Letters to the Editor

Co-workers, centers saved a bad situation

In this holiday season, I want to publicly express my gratitude to the Queen Lili'uokalani Trust and my co-workers at the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Centers for their kindness and generosity to my family.

My son recently became ill, requiring me to take time off work to care for him. I had already used up all of my annual leave, which would have resulted in my having to take leave without pay. In the true spirit of aloha, and reflecting the kindness and generosity of the queen, my co-workers donated unused vacation and sick leave, enabling me to care for my son without worrying about lost income. They have given me a gift of immeasurable value, and for that I am profoundly grateful.

Mahalo nui loa to the staff of the Children's Centers, and to the Queen's trustees for this wonderful gift.

There's no controversy over UH quarterback

Some members of the Honolulu media and supporters of Jason Whieldon are stirring up controversy between UH quarterbacks Timmy Chang and Whieldon. There should not be any controversy.

Jason played well in both the Appalachian and the Army games, but they were against very weak teams. You cannot judge those performances against Timmy's proven performance against stronger teams. He had a few bad games, but don't all quarterbacks have bad games, too?

When he is protected by his offensive line, he has performed very well and has led the team to many strong wins. In the games against San Jose State and Nevada, there were missed assignments by the offensive line, which didn't provide him with much protection. He was pressured by the defensive linemen, causing him to scramble, hurry his passes and get sacked. But you never heard him complain, and he was the first one to take the blame.

Jason was put into the powerful USC game. He didn't play well and also struggled. There is a clear difference between these two players. Head coach June Jones strongly said in no uncertain terms that there is no quarterback controversy and he is sticking with Timmy. I give him credit for not buckling under pressure. That's why he is a players' coach. That's why he has my utmost respect. Let's drop all this nonsense and get behind the team.

Vegetarians should get off our backs

This is for all those vegetarians who make unsubstantiated claims as to the brutal treatment of turkeys. Where do you get your research and statistics from? Where are you getting all the information about the pain that the turkeys suffer? Something else to think about: Is there a really "humane" way to kill something?

There are scientists who do research on plants, and they say that plants can feel and communicate with each other. So when you boil your soybeans, do you feel for them? When you dice and then boil carrots, do you think of their feelings? When you bake a potato, do you think of the "inhumane" baking alive?

How about the other vegetables you eat? What about their pain and suffering? Do you feel powerful when you boil a potato and then mash it? Do you enjoy cooking corn until it "pops" (explodes)? How about dipping a whole tomato into boiling water, then peeling its "skin" off?

Carnivores do not go around attacking vegetarians to force their beliefs upon them. Vegetarians should extend the same courtesy to carnivores.

Carnivores do not go around attacking farms or burning the vegetables because the pesticides ruin the environment or the smell of the fertilizers tend to be quite irritating.

We should all be thankful that we live in a society where everyone can and should get along despite their differences.

Many believe Hawai'i has same-sex marriage

Because, as you pointed out, Hawai'i has addressed this issue before, many Mainland people think erroneously that Hawai'i is a same-sex marriage state.

Recently, I met a young same-sex male couple (I am in the hospitality industry) who had come to Hawai'i to marry (from Texas). They were devastated when I told them they couldn't.

In my travels on the Mainland, people have commented to me that same-sex marriage in Hawai'i is legal.

Occasionally on national TV, you hear broadcasters make similar comments, references to Hawai'i as a same-sex marriage state.

I am not opposed to same-sex legal unions (but please don't call it "marriage"); it infuriates me, however, how rumors get started and take on a life of their own. They are cancerous in more ways than one, and can be painful to those concerned.

Guess it's human nature for misinformation to spread with a little grain of truth to fuel it.