Letters to the Editor

Have the money before OK'ing police pay raise

I am happy that the City Council voted against increasing the vehicle weight tax. I think that there are other options that should be considered before voting on this kind of increase. For example, find programs that are not providing adequate results and cut their money to accommodate the raise.

I don't understand why the City Council agreed on this police contract for raises and benefits but they don't have the money to do so. It seems more logical to have a fund or a source of where the money will be taken from to honor the contracts before agreeing to them.

I would love to see our police officers receive their pay raise, but the council needs to be more aware of the consequences of these kinds of agreements.

Football team proudly represents Damien

On Nov. 21, I witnessed the best Damien football team of all time defeat a heavily favored Kapolei team. What I saw amazed me. I saw a team that had poise, resolve and the talent to stay with a team like Kapolei. In short, they played like a team expecting to win.

As the game ended, I looked around to see many alumni with faces aglow with pride, amazement and utter joy. I couldn't help but reflect on the important stand made two years ago by Father Greg O'Donnell, Damien's principal at the time, who called attention to the safety of Damien's players in games against the bigger schools. As you recall, he threatened to forfeit a game with perennial powerhouse St. Louis School.

This was the beginning point of a revolution of sorts in high school football. The system that has evolved is one predicated on leveling the playing field and it is a long time coming.

As a Damien team physician several years ago, I witnessed firsthand a Timmy Chang-led Crusader team rout an undermanned Monarch team. I was amazed at the differences in overall size and number of players on both sides.

As I recall, several of the Monarch players at the time suffered season-ending injuries. The kids never gave up the fight, though, and I marveled at their courage even more. The point of change heralded two years ago by O'Donnell's declaration was needed to rectify the disparity in programs, where the resource support, facilities, alumni support and pool of athletes vary tremendously.

I believe that the changes should continue to evolve, and I laud the efforts of the movers and shakers within both the Interscholastic League of Honolulu and O'ahu Interscholastic Association. I congratulate the accomplishments of this year's Damien football team and the guidance from all the coaches. You represent all that Damien represents, a small, disciplined private school capable of great things. Remember our motto, Viriliter Age (to act manfully)!

Even police think little of littering butts

I was pleased to see the Dec. 1 editorial "Smokers, the Islands are not your ashtray." I, too, find it annoying to watch people throw cigarette butts out of their car windows or drop them as they walk or stand. I've picked up hundreds of butts over the years during various cleanup efforts, and the pile never diminishes.

I was also pleased that you reminded people that it is criminal littering and a finable offense. On Nov. 20, on my way into town on the Pali Highway, I watched a police officer throw his cigarette butt out the window of his police car. Smokers think so little of what they are doing that even police officers give it no thought.

It's bad enough for ordinary citizens to perpetuate this bad habit. I find it distressing that the police can't at least provide a positive (and legal) role model for this behavior.

Riding bikes is good for you and the earth

An enjoyable ritual for my wife and I while visiting your beautiful tropical paradise is sitting on the lanai (even when it's raining) and enjoying your paper over coffee as the sun rises.

One morning your paper confirmed what we all know: That human activity is causing increased global warming, and, in an unrelated letter to the editor, that drivers, not roads, are dangerous. These two articles are related in the fact that both could be mitigated by the simple act of riding a bike.

Try it and see how simple it is. I even bring our bikes from Alaska just so we can ride in this beautiful spot. When I ask people why more of them don't ride here they invariably say it is too dangerous.

However, most accidents are caused by cyclists ignoring the rules of the road. So ride your bike but please follow the basic rules of the road and you will not only reward yourself, but also your planet.

No new beginning, as political appointees show

I applaud Lee Cataluna's clear vision. A crony is still a crony by any other name. The change in political appointees was to change one set of cronies for another set. It seems nepotism (brothers, wives, husbands, sisters) is very much alive as well. New beginning? I think not.