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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, February 16, 2003

FOCUS
Don't let blood help feed your gas-hungry SUV

 •  Hawai'i speaks up on threat of war

By Toshinari "Toshi" Takata

Toshinari "Toshi" Takata is a legal services attorney with Na Keiki Law Center.
Is it really worth going to war so that we can continue driving our SUVs?

An oversimplification, but if the essential connection is unclear, is there any doubt that the major reason Saddam is more than just an annoyance to those Americans involved with the region, and of even minimal concern to the rest of us, is oil? And note that our automobiles, especially our larger gas-guzzling SUVs, are the major reasons that Middle East oil is of such importance.

The prospect of going to war for our excessive driving habits should serve as a wake-up call. Honolulu is an almost perfect example of the song lyrics "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot." Our tourist economy is not likely to change anytime soon, and the last thing most tourists want is an "island L.A."

Our gas prices and traffic congestion are among the worst in the nation and with the eventual dire consequences from global warming on islands such as ours, the case for driving less and using less oil (gasoline) is abundantly clear.

No, it is definitely not worth going to war so that we can continue to drive our SUVs. Among the most patriotic things we can do at this time, while also benefiting most, all in the long run, is to drastically cut back on our use of oil.

So ride the bus, car pool, bicycle, walk, and think about it the next time you see those SUVs with American flags on them.

HAWAI'I SPEAKS UP ON THREAT OF WAR
 •  No easy answers when it comes to war
 •  History teaches inaction will lead to disaster
 •  War with Iraq should be last resort for U.S.
 •  Been there, done that. ... Stop meddling
 •  Too many questions still unanswered
 •  Is there pre-emptive talk to deal with the backlash?
 •  Hawai'i inconsequential — and it's a consolation
 •  The real focus should be against nuclear suicide
 •  It's high time to speak out when silence may be safer
 •  U.S. needs to refrain from unilateral action
 •  U.S. history of support for Saddam overlooked