Posted on: Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Letters to the Editor

Get involved right now at your school

I am amazed at those who say that local school boards would help them become more involved with their public schools. If you want to get involved with the decision-making in your community schools, you don't need to wait until "the people decide"; you can contact your local PTSA, PTA, school SCBM or school principal right now.

Getting involved right now would save the citizens of Hawai'i the cost of printing more election materials, show those who want to spend all their time debating school boards what true local decision-making looks like, and just might allow us to talk about what really matters — the needs of our students.

Now, for the children's sake, let's get going

As far as I am concerned, Superintendent Pat Hamamoto has the passion and experience to achieve great improvements for our public education system. I also would add that Gov. Lingle deserves our gratitude for bringing this issue to the front burner.

Now, everyone must just do it. No waste time. Move on, as there are many other issues impacting our community. Mahalo to all of you, the governor, Legislature and the DOE. The kids will be forever thankful. For the sake of the children, let us get going.

Criticism directed at Kawamoto undeserved

Here are a few of the words that Dave Shapiro used in a recent column to describe both the actions and the individual persona of one of Hawai'i's best, most competent, most honest, most courageous legislators, Sen. Cal Kawamoto:

"(Self) anointed for life," "perverse," "dishonor," "dirty," "(pawn of) special interests," "illicit," "corrupt," "self-serving," "lethal," "vendetta," "manipulation," "flawed," "outrageous," "curry favor," "sprinkling cash," "possibly illegal," "unfair," "bully," "abus(ive)," "rigged."

Those words are a little much.

Because as both The Advertiser and Mr. Shapiro have so often and so loudly wondered and complained, few of Hawai'i's intelligent, capable, qualified citizens, like Cal, ever consider, let alone choose, elective office as a means of service. Gosh, with brickbats like the above waiting for a person, I wonder why, too.

It is undeniable that the people of Waipahu have, over and over, very strongly supported this superb legislator. When over 80 percent of the electorate votes in favor of someone — in full, fair and free elections, as they have done for this man — repeatedly, maybe they are right and you, heaven forbid, may possibly be in error.

It also may be that the abusive attacks that are being made on him by some in the media will hurt him enough to cause his constituents to change their minds about him. I hope not. I hope that the people of the 18th Senatorial District understand that just because Sen. Kawamoto won't bow and bend to whatever is politically correct in the media this week, that he always does what those who have elected him want and intend.

A lot of us would stack Cal Kawamoto's honesty, honor, judgment and valor up against all other comers.

Making speeding felony would be a mistake

Everyone hurts when someone in our community is senselessly injured or killed by a reckless driver. Although stiffer penalties may be necessary to address the problem, we must proceed with caution.

The current proposal by Cal Kawamoto, making driving 30 mph over the posted speed limit a class-C felony, is a mistake. If enacted, people driving 65 mph on Likelike Highway (while not advisable) could become convicted felons. They would have to live the rest of their lives as second-class citizens, stripped of their constitutional rights to vote, keep and bear arms, and hold public office, among many other things.

It is much easier to thoroughly consider a proposal beforehand than it is to remove a hastily enacted, reactionary (though well-intended) law from the books. Remember the van cams?

EMS will never forget its heroes

Danny Villiaros and Mandy Shiraki both had a passion for saving lives and helping others, despite the safety hazards, terrible pay and looming threat of legal action. They positively affected countless people's lives every day in their work and gave of themselves selflessly. Let's not forget them.

In a society that immortalizes entertainers, politicians and the wealthy, people like Danny and Mandy are rarely thanked and are often overlooked, yet they derived their joy from making this world a better place. Our rescue workers are the true, unsung heroes and role models in our society. EMS will never forget Danny and Mandy.

Lifeguards must report wave sizes accurately

Despite repeated efforts by the National Weather Service, many county lifeguards on O'ahu still under-report the size of the surf on a daily basis.

The National Weather Service even presented a series of lectures for the lifeguards in order to wean them off the local scale, and to urge them to report just face values (the vertical distance between the crest, or top, and the trough, or bottom, of the wave).

Historically, the local scale is about half the true face value, depending on the person reporting.

The latest disconnect between the two scales (local vs. true face) involved the death of a Japanese surfer who died 11 days after being wiped out at the Pipeline. A North Shore lifeguard said "the surf at the Pipeline that day was a solid 10 feet, meaning wave faces were easily twice that height." Had the lifeguard reported true wave faces that day, the Japanese surfer may not have gone in the water.

