Neighborliness, aloha spirit aren't the same

Hawai'i is more than sun, sea, mountains, good weather and tourists. Hawai'i without Hawaiians, with their easy grace and aloha toward everyone, would be a much lesser place. In his recent letter, George Berish confuses "aloha spirit" with "neighborliness." These are very unequal qualities.

By Berish's description, "neighborliness" springs from a forced and rational accommodation of people who are cast together. Aloha spirit is a profound cultural largesse, extended to all those we meet, whether or not they be our neighbors. Hawaiians embraced all others, not by requirement, but the result of a cultural imperative.

Berish points to the below-average health, education and accomplishment of Hawaiians, in the pejorative. He implies that "massive expenditures" toward remedy of these social ills is wasteful and dismisses any rehabilitation of Hawaiians as undeserving and simply not-worth-the-effort.

He predictably also points to the Kamehameha Schools as an "entitlement" unfairly squandered on these natives. That familiar racist cat again leaps from its bag.

I know many Hawaiians, and their absence from our landscape would be a profound and permanent loss. I doubt that Berish knows very many, aside from his experiences at the Polynesian Cultural Center. However, we know many Berishes. We meet them daily. We will never be at a loss for this species; our sometimes perverse tides keep washing them ashore.

What does it seek beyond recognition?

There was an interesting and informative letter on Dec. 6 by the president of I Mua Group on the Big Island, Rod Ferreira. Although it concerned Ken Conklin, it brought up some facts and questions. It stated that tens of millions in federal dollars annually flow into Hawai'i to assist needy Hawaiians. He also mentioned more than 500 Native American and Alaskan native groups have been granted federal recognition and not one Hawaiian has achieved similar status.

What is the end result the Office of Hawaiian Affairs expects or wants to achieve? If it is recognition, I am all for it. I fear that is not its agenda. A situation like the Native Americans and Alaskan native groups who pay no taxes and whose descendants will never pay taxes besides any other free government assistance they receive — that is what I fear the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' motive is.

With Hawai'i receiving the tens of millions in federal dollars annually for needy Hawaiians, I would hope OHA's agenda will only be recognition. History has taught us that is not the case.

As the years go by and Uncle Sam increases the taxes I pay out, others sit back and get a free ride. If what I fear is correct, should the Office of Hawaiian Affairs feel shame? Yes. Should its ancestors and future generations feel shame? Yes. I feel great pride in what I have achieved, the extreme hard work and paying my dues. I would have it no other way.

Low-income bus passes were delayed

Low-income bus pass applications are finally available at satellite city halls. This was provided for in Ordinance 03-27 effective Sept. 26, 2003.

It is 15-plus months overdue and the city has already profited by an estimated $6,148,000 by making the low-income riders wrongly pay higher fares.

The city is not publicizing this because it wants to wring every cent it can off the low-income people.

All low-income bus riders should call or write the mayor and City Council members and tell them to reimburse them for 15-plus months of overcharging them.

A sign that America has lost its soul

Mahalo for publishing the enlightening commentary by Richard Halloran (Dec. 5) on the competent and commendable way our GIs treated POWs in World War II.

Compassionate treatment of our enemies was evident in the camps for Italian POWs in Hawai'i. Even though it was wartime, and everything was in short supply, our soldiers helped the Italians construct a shrine to Mother Cabrini at Schofield Barracks, and Mediterranean-like gardens at Fort Shafter, Honolulu, and Kalihi-Palama.

There will be no gardens in Guantánamo. We have lost our soul. 'A'ohe paha he 'uhane.

Commercializing hallowed ground

I think it's disgraceful what the Navy is planning for Ford Island, spending millions to build houses, shops and restaurants

The aviation museum at least makes sense. But what will it be built over, and who will live here?

Ford Island is hallowed ground, not only for the Navy but for America. It is our history, and we should preserve it for generations to come to see and learn. The island shouldn't be developed and commercialized. I'm saddened.