Posted on: Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Letters to the Editor

President was speaking to a captive audience

President Bush's campaign people are pretty clever, sending him to speak to the troops on a military base in Kentucky to put his spin on his Iraq war.

First, they have total control over news coverage of such an event. Second, Kerry can't have equal access to address those potential voters. Third, 100 percent of the troops must show up, a guaranteed audience. And finally, the troops can't voice any opinion other than the party line, since they could face dishonorable discharge or courts-martial and military prison time for violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice if they speak their true feelings or disagree with anything said by their commander in chief.

There are no boos and very little truth or honesty at such a gathering, even when they are being lied to. They can think it, but they can't say it.

World is better off, but was it worth it?

On the first anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, President Bush insisted that the invasion was justified because the world is a better place today than it was one year ago, and the world is better today because Saddam Hussein is no longer in power. This is true; the world is a better place without Saddam ruling Iraq.

But, one year ago there were 572 members of the United States military who were alive, but who today are dead. A year ago, 8,500 Iraqis were alive, and today they are dead. A year ago, the United States had not yet spent $100 billion in Iraq. Today it has. A year ago, al-Qaida was not murdering innocent people in Iraq. Today it is.

So, in deciding whether the invasion of Iraq is justified, it seems that the question we should ask is not simply "Is the world a better place today without Saddam in power?" but "Is the world a better place given the overall consequences of deposing Saddam?"

Considering these consequences, the answer to this question hardly seems to be as clear as President Bush claims it is.

Abercrombie voted no

The people of Hawai'i should know that on March 17, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 557 that commended the members of the United States Armed Forces and Coalition forces for liberating Iraq and expressed its gratitude for their valiant service.

Hawai'i Rep. Neil Abercrombie voted against this resolution.

Van cams worked; bring them back

Wake up, Hawai'i. I for one want to bring back the van cams. Not only were they saving lives and slowing traffic, they were also catching speeders by the thousands.

Most of the people who don't want the vans back are the ones who are always breaking the law.

Let's put it on the next ballot and let the voters decide who wants the vans back or not.

Thielen also has right to speak out on schools

I was appalled and saddened to read Derrick DePledge's article "BOE rebuts school reform 'lies,' " particularly about BOE Chairman Breene Harimoto's belief that "(Laura) Thielen has violated the board's code of conduct by leading the charge for local school boards while identifying herself as a board member."

Given the DOE's earlier characterization of communications director Greg Knudsen's slanderous attack on Dr. William Ouchi as "exercising his freedom of speech," Harimoto's comment smacks of hypocrisy.

Doesn't Ms. Thielen have the same right? Moreover, was she not elected to voice the wishes of her constituents? If she's out of line, she won't be re-elected. This is democracy.

What has happened to freedom of speech as pertains to the free and open debate of education in Hawai'i?

Let the self-serving personal attacks stop. In fairness, each side needs to put forward its best arguments, and let the people vote on educational reform. This would be truly democratic. Anything else is a mockery of the principles on which this nation was founded.

Teachers, principals handcuffed by 'system'

We are parents of five children in Kailua (the older four have been through or are at various stages of the public school systems) and have witnessed firsthand professional, caring teachers and principals handcuffed by "the system."

Simple things like ordering paper or having fans installed in a hot room require jumping through incredible hoops and can take months or require that the parents pay for necessities through fund-raising to get it done in a timely manner. We can only imagine the challenges a principal has to overcome in hiring and firing staff and developing curriculum.

It's simple: Our school system doesn't work. When people speak up for change, they are labeled "liars," put down with "you don't understand," or even told they violate codes of behavior for speaking out. The "change is bad" culture is so ingrained that we have had dozens of educators throw up their hands in defeat because it's not possible to make any productive changes.

Linda Lingle's CARE package is an intelligent, well-thought-out program that would help the principals and teachers provide our keiki with the best possible education. We ask the people of Hawai'i to demand from their legislators that this issue be put on the November ballot.

Why is OHA silent on education reform?

With all the interest in education, why haven't we heard from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs?

OHA admits that Native Hawaiians comprise a disproportionately high percentage of those in prison, on public support, in low-paying jobs, have poor health, etc. And it is aware that a disproportionately high number of Native Hawaiian public-school students are failing to succeed in learning.

So why isn't OHA supporting the governor's education reform proposals on behalf of our keiki?

