Letters to the Editor

School preference misunderstood by many

As an American of African and indigenous American ancestry, and being from the Mainland, I feel that many of European descent misunderstand segregation and the idea of preference.

Equal opportunity does not necessarily mean desegregation, as there are two types. One is by law (which is wrong) and the other by choice.

I am disgusted by Judge Ezra's decision because of the number of Hawaiians unable to attend Kamehameha schools. As I interpret the word "preference," preference does not mean total exclusion, but, given the choice, you would pick one over another.

In Hawai'i, those of Hawaiian ancestry are overrepresented in the poverty levels. Like Paula Moniz (quoted in the article "Parents criticize entrance policy at Kamehameha"), I think that the school should target disadvantaged students of Hawaiian ancestry. People died for equal rights, not necessarily desegregation.

Here's how to handle it

Kamehameha solution: Open the school, charge $40,000 per year and create a Native Hawaiian scholarship for qualifying individuals.

Mayor Fasi would have handled situation better

As traffic snarled in the bus strike, let us compare the performance of Gov. Linda Lingle, Mayor Jeremy Harris, and former Mayor Frank Fasi. Lingle promised a "New Beginning," but her refusal to be involved with the O'ahu Transit situation sounds like old politics. She campaigned as a pro-business candidate but, evidently, she is not alarmed with the huge losses local businesses will take.

Thousands of people are, for example, dropped off at Ala Moana Center every day by TheBus. Keeping customers out of stores is bad for business. Doesn't she know that?

Mayor Harris promoted the "vision teams." Then he lamented that there was "simply no money" to pay for essential city services. Didn't he know this was coming? If his administration can't anticipate revenue flows this year, can it credibly plan anything for the future?

Ironically, Lingle and Harris campaigned against Fasi. Both claimed they were better prepared to lead. The reality is different. Is there any doubt that had Mayor Fasi been in office, he would have taken personal responsibility and aggressively done everything possible to keep the buses rolling?

Give us a reason to save water, and we will

Your articles on the current water shortage make me wonder why our local utilities do not use the very powerful method of incentivization that has led to resource conservation success stories in other parts of the country.

Conservation can be improved without pleading for voluntary curbs nor resorting to forced limitations.

By offering lower rates to those who change their usage habits, it is a simple matter to find reductions of 25 percent or more in relatively short periods of time.

And these cuts have been shown to become lifestyle changes that continue long after they are initiated.

When I moved to O'ahu a year ago, I called HECO to ask if there were an incentive for using heavy appliances like washers, dryers and dishwashers during off-peak hours. I was told there was not. But coming from California, I was used to doing my laundry and dishwashing at night, so I continue to do so regardless. California has successfully used incentives to reduce and manage resources such as electricity, natural gas and water.

If Hawai'i residents are given a rate incentive for reducing their usage bills in this easy and convenient way, I am sure they would readily do so.

Evidence does indeed show a genetic link

In response to Steve Williams' Aug. 28 letter "No evidence to prove gayness not a choice": Williams claims that sexual orientation is a choice. Absolutely untrue. There is plenty of evidence to show a genetic link as a determining factor in sexual orientation, and absolutely none to show it's a choice. There is plenty of empirical evidence to show that it's not a choice.

Then, after playing the "God" card, Williams goes on to espouse evolution (I hope the hypocrisy is not missed by everyone here) and claims that only genes that enhance survival and reproduction succeed. That is wrong, and even if it weren't, to claim that gays provide nothing to aid the species is wrong. To suggest that making babies is the only benefit one has to society is utterly crazy.

Given that there is roughly the same percentage of gay people in any culture, any society, at any point in time, clearly indicates that even if we don't know what the evolutionary benefit is of having homosexuals, the benefit is there. The fact that sexual orientation issues aren't limited to the human species further supports this.

Yes, there is a God, and he made love a beautiful thing, for his heterosexual children and his homosexual children as well.

Revitalized Kailua is visually appealing

I applaud what Kaneohe Ranch has done to improve the visual and economic conditions in Kailua.

Prior to 1995, downtown Kailua was a visual wasteland, consisting of hodgepodge commercial real estate. Most of the buildings went unpainted and had little or no landscaping.

Since then, Kane'ohe Ranch has revitalized downtown Kailua, and business has improved.

Hopefully, future commercial Kane'ohe Ranch projects will be as visually appealing. Let's not make it a cookie-cutter anywhere USA downtown.

Many old businesses would benefit from these visual improvements. Rent increases would be offset with increased foot traffic. Who doesn't want to stroll in a great, vibrant beach community?

Let's hope that tasteful (Kailua Beach style) improvements will continue. Kalapawai Market is a great example of classic Kailua. I hope other commercial property owners will see the benefits of a visually appealing structure. We need strict building standards, similar to Hale'iwa, to maintain our local identity.

Keep our beach community a beach town.

Rep. Case certainly is not a moderate

Ed Case is a very smart, articulate and convincing man. He will no doubt work hard and diligently for us as our congressman.

However, to characterize him as a moderate is inaccurate; he voted for same-sex marriage, he supports partial-birth abortions and he supports homosexual adoptions. If those are moderate positions, what is considered liberal?

Yes, he wants to reform the Jones Act. Big deal — as long as the rest of the delegation is against him, he is just wasting paper and time.

Move on about joke

Regarding the "riddle" Aug. 24 on the front page: Inappropriate, yes. Humorous, yes (to some). Human being, yes. If you desire a "perfect cop," hire a robot with a halo. As a colleague always said, "Even monkeys fall off of trees." Learn from mistakes and move on.