Letters to the Editor

Why are the feds calling it H201?

Money talks. The federal government is about to fund the state of Hawai'i with millions of dollars in 2005 to repair roads, etc.

The feds utilize their spy in the sky and look down upon our beloved Moanalua Freeway. They see that it goes in the direction of water. (Duh, we are surrounded by water.) So, they tell our state transportation department that they are going to change the name of Moanalua Freeway.

The feds say "How's about Makai 1?" No, the tourists will not know what makai means. "How's about Water 1?" No, the Native Hawaiians will protest because they removed the Hawaiian sense of place from our freeway. So, the feds compromise and call it H20(water)1 Freeway. Perfect ... now, send us the money to fix our potholes.

Will malls donate sum lost by bell ringer ban?

How the shopping mall managers (or, to be fair, their higher-ups) must be licking their chops at the anticipated precious bottom line now that they have eliminated those pesky Santas with their kettles and bells. Still, it is difficult to believe that their presence could deter any shoppers, as determined as the Christmas season makes them, from entering a commercial establishment and so deprive the mall operators' coffers of revenue.

The Salvation Army is a major source, among many, of donations, and efforts to make the most of them, to the truly needy. In reality, this "army" of Santas may be some of the best of us, caring and giving their time and energy to help make things better for someone else.

The malls' action has deprived parents of a wonderful opportunity to help children experience the joy of giving and to hear, in return, those two words with which many of them seem unfamiliar, as do a number of sales clerks — "thank you" — accompanied by a sincere smile.

Possibly the malls intend to later give the Salvation Army, in the true Christmas spirit, the sums they have lost by this action? If so, I apologize. It may help if they listen to the words of many of the beautiful carols with their hearts.

Something must be done about vagrants

I am discouraged at the ongoing problems faced by the Catholic Church's concerns on Fort Street Mall. But these issues are symptomatic of a greater issue that all of us on the mall face.

While it is especially disturbing that the Catholic Church faces issues with vagrants, this is by no means isolated to the Fort Street Mall church. I teach at Hawai'i Pacific University's downtown campus, literally right across the mall from the church, and this problem encroaches on our institution of higher learning as well.

In addition, the homeless on the mall are also a nuisance to the independent businesses and restaurants there, all of whom are working hard to make Fort Street Mall an attractive setting for students, business people and professionals alike.

Proposed solutions for the problem could range from the draconian methods used by Mayor Rudy Giuliani in New York to a simple plan of removal and rehabilitation. Either way, a solution has to be found — and implemented — with regard to the vagrants on Fort Street Mall.

I do not in any way speak for the university as a whole; this opinion is mine alone. However, I am simply putting to words some of the concerns faced by the faculty and students, church officials and parishioners, and professionals and tourists who would like to see Fort Street Mall develop into a cleaner, safer, happier environment for all.

A memorial day for most unfortunate

Each year the first day of winter (Dec. 22) is observed in a variety of ways. One somber observance is a National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day. This is a day to remember those who have passed away while homeless or without address. The first day of winter is an appropriate date for this observance, as winter is the time that is most dangerous to be without shelter.

Some may argue that winter in Hawai'i is hardly severe enough to endanger anyone's life. While Hawai'i does not have people freezing on the streets like cities such as New York or Boston, homelessness can be deadly even in this tropical paradise. With homelessness can come a slow erosion of both the body and spirit.

In general, the longer folks live on the streets the worse their health becomes. Oftentimes such "simple" health concerns as cuts and scrapes or the flu can lead to infections and pneumonia. Add on to this the emotional burden of struggling each day to survive and the tension of often being seen as an outcast or an eyesore by most of the rest of society.

While winter in Hawai'i does not bring with it such foreboding as colder climes, the rain and wind surely take their toll. So National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day should not just be a day to be observed in big cities across the Mainland. It should be a day that we take the time to remember those whose passing, and maybe even existence, most likely went unnoticed. It is a memorial day we should commit ourselves to never having to observe again.

Yet even beyond this, what if we not only used this day to remember those members of our extended 'ohana who have passed on, but also took the time to celebrate the lives of and care for those who are currently on the streets? Just think what we could do.

Ice: Who will care for the kids?

While watching "Life or Meth" on any one of our local broadcast stations, we learned that one in seven kids come from a home with substance abuse. We also saw the wretched conditions that Corey lived in before he voluntarily put himself into the foster care system.

As seen in this narrative, situations can become dangerous to the well-being of the children in homes with ice use. When the Department of Human Services steps in to keep these children safe by removing them, they depend on their extended families, and in many instances on members of the larger community, to care for them in their homes.

"Life or Meth" urged viewers to ask themselves if we are really doing all that we can in the struggle against this deadly drug. When considering an answer to this question, please keep in mind the almost 5,200 kids who came through the foster care system last year. The number of children entering the system increases every year, and ice is one of the largest contributing factors.

Expanding your idea of 'ohana to include the children of those unable to sufficiently care for them is something families can do to break the cycle of hurt associated with ice.

Our kids belong to all of us, and the film reminded us that this is not a problem that is isolated to one area or another. We all need to take responsibility for healing our community; the response must be statewide.

To directly provide care for our children in need as a state-licensed foster or adoptive parent, please contact Hawai'i Behavioral Health at 454-2570 for more information.

To assist the Department of Human Services with donations for the annual Christmas party for foster children, contact the DHS/FFP liaison at 832-5155. To help an organization that supports foster families, contact the Hawai'i Foster Parent Association at 263-0920 or www.hawaiifosterparent.org. By helping the children victimized by ice, you will offer them hope of a brighter future, and your generosity will make our community stronger.