Pedestrians shouldn't have to push buttons

I am writing concerning the "push to walk" buttons at many of the intersections in Honolulu.

Unless pushing the button alters the timing sequence of the traffic signal, I do not see any need for the button. The walk signal should operate automatically in conjunction with the traffic signals.

In areas of dense pedestrian traffic, such as Waikiki and downtown Honolulu, the buttons should be eliminated. I do not understand why we must always give first priority to the automobile.

Blame crucifixions on the rule of Rome

Had the crucifixion been an Israelite thing, and not a Roman thing, we would have seen crucifixion throughout the whole history of ancient Israel. In fact, it was unknown in Israel except when the Romans were in charge.

Had crucifixion been an Israelite thing, and not a Roman thing, we would have seen crucifixion in no other part of the Roman Empire except Israel. In fact, crucifixion was practiced in every part of the Roman Empire, not just Israel.

Competition of choirs immensely enjoyable

My wife and I are here on vacation from Minnesota. I lived here back in the early 1960s while I served in the Navy, stationed at Pearl Harbor. We have returned to the Islands many times to our "home away from home."

On March 20, we watched the Kamehameha Schools competition of choirs televised from Blaisdell Center. We enjoyed it immensely. I am especially glad to see and hear that the Hawaiian language is being kept alive in the Islands..

Getting it straight: an extra 'tic' in luna

I'm still laughing at The Advertiser's editing of my letter that was published yesterday.

In my original letter, I wrote, "(t)he BOE, HSTA and DOE lunas are the purveyors of falsehoods and failure." People familiar with Hawai'i's plantation history know that the word "lunas" refers to overseers on sugar plantations, who are often portrayed as being cruel and abusive to immigrant workers.

In the edited version of my letter, the word "lunas" was changed to "lunatics." I'm sure there are many people who would agree that your version is a more accurate description of the leaders in our education system, but I cannot take the credit.

I'm hoping that The Advertiser will let their readers know that I used the word "lunas" to describe the cabal of the ruling education elite.

Misrepresentation of DOE? Bah!

Just exactly what so-called "facts" about the DOE do folks "continue to misrepresent" as recently alleged by the superintendent ("BOE rebuts school reform 'lies,' " March 19)?

Maybe a little Q & A would help clear things up regarding "misrepresentation."

Q: Could it be an allegation that the DOE —

1) Refuses to establish a common core curriculum?
A: That is no misrepresentation. That is a plain, uncontested fact.

2) Is unable to define measurable performance standards aligned to a common core curriculum?
A: Ditto 1 above.

3) Refuses to promulgate a common grading scale that unambiguously quantifies the meaning of grades A, B, C, D and F?
A: Ditto 1 above.

4) Annually tests students on material they may or may not have been taught — absent a common core curriculum — as window dressing "compliance" with No Child Left Behind requirements?
A: While some may challenge the "window dressing" assertion, there is no doubt that what children are in fact taught bears little if any relationship to the material on which they are tested. It also is a plain, uncontested fact that teachers seeking feedback on which specific questions their students most often missed on these annual tests are routinely stiffed by the DOE.

5) Has established a track record of always asking for more money regardless of student achievement?
A: Ditto 1 above.

6) Refuses to be held accountable for any sort of measurable results flowing from the spending of that money?
A: Ditto 1 above.

Perhaps what the head honcho considers a misrepresentation is the belief by some that the DOE is a rogue, out-of-control bureaucracy that will fight tooth and nail to preserve adult careers, a political status quo and control over a $2 billion-per-annum slush fund — a chaotic, turbid ad-hocracy that does not give the snap of a well-manicured finger what happens to the kids trapped in the belly of this beast just so long as an ocean of cash keeps flooding in with no questions asked.

If so, the supe ought to reach down into the bowels of this lashup and charge me with misrepresenting the facts.

In my opinion, Board of Education member Laura H. Thielen has absolutely nothing to apologize for. Like it or not, the superintendent is the logical one to be held accountable for the rotten performance of the DOE.

I find it sickening that BOE members — who can't seem to hasten enough to curry favor with the head of an organization they are supposed to be governing — would castigate one of their own colleagues for speaking the truth. Now that is a conflict of interest.

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Correction: Richard W. Griggs referred to Board of Education member Laura Thielen in his letter to the editor. Because of an error by an editor, another person was named in the letter in a previous version.