Letters to the Editor

We're paying millions for whistleblower case

The continuing story of the Kamakana police whistleblower case appeared again on The Advertiser's front page (Nov. 21). The U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI, the city corporation counsel, the City Council and the HPD all seem to be conspiring to keep the truth about reported wrongdoing in the Police Department from the public.

The taxpayers have already spent $2 million in legal fees and expenses on behalf of HPD Chief Lee Donohue and Capt. Milton Olmos. Settling this case is clearly not the city's strategy to save money. I think we citizens are entitled to know what we are paying to cover up.

Let City Council know tax-increase feelings

Bill 69, which would raise your motor vehicle weight tax to cover an arbitrated police contract, is set to go before the City Council for a final vote on Dec. 3.

If you are in favor of paying more on your annual motor vehicle registration, then simply do nothing.

If, however, you are against having to pay an extra $16 to $34 on your annual motor vehicle registration, then call or write your City Council member today. His or her phone number and address can be found on page 34 in the government pages section of your telephone directory.

Article made a world of difference for homeless

I would like very much to thank The Advertiser staff, especially Mike Gordon, for the recent article on how to help the community's homeless and needy for the holidays.

The article made a huge difference. We didn't have much to share before the article. But afterward, we had numerous and wonderful responses from the best people in the community. The community came together like genuine champions. I believe this year could be one of our best yet. To say we are thankful would be an understatement.

The holidays are tough times for many on fixed incomes and for some who have nothing at all. It is a blessing to be a part of making those tough times a little kinder. From our heart to yours, we thank each of you for taking the time to walk that talk of caring and sharing. I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a great new year to come. You deserve it.

Mahalo nui loa from me, all the Kau Kau Wagon volunteers and those who will enjoy the generosity and kindness of the heart each of you have shared.

Keep irresponsible drivers off the roads

My family has been the victim of two car accidents within the past 11 months. Measures and implementation need to be in force to get reckless and irresponsible people off the roads.

A computer system at the gas pumps statewide could easily store data on all current driver's licensees. Those who have current auto insurance and driver's licenses that are in "good standing" could proceed to purchase gas for their cars. If not, oh well ...

Too many innocent people are killed or maimed daily. How much more do we have to suffer because of someone else's irresponsibility?

A time to be thankful to students, parents

What does Thanksgiving mean to me as an educator?

Well, I'm thankful for my job. I am paid and I can focus on doing my best to make a difference in my students' lives to help them become better writers and readers.

Although there is so much emphasis on standardized test scores and the No Child Left Behind federal law, I can't forget it's because of my students I have a job today. I am definitely challenged to improve myself as a teacher, and it's a good thing. So I'm thankful for my students and their parents who have chosen the public school for a quality education. I will do my best to help all my students.

Education, as I have found it to be, is a joint effort among teachers, students and parents. Without my students, I couldn't do it. And without my students' parents, I also couldn't do it. So I just want to say thanks and keep up the good work, students. I hope we all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving this year and every year to come.

Must be nice to be a crook in Hawai'i

My wife and I recently vacationed on O'ahu. We had a great time until the last day, when our rental car was broken into and all contents were removed.

With the fast response of the Honolulu Police Department and two witnesses, the criminal was caught 10 miles down the road, and we were able to salvage most of our stuff. Crime happens, and I am willing to accept the fact that we fell victim.

However, the criminal had a record of 36 prior convictions. Thirty-six! How can someone get caught breaking the law 36 times and still be running around? Answer: This guy has absolutely no motivation to stop this behavior. He has nothing to lose and stolen goods to gain. The arrest procedure was nothing more than routine for him because he knows he'll be free soon.

I'm sure there are benefits to being a liberal state, but in this case, the only ones benefiting from the non-punishing Hawai'i legal system are those who have no fear of a tarnished record and a night in the slammer. It must be nice to be a crook in Hawai'i.

