Posted on: Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Letters to the Editor

Lingle administration supports consumers

It is refreshing to see The Advertiser, in its Aug. 16 editorial, support Gov. Lingle's decision to hold a public hearing on the blending of ethanol into gasoline. However, I must take exception to the comment that the Lingle administration has allied itself with refiners. The correct comment is the Lingle-Aiona administration has aligned itself with consumers.

The governor's decision to hold ethanol hearings is a pro-consumer decision to ensure alternatives to fossil-based fuels are available to the driving public.

The decision to oppose gas caps is also pro-consumer. Ample history exists to show that consumers wait in long lines after price caps are imposed. I think legislators knew this at the time they passed the gas-cap bill — otherwise why would they have delayed the start date twice?

The ethanol law has been on the books for 10 years, and yet the previous governor failed to take the basic step of giving the implementation rules a public hearing. The Lingle-Aiona administration is committed to alternative energy development as witnessed by our goal of making 20 percent of all power come from renewal sources by 2020. Thank you for recognizing one part of this effort in your Aug. 15 editorial.

Riding on sidewalks should be made safe

Riding a bicycle on the sidewalks of Waikiki and downtown is illegal and can be punished by a hefty ticket. Why? To ensure the safety of pedestrians, the city and the police maintain.

But this leaves cyclists in a dangerous position: in front of two tons of rolling steel under the control of often negligent drivers.

Of course, bike lanes would lessen this danger, but these seem to be neither feasible nor attractive to the city. Meanwhile, cops on bikes slowly glide up and down the sidewalks of Waikiki issuing tickets to cyclists for doing exactly the same thing.

What separates the cop on a bike and the average joe on a bike? The badge, the uniform, the ego? Perhaps, but more importantly, it's training in public safety. To me, this presents an inequity. Cops shouldn't have any more power or privilege than they must, but now they do.

One solution to this problem would be to work with cyclists instead of blanketly prohibiting them from riding on the sidewalk. Instead of forcing them into the street, provide bicycle safety training to make sidewalk riding safer for everyone. Teach them to signal when passing, ride slowly in a crowd and dismount when necessary. Instead of making them outcasts, include them.

As it is now, bicyclists are marginalized and in danger, drivers are frustrated and slowed, and police are kept from enforcing the really important laws.

Students shouldn't have to pay for grade

I was told by my daughter's band director that all students have to purchase an Athletic Book (admission tickets) to get into football games at which the band will be playing.

In order to have a full band at football games, our band director requires the band members to be there as part of their grade. In other words, band students' attendance and performance at football games are part of the band's curriculum and are calculated into the grade that the students earn for the quarter. Is it ethical that my child is required to be at an event for which she has to pay and, in essence, pay for her grade?

I think it is rather obvious that band students at football games should not have to pay to play. It is unethical to have any student pay for his grade, and I am outraged that the BOE, DOE and OIA have allowed this practice to exist for the last several years.

UH logo committee did everything right

As an award-winning designer who has made Hawai'i my home, I would like to comment on the UH logo design dilemma.

The committee in charge of developing a new logo for UH did everything right. First, committee members went to a class design firm with an impressive portfolio, and while they didn't pay top dollar, they had every reason to expect they would get something acceptable. But alas, they didn't.

Next, after all the complaining about not "going local," they responded rightly, hiring not just one but three of the top Hawai'i design groups. One would think this approach would produce a successful trademark. I'm sure all these studios have much better portfolios than those potential logos would indicate. Frankly, the work borders on the amateur.

I disagree that the work shouldn't be exposed to public scrutiny. While we know that everyone becomes the critic when invited to do so, it should help the best work rise to the top.

Finally, the logo committee did the right thing by recommending none of the proposed designs. The fact that UH has nothing to show for all the effort is not its fault. It's plain bad luck.

There has not been one person involved in this project who didn't want to see UH get the best result possible. It's just unfortunate that nobody was up to the task.

Logo would be winner

I agree with Richard Ornellas (Letters, Aug. 21) regarding the UH logo. The powers that be should have allowed their graphic arts students a chance to design the logo. However, if they do change their minds, again, I vote for Guy Hamilton's logo (Letters, Aug 11).

