Posted on: Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Letters to the Editor

Duke Bainum stayed to answer questions

I can't believe your paper would print a letter such as the one from Faith Evans (Oct. 10) saying Duke Bainum refused to answer questions at the Olomana Community Forum. Duke stayed for 45 minutes afterward to answer questions from anyone who attended the event.

Could the fact that the stink letter came from someone who wore a big Mufi sticker have anything to do with the content? She is even listed as a supporter on Mufi's Web site. This is so typical of how Hannemann and his supporters have distorted the truth in the election. It's sad that your newspaper is helping them.

Telephone directory great for a workout

The new Verizon Hawaii telephone directory is a testament to a large corporation's disregard for its customers.

I've taken my copy to the neighborhood recycling bin and will use the old directories for another year.

If Verizon Hawaii is interested in how well the heavy volumes are liked by its customers, it should check the recycling bins. Perhaps Verizon could run a contest to see who comes up with the most innovative way to use the new directory — as a doorstop, toddler's seat, step stool, etc.

Country should keep its strong president

I recently turned 20 years old and I am joining the Air Force. I am proud to be an American, and I know where my freedom comes from, and that it wasn't free. I strongly believe in America because we are the land of the free and the home of the brave.

America will be victorious as long as President Bush remains president. He is a strong, steadfast leader and will not change with the wind.

Sen. Kerry cannot lead America. We would have a lot to worry about, not knowing what he would do next. Would he flip-flop on us? Would he provide our soldiers with proper equipment?

At the first debate, Kerry said he is telling our troops "Help is on the way!" What kind of message is that? Kerry wants to pull out of this war. We are America! We do not run away from our enemies.

You may not like Bush, but at least you know where he stands.

Vote for truth, Kerry

John Kerry believes in transparency — not secrecy — in government; a large educated middle class with hope for advancement; and a government of the people, by the people and for the people — not of the corporations, by the corporations and for the corporations. Vote for truth and humanity!

The choice is clear: Vote for Sen. Kerry

After three debates between John Kerry and George W. Bush, Kerry has shown to have a plan to make America stronger.

Sen. Kerry will: create and keep good jobs in America; make healthcare affordable for every American; reduce the federal deficit so we don't leave future generations with huge debts; engage our allies and train Iraqis to win the peace in Iraq; and make America respected in the world and secure from terrorist attacks.

President Bush has failed in three debates to defend his miserable record of 1.6 million jobs lost, 5 million Americans who have lost their health insurance, middle-class incomes falling, college tuitions skyrocketing and a disastrous war in Iraq that has left America less safe.

The choice is clear. John Kerry for president.

Give it time — new UH logo is just fine

You know the best thing that happened with the UH sports logo change? It's that folks were able to discover that our respective teams during the Rainbow logo era were being jeered at away games. Now, maybe the reasons for such jeers were unjustified, but something had to be done about the logo, apparently — that's our team out there, and steps should be taken to support them when they play away from our great state, even if it means a logo change.

Change is good, and it rarely happens overnight; as new generations enjoy UH sports, they'll know UH's current sports icon as well as the rest of us enjoyed the rainbow logo. The UH athletic department didn't abolish the "rainbow" idea anyway — don't forget, our men's basketball and baseball teams are still called Rainbow Warriors, and our women's volleyball team is the Rainbow Wahine. This current logo, at least, shows the opponent we mean business; our football team hasn't gone 0-12 with the "H."

I like the "H" logo. And if it's making money to support our hard-working student athletes, then, maybe, a great thing's been done with this change.

In-your-face touts make stroll unpleasant

What happened to Waikiki? What used to be a relaxing stroll from the Hyatt Regency to the Hilton Hawaiian Village has now become an obstacle course of show touts, flyer distributors and other annoying people trying to get me to buy, photograph, attend, eat, etc.

These in-your-face touts follow me, thrust things at me, try to put their parrots on my shoulder, grab my arm and otherwise make the stroll through town a very unenjoyable experience. Not to mention the litter these people cause from people taking the flyers that are literally thrust into their hands, then dropping them to the ground.

I used to love coming here for a relaxing week. Not anymore. I won't be back to Honolulu. Can't the city of Honolulu do something, anything to rid the main streets of these annoying touts?

Political signs a blight

I wonder if the local candidates realize that their campaign signs are such a blight on our environment and such an abhorrent visual turn-off that many of us will vote for the person with the smallest, neatest signs or even for an unknown candidate as our only way to protest and vent our anger!

