Posted on: Friday, January 9, 2004

Letters to the Editor

Mahalo, EMS, for saving lives throughout the year

I would like to thank the city's Emergency Medical Services personnel. Over New Year's Eve (and every day of the year), they respond to a significant amount of 911 calls.

Although they are overshadowed by fire and police departments, the men and women of this profession shouldn't be overlooked. They are an asset to the community, and I am confident in their training.

They work in a profession that is often misunderstood. However, they are dedicated and efficient. Their knowledge and swift actions have kept at least one person in my family alive to see this great new year. Mahalo!

Education criticism is lacking in evidence

John Loveland (Island Voices, Jan. 2) has lived in Hawai'i at most 12 months and he already knows exactly what is wrong with our public school system. He calls it top-heavy, inefficient, unaccountable and composed of "faceless bureaucrats who are compelled to issue edicts from above."

From this lofty perch, he goes on for several columns, but never provides one word of anecdotal or other evidence to support this point of view. Perhaps he thinks all DOE administrators are "faceless" because he has yet to meet any of them in person.

Aloha Stadium music puts crowd to sleep

I am a die-hard supporter of any sport that is played within Aloha Stadium. I have attended countless UH football games, almost every Pro Bowl, various Christmas Day football games, numerous high school sports, and even Islander baseball games (back in the day).

For the most part I can deal with the prices and accommodations of the stadium, but there is one thing that I must comment on: the music that is played during the game. When UH scores a touchdown, it is a very joyous time, but hearing "Shout" by the Isley Brothers really kills the moment.

Can't the state buy a few newer tunes to aid in the celebration? Fire that guy who plays the music; I will work for free. Whatever it takes to change the music and kickoff themes.

The Stan Sheriff Center has upbeat music during the basketball games that gets the crowd hyped, but at the stadium it seems that we try to lull our crowd to sleep.

Holiday season brought out the moron in us all

Thank goodness the holidays are over.

From the start of Thanksgiving to the celebrations of the New Year, these holidays seem to bring out the moron in even the brightest of people — whether it is holding up traffic to wait for parking at Daiei, to pushing your way through the aisles at Wal-Mart even though you had to bang the wagon that had a 10-month-old baby sitting in it.

The holidays are portrayed as being happy and peaceful, but what I saw was far from it. I am ashamed to say that I, too, was one of those morons, but unlike some of my counterparts, I apologized immediately. Shame on those of you who didn't and will do the same thing this year around. You know who you are.

Condemnation of Vili the Warrior uncalled for

Sandra Williams' personal attack on Vili the Warrior mascot in your Dec. 28 issue is offensive.

Every institution in America that has a football team at the collegiate level has some kind of "obnoxious mascot" representing its fine institution and has, from time to time, said or done things that have left a bad taste in people's mouths.

For her to insinuate that Vili is a disgrace and should be banned from any University of Hawai'i athletic event is ludicrous and outright ridiculous. Vili is a wonderful husband to his wife, Linda, and their four beautiful sons, and he is the epitome of what a Warrior is. Vili has been a blessing and an asset to the UH athletic department and does his job with the utmost professionalism in preparing for every event.

A Samoan saying, "Fa'amalosi," means "be strong." Vili, you will persevere no matter what.

Making holidays merrier

Many thanks to the city for the beautiful display of potted red bougainvillea plants by the reservoir on Pali Highway during this holiday season. They were a joy to the many thousands of Windward commuters who daily travel this route.

Taxing motorists for police raises is unfair

To tie this pay-raise tax to motorists suggests police services are primarily oriented to the road. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The police are nowhere officers when it comes to enforcing traffic rules on O'ahu. Motorists are speeding everywhere — remember the van cams? They were bagging speeders left and right. What happened when they went away? Nothing. No one is enforcing the law.

The situation is so bad, I have often thought that if I am the victim of someone speeding, I would sue the police and the county for malpractice because there is no deterrent.

To enforce speed limits, you have to be on the road. I have not seen a patrol car during rush hour in six months, except where there has already been an accident.

Instead, the police are invisible (except at Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts). Let them get to work on our highways and earn their pay raises themselves by stopping speeders and saving lives. Make those who violate the law pay for those who enforce it — not the innocent bystanders and victims of police neglect.

Attack on Cataluna column is unmerited

Neil Wright (Letters, Jan. 2) was way off base in criticizing Lee Cataluna about her column on the offensive dialogue between the two radio hosts of "Loveline." When people say offensive things on the air, they should be taken off the air. On the contrary, Ms. Cataluna was merely reporting what had transpired and agreeing to the fact that the offenders were taken off the air.

