Kerry win essential to heal festering Iraq

With the chaos in Iraq continuing on a daily basis, a new United States approach is imperative if the war's festering wound is ever to heal.

George W. Bush may emphasize that 30 other countries are helping the United States in the restoration of order in Iraq, but one need not be particularly informed to realize that our nation makes up some 90 percent of the military effort there. We need more international assistance, and unless Bush is voted out of office, we won't get it.

John Kerry, who has voiced respect for world opinion in the guiding of American international action, is a better choice for the Oval Office than Lone Ranger President Bush, who says unilaterally American military action is justified if the stakes are high enough.

Unless Kerry is elected, the United States will never gain more substantial international support for our effort in Iraq, and unless we do so, the festering wound will only worsen.

Don't be misled by attack on Abercrombie

Regarding Congressman Neil Abercrombie's stance on the Iraq war and the draft system: It concerns me that all this misinformation and hype are circulating about Abercrombie. I am especially concerned, as I have a child who is 24 years old.

But what concerns me more is that Neil is being unfairly targeted by rumors and untruths about his actions in Congress regarding the Iraq war and the draft. I believe Neil's intent was to provide dialogue to find a fair and equitable way to provide more service personnel to support the troops who are already there.

Don't be misled by someone who has never been to Congress and never been involved in Hawai'i issues. Moreover, don't be misled by someone who has never had to make tough decisions on issues that affect Hawai'i and the nation.

Neil has been there and has always acted in the best interest of those he represents.

Hawai'i needs GOP back in Washington

If Hiram Fong were alive today and continued to be our Republican senator in Congress, our conservative Christian issues (banning abortion, partial-birth abortion and same-sex marriages) would be protected.

But instead, our Democratic delegation (Inouye, Akaka, Abercrombie and Case) for the last decade has voted against what we Christian conservatives consider family values.

On Nov. 2, let's elect Republicans to Congress.

Hey, K5 — give us Wahine on live TV

Isn't about time that the UH Wahine got their share of on-the-road volleyball TV time? How is it that only the UH football team has all the TV time live plus replay time at home or away?

Right now the Wahine are undefeated, with the entire state behind them, so why must we put up with very poor radio coverage of the game, interrupted with stupid comments and noise.

I think it is time that K5 found out what the Hawai'i fans want of their UH volleyball team. Go 'Bows!

Randy Moore shows he has what it takes

Regarding "Ex-Kaneohe Ranch CEO to lead schools in implementing reforms," Oct. 12: "Aloha, Mr. Chips!" Three cheers for our own latter-day hero Randy Moore — recent math teacher, former executive of Kaneohe Ranch, Moloka'i Ranch and Castle & Cooke, Peace Corps volunteer and community activist extraordinaire.

I hope the entire community takes a page from Randy's lesson books: hold a passion for lifelong learning, believe in our kids, support our teachers, make appropriate course corrections and get involved.

I am a proud parent of public school graduates (Waiakea Complex), and I know our public school 'ohana will come out in force to help. This is one course we can't skate or flunk. Mr. Moore and Pat Hamamoto deserve an A+ and all our support.

Prisoner advocate made mark in Hawai'i

Many of us who worked with Emmett Cahill admired him for his faith in people and his confidence that his faith would be justified.

Emmett's leadership in the struggle against the death penalty, for prison reform and for humane treatment of prison inmates made him a civil libertarian long before Hawai'i understood these causes were in the public interest.

The fight to keep the prisons on O'ahu was based on Cahill's certainty that the humanizing effect of family visits to inmates was of greater value than the view that the best use of public lands called for the location of the prison on another island.

On issue after issue, Emmett identified with the underdogs. He used his influence as a lobbyist in their interest.

The Cahill family's move to the Big Island muted his voice and created a void in our civic life. Emmett Cahill, who died in September, was a force for good. We will all miss this gentle giant.

Getting rid of the rainbow in UH logo a big mistake

Of course it will sell, and rights are different from sales, because that's all the UH athletic department sells. Try selling and marketing the Rainbow logo, or perhaps a "flashier" rainbow one against the "H," and see which one will sell more.

We agree with Joe Moore of KHON. The rainbow stood for so much that is Hawai'i. The rainbow is seen over the Manoa campus almost daily. It is not only due to the significance of the appearance of a rainbow after a long-ago football game. The rainbow represents Hawai'i and its cultural and ethnic diversity. It is one-of-a-kind as far as school nicknames. The "H" can be Harvard, Houston or whatever. We frankly liked the rainbow stripes (and not the current garter belt), so unique, on the football team's uniform. Never mind the "macho-ness" of the Warrior name. Let's show it on the field and court.

If one takes notice at Aloha Stadium, the cheers are still for the Rainbows. How a former athletic director can have and give people so much power to change the logo, the teams' name and therefore traditions without any input from faculty, staff, students and the people of Hawai'i is beyond our comprehension. It is and was unconscionable how it was a done deal before we all knew about it.

Will we need to wait for the departure of certain athletic department members to regain our traditions? We will never "get over it," as some would like.

Drug funds are being freed up

As your paper reported, one year after the people of Hawai'i joined together to focus on the state's substance-abuse problem, much progress has been made.

Unfortunately, there also has been a lot of political rhetoric regarding the release of funds for substance-abuse programs. Various legislators have accused the Lingle-Aiona administration of withholding money appropriated in Act 40 for "political reasons," and the media have inferred that the administration's analysis of the appropriations was taking too long. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Gov. Lingle and Lt. Gov. Aiona have undertaken a thorough budget review process of appropriated funds. This process examines expectations of programs that may receive funds to ensure that the programs can achieve progressive, measurable results. As with the release of all state funds, the process also ensures the public that funds are administered in the most efficient and effective manner.

According to deputy budget director Stan Shiraki, who has served for 30 years under past Democratic administrations, every governor he worked under "followed a longstanding practice of restricting budget expenditures at the beginning of a fiscal year. This is done to ensure that total spending will not exceed actual revenue collections. No one called it political gamesmanship when prior administrations took this approach, and no one should assume that Gov. Lingle is being 'political' when in reality she is taking the steps necessary to protect the fiscal integrity of our state."

Even as the state's economy shows strong signs of improving, the administration is adhering to fiscal discipline by exercising consistent due diligence before releasing funds.

Contrary to public misinformation, the administration has aggressively addressed the "ice" problem along with other substance-abuse issues. In addition to the release of over $10.7 million of Act 40 funds, approximately $19 million for treatment and prevention programs has been released as part of the administration's biennium budget. These funds provide yearly substance-abuse treatment services as well as substance-abuse prevention programs for Hawai'i's youth.

This administration has taken an effective leadership role to establish an integrated statewide approach to illegal drug use and underage drinking. The guiding force for action focuses on three community-based efforts led by Lt. Gov. Aiona: (1) 14 statewide community "Talk Story" forums, (2) the Hawai'i Drug Control Strategy Drug Summit and (3) action working groups.

A consistent message from each forum was that strategic planning and funding, versus habitual or blind funding, are key components to sustain an effective attack on substance abuse and underage drinking. This strategic planning and due diligence in spending of state funds will lead to more effective and productive substance-abuse programs in the long run.

Substance-abuse problems will not be solved overnight. Therefore, we must stay the course and practice sound fiscal management when expending our valuable state funds, and balance treatment, prevention and intervention in order to make Hawai'i a safe and productive environment for generations to come.