Letters to the Editor
Proposed cell phone ban another dumb idea
First there were van cams, then came the proposed "stick your hand out, make eye contact with driver and cross crosswalk" law. Now we are faced with this cell-phone law that would ban talking on a cell phone while driving.
I have a mental picture of our lawmakers putting their heads together to come up with these ridiculous ideas. The picture is not so much of all of them brainstorming, but rather of them butting heads like a Three Stooges movie.
Cell phones DO NOT cause accidents. Careless people cause accidents. People who put on their makeup while traveling 70 mph down the freeway cause accidents. People who try to drive, slam a sandwich down their throat, smoke a cigarette and drink a Big Gulp at the same time cause accidents.
The law should be narrowed to cite specific people who have actually caused an accident because of talking on a cell phone. If that is too hard to prove, then get rid of the law altogether and leave the rest of us responsible, law-abiding people alone.
Mike Young
Waipahu
What are the effects of engineered crops?
Regarding the Feb. 26 story "Genetically altered corn gets federal approval": Like the biotech potato, this newly approved corn produces properties to resist rootworm.
It is already well-known that biotech has a harmful effect on Monarch butterflies, a species that lives in Hawai'i. Since 90 percent of the existing Hawaiian indigenous species are endemic (do not exist anywhere else), would it not be wise to contact local entomologists to study the possible effect the crop might have on local insect populations?
It appears that no substantial testing has been done to monitor the effects of Yieldgard corn on local insects. Many animals higher up on the food chain depend on insects to live.
Maris Abelson
Kane'ohe
Airport signs should all be standardized
Another perspective to the yellow "Ticketing" and "Baggage Claim" signs at Honolulu International Airport is the standardization of directional signs at airports throughout the entire world, as is the use of English by commercial aircraft pilots.
I suspect that terms and phrases used by them are also standardized.
In Singapore, Hong Kong, Rome, etc., the signs that direct you to arriving passengers for pickup is "ARRIVALS"; "DEPARTURES" is where a traveler is taken to depart on a flight.
If it is confusing for a citizen of Hawai'i, how much more difficult is it for a visitor — and a non-English-speaking one at that? They already have a ticket, so why should they follow the directions to purchase another ticket? Likewise, why should they head for baggage claim to pick up a friend who is arriving?
Can you imagine if we extend this foolishness to stop lights where each state or country uses different sets of colors where "red" may be go and "green" stop?
Jan Tong
A New Beginning? When will it begin?
Gov. Lingle is approaching her first 100 days in office. Looking for the New Beginning, it's hard to find anything resembling the big changes we were assured only her team could deliver and that we could expect to see after the election.
We've heard about the high approval ratings and the heightened optimism, but where are the big accomplishments? A search finds a poorly-thought-out prescription drug plan, a goofy double-deck freeway proposal and a sound-bite education plan.
The drive to restore trust in government has resulted in a couple of canceled contracts at the airport, but no uncovering of systemic corruption that was claimed to be present. Nevertheless, we've seen that favoritism is alive and well with appointed positions going to campaign workers and the brothers, wives and friends of close advisers.
What about strengthening the economy? Name one major business policy initiative to come out of the governor's team. Does the possibility that the White House might consider using Hawai'i coffee constitute a major breakthrough? Does the continuation of high-tech tax credits started under Gov. Cayetano rate as an accomplishment? Where is the Cabinet-level tourism czar? Where is the aggressive marketing campaign for Act 221 and the strong UH research funding promised?
Sure it takes time to see change. But have the governor and her team even started to deliver on the promises? Or, more to the point, do they have what it takes to deliver?
Oh, and please let me know when the New Beginning has begun.
Emi Chiharu
Lingle was off base with support for war
I take offense that while in Washington, D.C., using my tax money, Linda Lingle openly pledged her support for President Bush's handling of Iraq and of his desire to go to war.
She did this even though the state House has passed a resolution (and the state Senate will also do so) opposing a U.S. assault on Iraq without U.N. backing.
Lingle is apparently so enamored with Bush that her ability to assess the mood of Hawai'i's citizens is clouded. Her statements that "Hawai'i's citizens would support the president in case of war with Iraq" and that "there is reluctance in Hawai'i to be critical of the president" are ludicrous.
Is Lingle intentionally downplaying the rallies being held throughout the Islands (and the world) to condemn this president's dreadful international policies, or is she truly poorly informed on this vital issue?
Given the horrendous impact on our nation's and the Islands' economies should a war be launched, her position is despicable and a real disservice.
John Witeck
Conservatives are isolationists? Hardly
Regarding John Griffin's March 2 commentary: In most respects, I agree with him. This nation has become an empire through commerce and military policing in Third World countries. However, the origins of this status were well-intentioned in the name of democracy and capitalism, ideals that have become second nature to those who live in a free society. We are not exactly "the root of all evil" due to this idealist nature.
As a conservative thinker, I would like to know why Mr. Griffin considers those who are isolationists to be right wing. Is this not the group that tends to support our military forces to take actions to promote democracy and the capitalist life we lead?
Considering that our military is also predominantly conservative, isn't it funny that these are the same people policing these unstable countries? Who do you believe is more isolationist in actuality? Those who are willing to fight to maintain the efficacy of U.N. sanctions and protect our nation from those willing to hurt it?
Or, as I propose, it would be those who are willing to lie down and allow actions such as U.N. Resolution 1441 to fall to the wayside, in the name of peace, love and other nostalgia left over from the '60s.
