the road. The traffic moves much better without having to slow down for buses at their stops.

When I went to work, many of my co-workers were saying the same thing: "Who needs the bus?"

Bus drivers, wake up and smell the coffee: Many on this island are against your strike. Go back to the table immediately and accept defeat. Public opinion is not behind you on this one.

Let's face it: You are not police officers or firefighters. We can get alternate means of transportation; we can't find other means for public safety.

Let the coach help out

Why not divert some of June Jones' salary to the bus drivers? I'm sure many will agree that the transit system is much more important than a winning football team. Our priorities are certainly messed up.

Bicyclists need room

The order to strike has gone forth and there are no buses. Now we need to deal with it, move on. I'm happy to say that many of my fellow bus riders have set up car pools. I've decided to ride a bike. So, since we're all in the same basket, please give bicyclists room to ride. We're doing our part to ease traffic and parking woes, so please give us our right to be safe while riding.