Posted on: Tuesday, March 30, 2004

Letters to the Editor

Flood-prevention project is shibai

I can't believe the report concerning the $7.2 million Kahuku flood-prevention project in the March 25 issue of The Advertiser that Sen. Dan Inouye is promoting to get himself re-elected.

There was a groundbreaking ceremony last week for the road project, which has been torn up since Nov. 10, so that Inouye could brag about all of the money he's bringing to Hawai'i. What has he been doing for four and a half months? Obviously, he hasn't paid attention to the work that is not going on, nor has he accounted for the heavy-duty crane that has been sitting idle for several months while the taxpayers are paying for it, nor the needless expense of building a temporary road around the "project." Every time I go by this area, no work is going on.

It appears that this important

Inouye project hasn't included the drainage of the giant mosquito-breeding puddle that constantly sits in front of homes, the corner store, businesses and Kahuku High School by the Kahuku traffic light after every rain. This puddle has been a problem for the over 27 years I have lived in the area.

Maybe the great Inouye needs to take a look at what really needs help and not use wasteful $7 million projects to promote his own ego and his next election.

Letter criticizing Bush visit was way off base

Sorry, but Keith Haugen is off the mark in several areas in his March 23 letter.

First, clever as they (President Bush's campaign personnel) may be or appear, the commander-in-chief (Bush) is a welcomed visitor on any military installation, whether you agree with "party line" or not. He has done this on numerous occasions, as he should. This is a basic principle of leadership.

Also, as a leader and human being, he has called many a family to console them on a loss. He has also visited troops all over the world and even sat down to "share bread." If John Kerry and his supporters are concerned over this, then get out there and do it. Also, make those distressing calls and visit the wounded.

Second, 100 percent of the troops at the base in Kentucky did not show up. I am sure a high percentage did, but not 100 percent. Most look at it as a chance to see their commander-in-chief and time away from the day-to-day grind.

Third, troops will not face courts-martial or dishonorable discharges without due process if they are charged with the infraction of a specific article of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice that does cover disrespect and/or threats (not disagreement) against the president. The code covers all military personnel of all ranks and protects them from the same.

Last, but surely not least, all military personnel are highly encouraged to vote. This is where everyone (civilians, too) can voice their opinions in a peaceful, civilized fashion. You can "boo" the opposition if you like.

A vote for Kerry is a vote to raise taxes

"And certainly, if what matters to you above all else is paying fewer taxes, you'd be a fool to choose Kerry over Bush," says Michael Kinsley (March 25 op-ed). The problem is, Sen. John Kerry has voted for higher taxes 350 times. This number includes votes for tax increases, but also includes many other votes against American taxpayers.

For example, Kerry is on record four times against the president's 2003 tax cut — twice against the non-binding budget resolution (Senate and conference versions) and twice against the actual tax bill, H.R. 2.

If we want to raise our taxes, then by all means we should support John Kerry. President Bush will keep our taxes at a level that is commensurate with our economy's growth.

Christ's teachings of love have freed us

As a "born again" follower of Christ, I am deeply grieved by the contentious responses of some of my fellow believers to the issue of homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

Much of the Bible deals with rules and consequences. However, Jesus introduces the shattering concept of an unconditional, sacrificial love that both completes the law and releases us from its judgment. If Christ loves and receives me "just as I am," how then can I judge, reject and deny anyone? For any reason.

We have four accounts of Jesus' short life, none of which gives us the least indication that Jesus was concerned about sexuality. Even when confronted with someone "caught in the act," his response not only completely ignored sexual law but exposed the hardness of heart of the accusers whose zeal for righteous judgment had eclipsed their love. For Christ, the issue was never sexual propriety but unconditional, non-judgmental love.

In this season when we celebrate Christ's demonstration of love, may we who call ourselves by his name humble ourselves and repent of our own righteous defensiveness, stubbornness, ignorance, judgment and rejection.

It is not by our zeal for truth and righteousness but by our love that Jesus said we would be known as his disciples. Let us love as Christ loved us.

Multiple school boards make sense politically

Many teachers, principals, Democratic legislators and the Business Roundtable all opposed multiple school boards. They make no good educational sense, no good business sense and simply no good governance for public schools.

However, what is really lost in this decision is that multiple school boards make excellent political sense. Empowering Republican communities through elected office is simply good politics. And creating new elected offices is even better politics than the redistricting that was done in Texas.

There have been letters to the editor almost daily claiming that multiple school boards will solve all the DOE problems.

Most letters closed with the appeal to give them the opportunity to be elected. The Citizens Achieving Reform in Education (CARE) should really have been called the Coordinated Attempt to get Republicans Elected (CARE).

Gov. Lingle has not relented on this governance issue. While I recognize that she is an intelligent and articulate governor, her focus on the possibility of building up the Republican Party through local school boards is misplaced.