It is time the lifeguards abandoned the local scale once and for all. It may be cool and it may be macho, but it does not reflect the true power and danger of the waves. Also, the local scale is misleading to visitors and residents alike.

I commend the North Shore lifeguards for saving many lives every year, but why not help improve that record by accurate and consistent reporting of just wave faces? Perhaps legislation from the top would help remedy the situation.

Why is term 'kahuna' suddenly offensive?

Am I the only one who noticed that no one complained about the waterslide being called the Big Kahuna? Or a religious radio station? Or a Mapunapuna pizza place? Or that the term has been used in movies and TV shows, and is well known on the Mainland? Why is it suddenly offensive?

If Chrysler really wanted a name with a religious connotation, why didn't they call it "The Pope"? There are more Catholics than Hawaiians in America.

More laws won't help; use the ones we have

While our governor and legislators are busily considering new laws to crack down on illegal solid-waste disposal, the laws we presently have on the books go unenforced.

Drive down the Leeward Coast on Farrington Highway. While the official landfill is located across from Ko Olina, the whole coastline is spotted with mini dump sites. West of Kea'au Beach Park there is a stretch of road that is so cluttered with garbage and junk cars that it looks like Waimanalo Gulch with a parking lot. It is so cluttered that driving is hazardous. This shoreline is some of the nicest on the island, and we are permitting it to be used as a garbage dump.

The amazing part is that the perpetrators of a lot of this illegal dumping are squatters living in the middle of the squalor, on public lands. They are thumbing their noses at the police who drive by and totally ignore the situation.

Our elected officials seem more adept at legislating paper solutions than in actually finding a way to enforce them. Until they do solve the enforcement problem, they are wasting their time and our money by passing new laws.

Highway toll good idea for decreasing traffic

A few weeks ago, I read of a proposed highway toll for drivers that would enable drivers to use a less frequently traveled freeway such as the H-3. This suggestion was made as a means of providing funds for highway repairs.

I am firmly opposed to this type of idea when considering a highway toll. Yet, I would be in favor of enacting a highway toll when and if it is applied in the manner in which one of our past letter writers had envisioned and proposed.

I would be in favor of having a toll only during rush hours; for example, Monday through Friday 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., with the toll being $1 per car with one occupant, and no charge for vehicles with two or more persons inside. This would include all the major thoroughfares — Pali Highway, Likelike, H-1, H-2, H-3. Then perhaps we would start carpooling, vanpooling or riding the bus instead of clogging up traffic with mostly just one person in each car.

Our banana republic

The City Council's vote to ban fluoride in the water is more evidence that convinces many Mainlanders that Hawai'i is still a backward banana republic that hasn't caught up yet with the 20th century, let alone the 21st.

Growth on O'ahu: At what cost?

I welcome your recent articles on diversifying Hawai'i's economy. Terrorism and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have shown us once again that our livelihoods are not immune to global events.

Granted, we need to always look for new engines of economic vitality to complement our mainstays of tourism and the military. However, when considering economic success stories found elsewhere, be sure to fully examine those models before encouraging our adoption of them.

San Diego is now the national poster child for diversification. In a little over 10 years, that seaside community has seen an explosion of growth. It deserves recognition for that remarkable achievement.

San Diego also deserves to be reminded of what it was like before its leap in population. As a student at the University of California-San Diego (1983-88), I playfully claimed there was no life east of I-5. Our cozy city seemed like the center of the universe. The Golden Triangle, which is now the megacommunity surrounding University Town Center shopping complex, existed only as blueprints. You could ride your mountain bike through all the canyons, which were neighborhoods. In those days, housing was expensive for a college grad but nonetheless affordable. The commute from downtown San Diego to La Jolla was sometimes crowded, especially during rush hour, but never gridlocked. And the air was sometimes bad when there were Santa Ana winds, but never on a par with L.A.'s never-ending brown haze.

San Diego is now very different. It has fundamentally changed. Yes, there are now great jobs, offering terrific pay, providing unprecedented economic stimulus to the region, but at what cost? What has San Diego sacrificed for that success?

I am not nostalgic for Hawai'i's past, nor am I a protectionist when it comes to our future. However, I do want to say this: Hawai'i's core competencies are its people, its culture, its nature, its weather, its location and its aloha. We can't forsake any of those, for they are the things that make us great.

When I look toward Diamond Head 10 years from now, I don't want to see high rises on the hills of Kaimuki. When I jog around Ala Moana park 10 years from now, I don't want to worry about the quality of our air.

As we plan this state's future, let's build on our strengths. Let's choose smart growth and be true to our brand even if that means our town has to stay "small" to preserve its charm.