California has its act together on crashes

Regarding retired HPD traffic investigator Boyd Andrade's Jan. 3 letter, "Traffic investigators have difficult jobs": There is no doubt they do. I know firsthand this to be true throughout the United States. That said, when is the Honolulu Police Department going to join the 21st century in its investigative practices regarding the halting of highway traffic for hours and hours on every accident or fatality that occurs?

I served 12 years with the U.S. Department of Justice at the San Francisco District Office before moving to Hawai'i. During my tour of duty, I have had the pleasure of working with many police agencies, particularly the prestigious California Highway Patrol. Accidents with fatalities handled by the CHP are conducted expeditiously within 30 minutes to one hour (on the average). The other San Francisco Bay Area city departments complete their investigations within 60 to 90 minutes.

Perhaps the HPD ought to invite the CHP to train it ASAP — it's just a 2,500-mile phone call away.

Hawaiians should not have to pay taxes

Judge Michael Wilson misstates the interrelationship between Hawaiian sovereignty and one's taxpaying obligation ("Tax protester gets a year in jail," Dec. 30).

Ken Kobayashi reports "Wilson said taxes financed (John) Souza's public school education, his pay in Army and the Fire Department and partly the pension he gets. Souza doesn't have to like paying taxes, but should show 'the courage to pay your taxes, even though you don't like it,' Wilson said."

The deeper question is, "Who gave the state or U.S. government the right in the first place to impose itself as the sovereign entity over Hawai'i?" We Hawaiian nationals have no qualms about paying taxes to our rightful Hawaiian government. But through the invasion of Hawai'i and the participation in the theft of our territory and government, the United States, contrary to international law (as well as its own and Hawaiian domestic laws), imposed itself in our lands, making Hawai'i its colony.

Now, through taxation, it requires that we finance our own colonization, paying for its military, which has compelled our service for its wars and for its public education, which has participated in the brainwashing to make Hawaiians into Americans.

Judge Wilson and his judicial system complete the cycle of colonization by trying to legitimize the theft and punish those who are willing to stand firm in their conviction to righteousness.

Enforce the laws already in place

We don't need new road laws. We need to enforce the standard laws that are already in place here and throughout the world. We could start with the stop sign. It doesn't mean "roll through" or "blast through," it means stop.

As for our problem speeders, they got the green light when the van cams were sent home.

Bottle law set up to take our money

Honolulu residents have been dealt a fast one by the state again. The bottle bill has some serious flaws — namely, that the average working person will not be able to exchange bottles for cash given the operating times at the exchange sites.

The Aikahi site will be open only from 9 to 5 (a lunch break will be taken) Tuesday through Saturday. I, like most everyone else, am working during those hours.

Nice job. The state collects 6 cents per bottle and sets up refunding not possible for the masses. Result: collect 6 cents for every bottle or can consumed.

Most of the band musicians are spoiled

Aaron Mahi should remain as bandmaster. I have had experience with the Royal Hawaiian Band for about five years. I am a sound engineer, and I hear the musicians every month. Most of the musicians are spoiled and cry about every little thing. They may appear professional, but don't act like it.

The band members who complain should leave; if they can't hack it, then beat it.

Not to cause any trouble, but for the last 20-some years I have seen many band members come and go. Aaron remains and they still sound great. To me, Aaron is the Royal Hawaiian Band!

$1 from each one of us

I want to expand on Lorrin Lee's letter of Jan. 4. Our country has pledged $350 million in relief to the tsunami victims. This calculates to more than $1 on behalf of every man, woman and child of the United States of America.