Federal recognition process misunderstood

Regarding Charlene Silva-Johnson's Aug. 18 letter: The subject matter of federal recognition and its process for whom it is intended must be fully understood without the 226 years of colonized thinking our brains have undergone.

First, one is either an American citizen of Hawaiian ancestry or a citizen of Ko Hawai'i Pae 'Aina, two very distinct differences. An American citizen cannot speak for the citizens of another country.

Second, any "process" of "recognition" pertaining to the people of Ko Hawai'i Pae 'Aina is for the people of Ko Hawai'i Pae 'Aina. Not the government, corporations nor people of a non-juridical entity such as the Japanese-American Citizens League.

No disrespect or lack of appreciation intended to JACL. Simply stating American process belongs to American citizens — to do so no matter how well the intention is maha'oi (presumptuous).

Third, everyone, especially Hawaiians, should fully understand this federal recognition bill (Akaka bill) and its process. It is to benefit "Americans" and destroy what is left of Ko Hawai'i Pae 'Aina (Hawai'i) and its surviving people.

No legal passage of "jurisdiction" has taken place between Ko Hawai'i Pae 'Aina and the United States or the state of Hawai'i.

The evidence is in the people and our land titles — land commission awards and royal patents.

We still don't know if Bush showed up

In his Aug 19 letter, Garry Smith says that it's hypocritical to call attacks on John Kerry's service record unfair when President Bush's record received so much scrutiny. I disagree.

In Kerry's case, all the records are out. His crewmates, the man whose life he saved and the U.S. Navy all say the same thing: Bronze Star with combat, Combat Action ribbon, Silver Star with combat, three Purple Hearts.

With Bush, the question is whether he showed up for his National Guard duty in Alabama at all from mid-1972 to 1973. Here, all records (and lack of records) indicate that he never showed up for duty. He can't name anyone he served with, and his commanding officer and fellow pilots say he was never there.

So as you can see, the legitimacy of the accusations against Bush and Kerry are as different as night and day — just like the differences between their Vietnam experience.

Earlier unhappiness

The unhappy frustration over the naming of the Buddha Bar reminds me of another unhappy controversy many years ago.

My husband, the Rev. Abraham Akaka, challenged a new bar that had a picture of our revered Queen Ka'ahumanu over it. It took awhile, but our side finally won.

Hoorah for the ones whose faith means so much to them that they fight for it.

A question of ethics in viewing animals

It seems it all boils down to a question of ethics. Thus it might be productive to examine the following questions: Is it moral and right to deprive an animal of the opportunity to exist in the environment for which it evolved? Is it moral to cage or confine an eagle? Is it moral to chain, cage or confine a gorilla? Does the elephant have fewer moral rights than other animals? Would we be amused by the sight of a gorilla in rhinestones and a tutu parading in the center ring of a circus for the entertainment of the upright ape?

The National Geographic channel has excellent footage of animal behavior in a natural environment. As habitats diminish all over the Earth, it is best, if not imperative, that those remaining animals be left to exist as peacefully as possible.

Taxi situation at airport has become intolerable

For the past year or so, I have complained to the governor's office and airport officials about not being able to get home from the airport. I did receive an e-mail from Marsha Weinert, head of tourism, who assured me that they were working on the problem.

At Christmastime, I waited for over an hour while cabs passed me by because their dilapidated cars would not make it up St. Louis Heights. When I did get cabs, the drivers moaned and groaned about having to accommodate me, in spite of my generous tips. I take cabs all the time in Honolulu and have never experienced this problem when I call one of the name-brand companies. They are happy for my business.

Recently, I arrived sans baggage from Canada so was first out to the taxi lineup. The plane was full and there was a long line of excited but travel-weary visitors behind me. I had to wait for 30 minutes before the first cab arrived.

The ground transit people were sympathetic and said that this is an ongoing problem, which my eventual driver echoed. They complained about the company operating this "service." What is this? Another screwy contract not thought out? I encouraged some of the people in line to take the shuttle into Waikiki.

This is ridiculous. We want our tourist business, and visitors arrive to a disgusting mess of an airport constantly under construction in addition to an initial impression of long lines and nasty, uninformed workers who obviously hate their jobs.

There was no hint of our lovely aromatic plumeria; we had to walk through the steamy, designated-smoking area upon disembarkment. What a first impression!

I am personally embarrassed by our Third World presentation, which just seems to worsen.