Letters to the Editor

'Gateway to Waikiki' should be revived

Last year, The Honolulu Advertiser reported that the City Council had unanimously decided to upgrade the area around the gorgeous and large Convention Center, the so-called "Gateway to Waikiki" project.

Everybody was very happy about this announcement. This was government doing what government should do: improve the city and complement the already beneficial changes that have been made to the diamondhead end of Waikiki.

To everyone's consternation, The Advertiser recently reported that the council had abandoned the project because the owners of the offended property would not sell it.

Of course, the council guaranteed this complication by announcing its intention to upgrade the area. Nobody wants to sell property in an area that is to be upgraded. The council should have first bought the offending property and then made the announcement.

I feel the council should not have abandoned this so worthwhile project after so little effort. It should get local residents of the area involved. There are now 2.2 acres for sale on Kalakaua Avenue near the Hawai'i Convention Center.

Patrick Flynn

Lingle education policy won't work for Hawai'i

Before becoming governor, Linda Lingle wrote four pages in her campaign brochure on Hawai'i's public schools but failed to mention their serious underfunding. The sad fact is that our public schools usually are 50th of the 50 states in proportion of state revenues for public school funding.

The underfunding is especially damaging for Hawai'i, where the cost of living for families and schools is at least 20 percent higher than the national average. An extremely harmful outcome is that about half of all newly hired teachers are uncertified. Children get teachers who are underpaid, courses lacking in modern technology and deteriorating classrooms.

A 1998 report from the National Education Association predicted that during the next eight years, Hawai'i school funding per child will be no better than third lowest in the United States. Without much more funding, Hawai'i public schools will remain at the national bottom in 2006.

School underfunding is linked to low scores on national scholastic aptitude tests for Hawai'i children. A 39-state survey of 4th-graders by the National Assessment of Education Progress also has ranked Hawai'i pupils at the very bottom. What is Lingle's solution?

She wants to create seven area school boards. That could harm standard funding, teacher certification, policies, curricula, courses and textbooks. With her four boards on O'ahu, students who move a few blocks might end up in incompatible educational programs.

Lingle's proposed policy for schools ignores huge money deficiencies and would end a fairly uniform and equal educational system for all of its students.

Jerome G. Manis

Rose Parade was experience of lifetime

I was part of the Hawai'i All-State Marching Band, which just returned from California after participating in the Tournament of Roses Parade. I'd really like to thank all of the directors, staff, parents, relatives and my fellow members for a wonderful experience I'll never forget.

It was a joy working with so many different people and coming together as one. Suddenly, everyone wasn't from O'ahu or the Big Island, or Iolani or Kahuku; we were all from Hawai'i, and that's what made this band so special. Mr. John Riggle and Mr. Michael Payton really encouraged us to show our aloha spirit to the world, and I think we all did a good job with that.

I owe a lot to my parents, relatives, teachers and friends for supporting me throughout this experience. I'd also like to send out my appreciation to Mr. Riggle and Mr. Payton for putting this together. I can only imagine how much work it took, and I'm truly grateful because I was given an experience that will last me a lifetime.

Most people get their couple of minutes of fame only once in their lives. I'm only 15, and I probably just did the biggest thing I'll ever do in my entire life. Thank you again.

Kelli Miura
McKinley High School sophomore

'Right-to-die' bill now looks more appealing

After reading the news that the consumer now may (or have to) bear the brunt of the cost of paying the nurses their raise — along with the ever-rising cost of medical supplies and services for the terminally ill patient — it just may be cheaper to die.

I was opposed to the "right-to-die bill" at first, but now that the news is coming out that the cost of medical care will increase because of the nurses' raises, I think differently.

Ken Anama

Krauss' column on terrorism unrealistic

Bob Krauss' Jan. 5 column, "War on terrorism masks real problems," was ludicrous. Suggesting that the U.S. is using the threat of terrorism to ignore domestic problems is absurd. What could be more important than national security?

On the issue of U.N. inspectors not being able to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Krauss once again questions the motives of the U.S. It's reassuring to know that Krauss has access to the myriad of intelligence that guides the policies of this country and that he is briefed daily on Middle East events.

I suppose, too, that Krauss can offer some evidence that proves Iraq is not a threat in the region?

Krauss made one last statement in his column that truly defines his naive view: "Is terrorism so pervasive that young men must go to war instead of the football field?" May I suggest for 2003 that he immerse himself in reading newspapers from around the Middle East? I think it will change his perspective.

Jim Van

Incarceration does indeed prevent crime

Regarding Jeremy Leval's Jan. 2 letter, "Incarceration doesn't help prevent crime": I disagree with his comments and unsubstantiated facts.

He believes that incarceration only postpones crimes. This is true to a certain extent, if you believe, as Leval does, that every felon released from prison will commit another crime. Just imagine for a minute that a convicted felon is incarcerated for his or her complete sentence; is crime being prevented? Sure it is, because the felon in question is unable to commit further crimes while serving his sentence.

And just to let you know, property crime is only treated severely throughout the pages of the Hawai'i Revised Statutes, but reality is a whole different ballgame.

However, since Leval feels that property crime is treated severely, then explain to me how in the course of a two-week period, a female suspect was arrested on three different occasions for auto theft, a Class C felony that carries a five-year sentence. Just imagine for a second if she were incarcerated for her first offense, the other two felonies would have been prevented, not postponed.

And just imagine this: The 18-year-old that Leval referred to learned the necessary social skills to survive in our capitalistic society while attending high school. Then this 18-year-old made the choice to steal your mom's car or commit home invasion while your parents were asleep in their beds. How many chances are you willing to give him?

Stanley Garcia