Posted on: Saturday, November 1, 2003
Letters to the Editor
Hidden driveway is hazardous, criminal
As a lot of us already know, someone at the city has allowed a serious traffic condition to be created on Hawai'i Kai Drive between Keahole and Wailua streets.
A hidden driveway for 70 to 80 new condos enters onto Hawai'i Kai Drive, right in the middle of an already very dangerous curve. Autos turning left into the driveway are already causing traffic to back up to Keahole, blocking the intersection.
This condition is the result of more than negligence; it is criminal.
Apparently someone feels that litigation is a better way to determine traffic management than studies and mitigation requirements. What a shame. I just hope no one has to be killed in a traffic accident before something is done to correct this incredibly dangerous condition.
Fred Belt
Hawai'i Kai
Warriors should join the Mountain West
The Mountain West division holds the best opportunity for the UH Warrior football team to get to that next level. It has all the appeal from a field of competition that is a step up from where we are: renewing our greatest rivalry in the past with BYU; getting up to Las Vegas every other year against UNLV; stopping that potent Air Force run/option offense; going up against high fliers like Colorado State, San Diego State, Utah, etc.
This conference represents some of the best teams in the West, some that actually get in the top 20 year after year.
To balance out the conference, I think we should pull Fresno State or Boise State with us to make it a 10-team conference and run with that.
As for Rice, Tulsa and SMU leaving ... hmmppff ... they were the bottom feeders of the WAC anyway.
Scram!
C. Omori
Royal Kunia
Lingle should stick to campaign promises
Finding solutions to the traffic mess in Central O'ahu is certainly a problem I would like to see fixed, but when I voted for Linda Lingle for governor, I did so because of her campaign promises to: (1) fix the economy; (2) fix our schools; (3) reduce the cost of government, and (4) not raise taxes.
Although I still consider myself a supporter of her administration, I have to question the change in her position on raising taxes to fund the proposed fixed-rail transit system. While I might support a tax increase for a fixed-rail system one day after our economy improves and our schools are fixed, I think our governor should first concentrate on achieving her original campaign promises.
Our state has many problems that need solutions, such as crystal meth, our failing educational system and healthcare coverage for all our citizens. The common solution for each of these problems seems to be more money.
If our economy and schools have improved by the end of her first term, then she can tell us that she will raise taxes to fund worthwhile projects during her next term in office. We can then make an informed decision whether to support her for another term as our governor.
When it comes to taxes, it seems a lot of politicians have a problem in keeping their campaign promises not to raise them.
Read my lips ...
Roy Yanagihara
Kane'ohe
Better to kill the enemy in his own territory
To those of you who don't understand why we are conducting our war on terrorism "over there": The reason is as plain as the nose on your face. During the Clinton era of shame, we allowed the terrorists to come here, get educated and bring their mayhem and destruction with them.
It isn't a matter of patriotism, it's a matter of where we want to fight. Do we wait again for them to bring it here, or do we bring it to their table? Frankly, I'd rather kill the enemy in his bed instead of mine.
Gary Suzukawa
Honolulu
We fight for you; help us stay alive
Some of us have forgotten that the United States and everything in it is based on the willingness of volunteers to sacrifice their lives for the freedom we have to speak, act and enjoy our American lifestyle.
The people of the United States owe these men and women volunteers a chance to live and not die horrible deaths on the battlefield in some foreign country simply because they were denied realistic and challenging ranges and training lands.
It is easy to look at a place like Makua Military Reservation or Pohakuloa Training Area and ask why the place cannot be returned. Returned to whom? The people of Hawai'i? The people of Hawai'i already own these lands and need them to preserve the lives of a very small number of people who history shows us are willing to sacrifice their own lives for our children's freedom.
Steve Lai
Schofield Barracks
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