Saddam Hussein is eating this up, folks. We need to be proactive on Iraq and show Saddam that the U.N. is willing to uphold what regulations are passed under its authority. Otherwise the U.N. is useless. Once again, the U.S. steps in to clean up the mess. Pretty isolationist, huh?
Kristen Davis
'Industrial oligarchy' wasn't part of overthrow
Your community editorial board member Eduardo Hernandez makes an interesting, if somewhat unusual, comparison Feb. 23 of the overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani and the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893 to the contemplated overthrow of Saddam Hussein and his government in Iraq, blaming both on what he calls the "industrial oligarchy" of the United States.
Actually, there is a valid comparison, but the root is not some industrial oligarchy. In both cases a dictator/monarch not serving the people of his/her country is the common element.
There was no industrial oligarchy fomenting a revolution in Hawai'i in 1893; there were simply subjects of the kingdom who objected strongly to the willful ways of their queen — she announced she was going to install a new constitution, take away the voting rights of certain taxpayers and appoint all the members of one of the two houses of government. They said no way and removed her from office in a virtually bloodless coup.
The U.S. played a minimal role, pointing no guns, firing no bullets. And even that role was denounced very quickly by President Cleveland, making clear the U.S. itself was not interested in taking over the kingdom.
Interestingly, neither those Hawaiians who now seek independence and those who merely seek compensation from Uncle Sam for damages that never happened are looking for a return to a monarchy.
Further, contrary to Mr. Hernandez' assertions, both the actions of the Hawaiian revolutionists in 1893 and America in Iraq in 2003 follow a clear precept of international law: Any people who believe they are oppressed can exercise the right to overthrow a government that threatens their chosen way of life. Ask the English about their revolution in 1688, Americans about theirs in 1775, the French about theirs in 1789, and don't forget the Chinese revolution in 1911 or the Russian revolution in 1917.
Thurston Twigg-Smith
Was pothole patcher all about loss of jobs?
Are you trying to tell us that the people who work at the Department of Transportation are too dumb to operate, clean and fill the pothole patcher machine? And then, after it was parked, it was vandalized so it would never be used?
It's obvious the whole problem with this machine was the union and the loss of four jobs. Did the state buy this machine without consulting with the employees' union? And this is the result?
Sid Whitson
Mililani
Cruise-ship industry bad for Hawaiian waters
I am all for creating new jobs in Hawai'i, but not at the expense of our fragile island ecosystem.
Cruise ships are notorious (and documented) for dumping effluent material, ranging from garbage to raw sewage, into pristine waters. Whether the discharges are accidental or intentional, they are rated by colors such as "brown" and "black," neither of which mixes well with our "ocean blue."
Cruise ships in Hawai'i are tantamount to oil rigs in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We don't need, and shouldn't condone, the potential for environmental degradation in either Hawai'i or the Arctic.
Stiff monetary fines are not sufficient to deter cruise-ship discharges. My feelings aside, during this state legislative session, our elected officials are discussing and will continue to discuss potential fines for cruise-ship discharge violations.
I urge you to call, write, fax or e-mail your most influential politician and vent your frustration at the lack of aloha the cruise-ship industry has shown toward our Hawaiian waters. I will write directly to Sen. Daniel Inouye because he initiated approval for three Norwegian Cruise Line ships to navigate Hawaiian waters` under the U.S. flag.
Stephen N. Bischoff
We need stronger laws for our elderly
I want to thank Advertiser reporter Mike Gordon for his elder-abuse series and the follow-up article in the Feb. 27 paper. Gordon and The Honolulu Advertiser did a great public service by publishing the series. This is a serious problem in Hawai'i and all the other states.
The Feb. 27 article quoted state Health Director Chiyome Fukino as being in favor of a week's notice for inspections of care facilities. This is wrong. Apparently Dr. Fukino is not aware that you can send a patient with a bed sore on a sightseeing activity, a doctor visit, etc., on the day of the inspection. Also, extra staff can be hired to super-clean the facility just before the inspectors arrive.
We need stronger laws in Hawai'i to protect our elderly from abuse. The elder abuse/neglect law in Hawai'i should include unannounced inspections and felony offense status for elder abuse or neglect.
Bob Kozuki
Legislature must be fiscally responsible
During these times of economic slowdown, one must thank the members of our state Legislature for pushing legislation to increase the general excise tax and for sticking it to those awful, greedy business people in the private sector, who themselves must make budget cuts in order to make ends meet.
Way to go, gang!
And what about those secret, closed-door meetings? No way the average bumbling taxpayer should be allowed to know what our various elected officials are planning. Who are we, anyway, except a bunch of blithering idiots who need to be led around by our nose rings?
Let's hope the new governor uses her veto powers on both of these issues, and at the same time demands a severe cutback on uncontrolled state spending habits. It's about time our elected representatives begin to act fiscally responsible, as those in the private sector must in order to survive.
Arnold Bitner
Enforcement needed against violations
Why does the state bother to have HOV lanes on the H-1?
On any given morning, about 50 to 75 percent of the drivers in the HOV lane are alone in the car. In the afternoons, it is about 25 to 50 percent. Even more blatant, I see pickup trucks in the zipper lane all the time.
Only two times in the last six months have I seen someone getting a ticket for an HOV lane violation. If we are really serious about reducing traffic congestion by encouraging carpooling, then please start enforcing the standards for HOV lane usage.
Michael K. Olsen
'Ewa Beach