UH College of Education accepts qualified students

An Oct. 13 letter had incorrect information on the College of Education's teacher education candidates admitted in the past year. The letter was also inaccurate regarding student applications to teacher education programs.

Four hundred eighty-six applications were received last year for all teacher education programs combined; 320 students were admitted. All qualified applicants in all the programs were accepted except for candidates to the B.Ed. elementary education program.

An additional 27 of those who were qualified and initially denied for lack of resources have been admitted for spring 2005 after the college received additional financial support at the last legislative session.

The college offers several teacher education programs, including a B.Ed. in elementary education with specializations in early childhood education or special education; B.Ed. in secondary education; and a short-track Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Secondary Education (PBCSE).

Programs are offered both on O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands, where all courses capitalize on distance technologies.

It is true that the programs, particularly in elementary education, have become very competitive. A handful of candidates have applied with GPAs of 3.7 and above; the average GPA of those who were admitted was 3.3. A 2.75 GPA minimum requirement has not changed.

While I agree with the writer that the state has an alarming shortage of teachers (as do other states) and that resources could be given to support local institutions rather than spending to attract "recently graduated teachers from the Mainland," it is nevertheless important to point out that the demand/supply ratio is not only all about resources. It is also working conditions and the available career choices that draw skilled and qualified potential teachers to other professions.

Revisionist history rampant

In regard to the Oct. 17 commentary by Sherry Broder et al. about the Akaka bill, the following observations are in order:

• "Opposition of Hawaiians to annexation."

In 1893, the Hawaiians did not resist the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy by the white, mostly subjects of the kingdom.

In 1895, after President Grover Cleveland had denounced the revolution and ignored illegal shipments of arms from San Francisco to the Hawaiians, for the Hawaiian counterrevolution, out of 15,000 adult male Hawaiians, only 800 (5 percent) took up arms and gave up in one day.

In 1900, the 73 percent Hawaiian Territorial House voted for the half-Hawaiian Robert Wilcox as delegate to the U.S. Congress — snubbing Princes Kuhio and Kawananakoa.

Then, Kawananakoa joined the Democrats and Kuhio the Republicans, the people who overthrew the kingdom.

In 1902, Kuhio was elected as delegate to the U.S. Congress by the Republicans and his followers, and in a few years the Hawaiian party was finished.

In 1903, the majority Hawaiian Territorial House voted unanimously for statehood and sent the petition to the U.S. Congress with Kuhio.

In the 1959 plebiscite for statehood, the Hawaiians voted overwhelmingly for statehood.

Out of 632,000 residents, 130,000, or 20.4 percent, cast votes. Seven thousand, or 5.5 percent, voted "No."

Out of 102,000 Hawaiians, 21,000, or 20.4 percent, cast votes. Even if all 7,000 "No" votes were cast by Hawaiians, 67 percent of Hawaiians voted "Yes" for statehood.

That is consistent with the Hawaiian attitudes since 1895 when they ignored the counterrevolution.

• "After annexation, the Hawaiian language was suppressed."

Before the revolution of 1893, only 3 percent of Hawaiian schools used the Hawaiian language.

In 1883, Princess Pauahi Bishop's will specified that English would be used at the Kamehameha Schools.

• "The public lands taken by the U.S. without compensation."

The 1.8 million acres taken at annexation were paid for up to twice their value when the United States assumed the $3.8 million public debt of Hawai'i (see Hawai'i Archives for public debt and Annexation Resolution for debt payment).

The apology resolution was wrong!

In 1880, Princess Ke'eliko'lani's claim on part of 1 million acres of crown lands set the valuation at probate at $1.50 per acre. The 800,000-acre government lands were marginal lands. But even if all the lands were valued at $1.50 per acre, they would amount to $2.7 million compared with the public debt of $3.8 million. Prices were stable between 1850 and 1893 (see Hawai'i Archives for valuation of crown lands).

• "Redressing wrongs."

In 1848, Kamehameha III gave 80,000 Hawaiians 30,000 acres or one-third acre per person.

The United States gave 14,000 half-Hawaiians 205,000 acres or 14 acres per person or 42 times more per person than the king did. The king gave several chiefs 300,000 acres each.

The state gives the Hawaiians 20 percent of gross income from the public lands. That is 100 percent of net income, despite the Law of Admission requirement that 80 percent be used for schools and public works.

• "The Hawaiian culture was destroyed by the U.S."

It was Kamehameha II who, after his father died in 1819, overthrew the taboos and burned the temples and idols. The taboos were the whole culture.