Comparing orangutan to gorilla was wrong

I am not surprised that ignorant people might compare the prospects of a rampaging gorilla in Texas with those of a docile orangutan in Honolulu. I am, however, confounded that an experienced staff writer for The Advertiser would do the same.

It seems the same to say that if a man from Texas, who just happened to be a reporter, went on a wild killing spree, we should imprison (under substandard conditions, of course) all of the reporters in Honolulu, especially if they haven't done anything wrong yet.

I take umbrage with the notion that we are a society incapable of the common compassion necessary to build Rusti a decent (and safe) home, based, if for no other reason, on credit for time served.

Legislators' insolence on van cams appalling

I am shocked and stunned with disbelief that our dear Reps. Joe Souki and Kirk Caldwell have decided to ramrod van cams down the public's throats once again. No public hearings, no public input, no common sense!

The van cam, perhaps the most hated piece of legislation to ever come out of the Capitol, is once again rearing its ugly head, courtesy of Souki and Caldwell. Let's not forget how this new law was hustled through, and just by chance Caldwell happens to be the vice chair of the Transportation Committee.

Didn't our lawmakers hear the public outcry last year? Van cams were a waste of the public's time and money.

I hope next election the good people of Maui and Manoa remember how their representatives decided to shove their agenda in our face without so much as a coffee hour to see how we feel about this issue.

Legislature, hear this: Banish chair veto rule

As a concerned citizen and voter, I implore our elected Legislature in the strongest possible terms to vote on April 6 to repeal the conference chair veto rule.

The presence of this rule overrides votes in the elected bodies, even when Democrats and Republicans are in agreement. This rule is nothing more than a cheap political scheme, adopted secretly in 2001, to disenfranchise the majority.

Windward dog owners could use a pet park

Regarding the March 24 article about establishing a Windward dog park at Kea'alu Neighborhood Park: The residents of the Windward side, many of whom own dogs, are in dire need of a safe and legal place where they can take their dogs.

I live in Kailua, and the nearest dog park to my house is the Bark Park at the Humane Society, and it is a drive over the Pali of about 25 minutes on a good day.

At the Bark Park, my dog can exhaust himself and socialize with other dogs while I socialize with the other dog owners. It is a great spot to meet new people. I have been to all three of the dog parks on O'ahu and I have found them all to be clean and free of odor. Dog owners are very diligent about cleaning up after their own dogs. And as far as noise, the playground that joins the Moanalua Dog Park is far noisier than the dog park itself.

Attack on Thielen unwarranted

The Board of Education attack on one of its own members ("BOE rebuts school reform 'lies,' " March 19) was vicious, unprofessional and unwarranted. Chairman Breene Harimoto should be ashamed of himself.

Other BOE members have had plenty to say themselves about the issue of local school boards and no one has attacked them personally for their opinions as they did Laura Thielen, during a board meeting, of all places.

Thielen's support of local school boards is completely within her duties as a BOE member, as is any issue that concerns the improvement of our school system and the education of Hawai'i's public-school children. I commend her and the governor for taking a strong position in support of our students despite the fact that a local school board system would lessen their own political positions and control base.

My own advocacy for local school boards began in 1994 when I became a BOE member myself and observed the dysfunction, largely owing to the centralization in our outdated school system. There was no doubt that the lack of parent and community involvement in our public schools could be traced directly to the disenfranchisement that resulted from being so far away from the base of control and accountability.

Because I feel so strongly, I have personally supported local school boards as a public-school parent, PTA board member, SCBM chair, BOE representative and now as a CARE committee member. Like Laura Thielen, having no official political affiliation, I supported decentralization when the Democrats voted for it in past years and I support it now when it seems to have become a Republican issue.

There is something very wrong and very self-serving about Pat Hamamoto's complete aversion to local school boards. It may not be beneficial for certain employees and union leaders who have powerful positions (and paychecks) at stake, and it certainly is not a silver-bullet solution, but local control is our best hope toward making our schools the focal point of our communities so we can attain the involvement and accountability necessary to improve student achievement and the conditions of our schools.

It was in fact reported in a recent audit of our failing schools that "physical isolation from O'ahu" was a major factor. Comparing the percentage of administrative personnel in our state Department of Education to the national average is irrelevant if our state office is ineffective.

As a CARE committee member, I know I speak for fellow committee member Laura Thielen in stating that I am not lobbying for Linda Lingle in my advocacy of local school boards, but I am grateful for the governor's support in trying to get this issue on the ballot so that we, the public, can finally decide for ourselves if we are ready for the responsibility of running our own schools. Neither Ms. Thielen nor I signed on as volunteer CARE members to help anyone's political career; we signed on because we finally have a governor who is helping us to improve education.