Return of Kaho'olawe should benefit all of us

While Gov. Lingle uses her D.C. trips and presidential visits to pursue the interests of the Akaka bill beneficiaries, shouldn't the rest of us who call Hawai'i home begin debating how to best use the return of Kaho'olawe for the benefit of all who sacrificed and worked to build this state?

Every world-class developer would pay enormous sums for the right to restore and develop Kaho'olawe to our standards. Such fees would easily pay for education, healthcare, long-term care and rapid transit for the descendants of those whose sacrifices built and defended this state.

A desiccated island could be made to bloom overnight. And if we selected developers to fairly represent all the cultures that make Hawai'i special, the result would be unique in the world. And fees from selling development rights would be followed by hundreds of millions of capital inflow as restoration and construction followed.

And if we selected developers who fairly represent all parts of our unique multicultural blending, Hawai'i would have a unique new image to replace the 100-year-old one-dimensional image pursued by the HVCB. And it would revitalize the aloha sprit our former multicultural immigrants forged for us when they created a spirit of tolerance and cooperation among all the diverse people of Hawai'i.

Hawai'i Public Radio still needs your help

We were inspired and humbled two weeks ago when we received word that philanthropist Joan Kroc had bequeathed a generous financial gift to NPR.

But our pleasant surprise turned to concern when we saw the suggestion made in The Advertiser (Letters, Nov. 10) that word of the gift might inadvertently dampen local listeners' enthusiasm for supporting great public radio stations like KHPR (Hawai'i Public Radio).

While Mrs. Kroc's gift will establish a strong and badly needed endowment for NPR, it is not a magic wand for public radio. The public radio system — which includes more than 750 independent stations and NPR — still faces the daily challenge of funding about $800 million in cumulative annual budgets. This gift will produce revenues equal to only about 1 percent of the total costs of public radio.

Public radio has seen enormous growth in audiences in the last decade, but costs to serve this growing audience have outstripped revenues. These have been trying economic times for public radio, and many critical needs remain unmet. Mrs. Kroc's magnificent gift has inspired a broad conversation about the current and future financial health of public radio, particularly local NPR member stations. This conversation includes the ongoing need for continued private and government support for local public radio stations.

It is our sincere wish that Mrs. Kroc's gift will be understood not as a replacement for other funding sources, but as a means of preserving NPR's long-term financial health. Her good deed should remind local listeners of the vital role their contributions play in ensuring that stations like KHPR continue to provide quality news, information and entertainment to their communities.

We created the chaos in Iraq

Leighton Loo says in his Nov. 21 letter that we should not turn back in our quest for peace and security in Iraq. I agree with him, but with a heavy and sad heart.

Mr. Loo speaks of the time needed to unravel the 12 years of hiding and transporting WMDs. While this is a possibility, I would like to remind him that the U.N. observers were doing that before the current administration went public with warnings of seven-minutes-till-doomsday scenarios, pictures showing the transport of the WMDs and claims of having reliable information as to the exact location of huge caches of biological and, by implication, nuclear weapons.

These obviously were lies, otherwise the outcome would have been far different.

Mr. Loo then says "Iraq is a key battle in the war on terror. ... We either show our courageous resolve, or they will show us their murderous 9/11 resolve again and again against our women and children." These words, besides being inflammatory (men were killed in 9/11, and women and children are dying in Iraq) also further another fabrication of the administration: equating Iraq with 9/11.

Iraq is indeed the hotbed of terrorism, but that has happened as a result of the U.S.-led invasion. Iraq (Saddam Hussein) was not involved with the planning or with the execution of that tragedy.

If we were to follow the administration's lead to its logical end, then we should have invaded Saudi Arabia. But that wouldn't benefit Halliburton, nor the energy companies in whose pocket the administration so willingly sits.

Yes, we need to stay the course in Iraq, but only to clean up the mess that we have created. Saddam Hussein was evil, and still is, wherever he may be, but that still does not give us the right to march in and create chaos under false pretenses.