Mr. Wright closed his letter by stating that "Hawai'i doesn't even have the choice any longer" of not listening to that type of offensive dialogue because that offensive show was taken off the air. So what? Who wants the choice of listening to offensive dialogue?

Furthermore, Mr. Wright states that he felt offended about some of Ms. Cataluna's columns but has "never called The Advertiser demanding her column be removed." Well, Mr. Wright, what has Ms. Cataluna written that has offended you? I have read or perused just about every column Ms. Cataluna has written and, to date, have never read anything that would, or could, offend anyone.

Clarifications offered on sex-abuse audit story

Your story on the audit of the Diocese of Honolulu regarding its response to the sexual abuse in the church was, by and large, thorough and fair.

As the article stated, the diocese has developed an outreach program for abuse victims, has established a code of conduct for priests and church personnel, has created an education program for clergy, church employees and volunteers who work with youth, and will soon establish a process of background checks on church personnel.

These actions will bring the diocese into full compliance with the U.S. bishops' "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People."

The audit did commend the diocese for already having an "aggressive and proactive approach to sexual abuse," clearly evident in the fact that four of the five priests permanently removed from active ministry by the diocese for substantiated abuse were removed long before the crisis of the past few years.

I must make three clarifications regarding the story:

• The story implied that Robert DeOtero was removed from public ministry because of accusations regarding the abuse of two boys in the 1980s. Those accusations only came to light a year ago in a lawsuit. DeOtero had already been removed from the active priesthood 10 years earlier for other reasons.
• The article states that a minor has filed lawsuits against two priests. Actually, the two lawsuits were filed by two separate parties.
• The article mentions one lawsuit against a religious order priest who worked in the diocese and another against Andrew Mannetta. They are actually the same lawsuit.

The Diocese of Honolulu encourages anyone who is a victim of present or past sexual abuse by a priest, church employee or volunteer to call its Victim Assistance Program at 535-0159, which will offer help from licensed experienced therapists and mental help professionals.

Parents or guardians are strongly urged to report current abuse to the police.

The Diocese of Honolulu acknowledges the devastating and long-lasting damage caused by the sexual abuse of minors by clergy. It pledges to deal with the problem strongly, openly and consistently in the future.

Sewage spill apathy is horrifying

As a Kailua resident, I was outraged while reading your front-page article on Jan. 4 concerning the overflow of O'ahu's sewage system and the consequent pollution of several miles of our coastlines, as well as harbors and streams.

You quoted state Deputy Director for Environmental Health Lawrence Lau as saying he was "concerned" about the effect this would have on islandwide beaches. Your article also quoted a state Health Department official, Ed Gomes, as saying the residents of O'ahu would have to "wait it out" a few days until it was safe to go back into the water. Nowhere in your article did any government official express any concern about how this might be prevented from happening again or take any responsibility.

I am employed in the maritime industry and shudder to think what these same government officials might be saying had this level of sewage been caused by a spill from a cargo or passenger ship off our Windward coastline. If I were a captain of a cruise ship, the state and county would have me summarily hanged in the press for spilling (by accident) even a fraction of the amount of sewage found in the waters off Kailua.

In fact, last year the master of the Norwegian Wind was fired because some ignorant crewmember tossed a few bags of garbage over the side 200 miles out to sea, in international waters, where it wasn't even technically a crime. NCL fired this man and ended his long career primarily because of the bad media coverage for NCL.

Shouldn't we as taxpayers and residents expect the same level of responsibility from local government agencies entrusted with the management of our sewage system and the protection of our environment? Isn't anyone going to "take the fall" for such a horrendous sewage spill? What would have happened had sewage reached Waikiki, as Mr. Lau feared? Would anyone have to answer for the lost tourist revenues?

And what about the loss of revenues for small businesses here in Kailua that cater to the visitor industry? Don't they command the same respect as the Waikiki sector of the tourism industry?

I'm disgusted by this level of tolerance that is accepted when things go wrong at the hands of our own state and county governments. Yet these same public officials would hold any commercial private-sector industry or business heavily accountable if guilty of an accident resulting in a hazardous spill into any body of water, large or small, by comparison.

I believe the federal government (EPA) should get involved and levy a severe fine against any public agency involved in the events that led up to this health nightmare.