Posted on: Friday, October 29, 2004

Kaua'i mayor silent in flap over epithet

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Mayor Bryan Baptiste is still contemplating his response to comments by a Police Commission member who referred to Police Chief K.C. Lum by a term that members of the Chinese community say they find offensive.

Commissioner Leon Gonsalves Sr., Baptiste's only appointee to the five-member commission, was the only commissioner to vote against Lum's appointment last month. Two weeks ago in an e-mail, he referred to the chief as "Hop Sing," the name of a Chinese cook in the Western television series "Bonanza."

"I was deeply shocked. It shows malice and a complete lack of respect for the office," said Violet Hee, president of the Kaua'i Chinese Heritage Society.

She said the only appropriate response is for Gonsalves to resign from the commission or be removed.

"Being a commissioner, how is he going to get along with the police, and how can he get along with his fellow commissioners?" Hee said.

At least two other members of the Police Commission are of Chinese ancestry, and both have expressed dismay at the comment.

Gonsalves said he wrote the remarks in an e-mail intended for a single recipient and was surprised that it was widely distributed. He said he meant no harm.

In the same e-mail, he referred to Deputy Police Chief Ron Venneman as "Little Joe," another character from the television show, and went on to say he felt he would "throw up" if required to attend their swearing-in.

Angry responses to the comments came from across the state. Benson Lau of St. Louis Heights, O'ahu, expressed astonishment.

"I think it's way out there, someone in a controlling position like that having such outlandish biases. He can't be in a position to hire and fire people," Lau said.

County public information officer Cyndi Mei Ozaki said that the mayor's office has received "a handful of calls" about the situation and that they have not all been negative.

"The response is actually mixed," Ozaki said. But she said she believes that people "are waiting for a decision" by the mayor before responding further.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.