Posted on: Saturday, October 23, 2004
Letters to the Editor
Coach Jones should get back to the basics
UH football coach June Jones has done it again!
In the UTEP-UH game, he called two fourth-down fake punt passes that were unsuccessful and had the gall to say they weren't factors in the game. What a no-brainer! The result was two UTEP touchdowns. Hello.
That questionable coaching strategy put undue pressure on our injury-riddled defense at an inopportune time. The UTEP coach was amazed at the calls. I was shocked!
Too often, coach Jones has displayed his penchant to gamble, with bad results.
Realistically, we need to focus on the seven remaining games, with hope of qualifying for the Hawai'i Bowl, and forget the rolling of the dice. Get back to the basics, coach. No more tricks!
Mel Rodenhurst
George Avlonitis accuses Hawaiians of revisionist history (Letters, Oct. 19), but he himself engages in selective history.
In his historical accounting, Avlonitis says Hawaiians did not resist the U.S. overthrow or annexation in 1893, 1895 and 1900. But he conveniently ignores 1898. Why? That was the year 40,000 Hawaiians signed the Ku'e petitions in direct opposition to annexation.
Moreover, Avlonitis implies Hawaiian masses should have taken up arms in 1893, 1895 and 1900 to show resistance. However, they had no hope of winning an armed uprising against the United States. As Queen Lili'uokalani wrote in her autobiography, it would only have led to bloodshed, and she chose instead to appeal to the American sense of justice, expecting the United States would do what was right. (Of course, it did not.)
As to claims about statehood, Avlonitis again engages in selective history. He fails to state that Hawai'i was on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, and the United States lied to the United Nations when it had Hawai'i improperly removed from the list following the vote for statehood. The United States failed to put all the questions to a vote and failed to ascertain the will of the native people of this 'aina.
Avlonitis' other facts are irrelevant to the issue at hand: whether Hawaiians today are entitled to and need some form of self-government.
We trust people in Hawai'i will see through this selective history and will support justice for Hawaiians. We will work toward nothing less.
Keaumiki Akui
Speed is exciting, and some people see it as freedom. But it is also dangerous, and the consequences can be devastating.
Most people think that an accident would never happen to them because they are cautious. But all it takes is somebody who is not paying attention for the worst to happen. Now imagine that somebody not only being careless but speeding. The combination can be fatal.
Those people with modified cars who take to the roads to compete with others just like them should face tougher penalties because they have no regard for their lives or the lives of others.
Tony Hidalgo
The TV show "Hawaii" failed because it did not capture the mana'o of the Islands and it disrespected their people. I found many of the episodes verging on racism and cultural insensitivity.
One episode was centered around the use of "Hawaiian black magic," and another about a family dispute regarding burial grounds. The Hawaiian culture was mistreated by its script writers; reality was bent to make a "good" story line for the rest of the U.S. viewership.
The difference between "Hawaii" and its predecessors like "Hawaii Five-O" and "Magnum, P.I." is that these other successful TV shows showcased the beauty of our Islands and the aloha of their people. There was crime everywhere; but these shows didn't exploit the Hawaiian Islands and their culture. Bad mana'o brings a bad outcome. Thus, I am not surprised that "Hawai'i" got trashed; after all, it trashed our 'aina (land) and its po'e (people).
Enekike Nunui
The Oct. 14 article "Student aid goes begging for applicants" mentioned that hundreds of thousands of college students who may be eligible for financial aid don't receive it because they do not apply. According to the article, many students find the application process too confusing and find the application form too complex.
For the past three years, members of the Pacific Financial Aid Association and the Hawai'i Association for College Admission Counseling have combined their efforts to help Hawai'i's graduating seniors navigate the application process and to assist them in completing the application form, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is the federal application form required by most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools across the nation.
This effort, called "College Goal Sunday," brings together financial aid administrators and high school college counselors who volunteer their time on a Sunday to help students and their parents complete the FAFSA. College Goal Sunday 2005 will be held on Feb. 13, 2005, at the McKinley High School auditorium, Castle High School cafeteria and the Kapolei Middle School cafeteria.
College Goal Sunday, part of a national effort, is funded in Hawai'i by the nonprofit organizations Lumina Foundation for Education, USA Funds and the Hawai'i Community Foundation.
I encourage high school seniors who plan to pursue higher education to attend College Goal Sunday to ensure that they don't miss the opportunity to receive financial aid for higher education.
Lorraine Teniya
Kailua
Hawaiians did indeed oppose the revolution
Hawaiian governance public affairs specialist, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Speed, carelessness a lethal combination
Makiki
'Hawaii' didn't capture the essence of Islands
Ha'ena, Kaua'i
Help is available for college aid applications
USA Funds
