Read message, don't blame the messenger

The "controversy" over Ward Churchill is an entertaining but dangerous diversion. Defending the First Amendment, academic freedom and democracy is most important, but Churchill's message also has importance.

Obviously, most individuals discussing Churchill have never read his essay titled "Some People Push Back," although it is readily available on the Internet. It is extremely troubling because of the probing questions he asks about terrorism.

Whether or not anyone agrees with any of Churchill's answers, at least he has the intellect, integrity and courage to ask such questions. Two points he makes are that every life should be valued, and that you reap what you sow. These are pivotal in Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism and other religions.

Meanwhile, most of the media divert attention by concentrating on the messenger and the audience, instead of the message. If they do consider the latter, then they pursue only one or two points that are vulnerable when removed from their context to use for sound bites and spin. In that respect, these media fail to pursue truth and promote democracy.

Fortunately, so far the university remains a place for open minds, information, discussion, criticism and, yes, even dissent.

Legislators, listen up: We don't want rail

Our legislators are once again trying to shove a light-rail system down our throats, even though we are against any such endeavor. We are an island and do not need it.

Instead, why don't they consider limiting cars per family? If every family had two cars and anything after that would be higher to insure ($250,000), we would not have all of these traffic tie-ups.

Legislators, wake up and smell the coffee.

State charges a tax on the excise tax

I would like to ask C. Takemoto (Letters, Feb. 21) to stop misinforming the public. Our excise tax is 4 percent, but the reason we pay 4.166 percent is that the state charges a tax on the excise tax. The 0.166 is 4 percent of 4 percent. The businesses do not get to keep this money; it goes to the state. For example, if a product cost $10, $10.42 is charged to the consumer. The business must then pay 4 percent of $10.42, not on $10, meaning the business pays $0.42 in tax.

Stop hating business and start blaming the state. I support rail, whatever it takes, and that includes raising the excise tax to 5 percent, although I feel there are better ways to come up with the money, such as a state lottery. The state should stop charging a tax on the tax and instead of 5.26 percent, we would only have to pay 5 percent, making it very easy to calculate and match Japan's sales tax.

Plea for a Hawaiian nation contains erroneous claims

I have taken a long time to think about the commentary Beadie Kanahele Dawson wrote in your Jan. 16 issue. I decided to respond because she makes two key erroneous claims.

First, she claims that "every American has and needs an ancestral homeland ... " I don't believe this for a minute. I was born an American, raised as an American, worked as an American and will die an American. I have no desire or need to know where my ancestors came from. What possible value would that add to my well-being?

My mother tried to track our ancestors but was not able to go beyond the Civil War. So who knows where we came from or indeed what race we are? Not knowing has not occupied one minute of my thinking for 60 years.

Second, Dawson implies that Americans are to blame for "Sadly, Native Hawaiians, in too-large numbers, are still an at-risk people: seriously undereducated, overrepresented in prisons, overburdened by serious diseases and plagued with drug abuse and homelessness." Dawson should look within for most of the blame for these to be issues today.

I suspect that the Hawaiian people did an excellent job of raising children and teaching them the skills necessary to survive, including how to maintain a moral and healthy lifestyle when they lived here for hundreds of years. So why aren't the Hawaiian people still teaching their children the skills and knowledge necessary to survive today, including how to maintain a moral and healthy lifestyle?

Dawson tries to imply that if the Hawaiian nation were reinstated, all of these ills would go away. How would that help? What rights would she have such a nation take away from people (certainly Hawaiians have all of the rights anyone could possibly want today as an American)? How would the Hawaiian people improve the education of their children just because it is called a nation instead of a state?

Somebody is kidding somebody.

Superferry brings on more debate

Superferry would create competition

Why is it every time something good for Hawai'i such as the Superferry comes along, the typical response is "no"?

Some people think it will create more traffic on the roads, cause the local airlines to lose money, cause job loss, harm the environment and on and on.

Yes, the Superferry will compete against established interests such as the local airlines and shipping companies. We call that competition and capitalism at its best. It makes everyone operate more efficiently, reduces waste, improves our standard of living and increases employment. The Superferry is needed in Hawai'i to move us into the 21st century.

As for health and safety concerns, there are enough watchdog agencies such as the EPA, OSHA, Coast Guard, state Health Department and more to keep an eye on the daily operations and ensure compliance. Will there be problems? Yes, just as we have found with the local cruise ships, but we did not shut them down. We worked out the problems.

Airline conspiracy? They have bigger woes

Two of your surveyed readers were quoted as saying they believe the airlines are behind some sort of conspiracy to shut down the Superferry and protect their turf; that is a wishful stretch.

First, Kahului and Nawiliwili harbors are extremely overcrowded already. Matson, Young Brothers, the canoe clubs, Kaua'i's County Council, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and others have all publicly and openly voiced their complaints. That doesn't sound like a secret conspiracy to me.

Second, to accuse our two local airlines of being part of a conspiracy might sound like fun, but the idea is way off. Our local airlines currently have much bigger fish to fry with plenty of their own problems.

Gov. Lingle should not ignore our two airlines, especially our nearly 8,000 employees who are struggling at this very moment to keep our companies afloat. Instead, this governor supports an if-come business plan with zero employees as of yet, while blatantly neglecting her constituents.

Forget about Maui; send ship to Big Isle

If I correctly interpret various stories about Maui's reluctance to accept ferries, I may have a solution. The Valley Island folks, by abusing environmental processes, appear to desire keeping all of us from surface movement around our state.

My solution: Skip Maui. Let the jet-setters roar into its windy airport. Add Hilo as a ferry stop at one of the best harbors in the state (even Kamehameha knew the value of Hilo Bay when he launched his invasion of the rest of the chain).

Then with stops at Kawaihae and Hilo, the superferry can serve farmers on both sides of the Big Island and get fresh produce and flowers to O'ahu effectively and enhance Hawai'i's breadbasket. Maui folks can sell their trinkets at the airport and we all will be happy.

Neighbor Islanders tired of being ignored

The Superferry's starting to feel like a project that's being shoved down our throats. Despite months of questions, we have yet to receive clear answers (i.e., where are 200-plus vehicles going to be loaded and unloaded at Kahului Harbor?).

An environmental impact statement provides for the community to reach a comfort zone for a project of this size. It will force the project to respond to community concerns rather than the usual blank look from officials who still do not have a complete plan for each island that it will impact.

I hope that the community meetings and presentations are being done in good faith and we are being listened to. Neighbor Islanders are fast becoming tired of decisions that are made in Honolulu and then thrown out to us for acceptance with a "this is good for you" attitude.

Superferry would be ideal for the infirm

My family feels the superferry is a necessity. Not only does the pricing seem fair (in every aspect), interisland travel for the elderly would be much easier.

Also, it would be easier for those with heart conditions or other ailments when doctors say it is not all that safe for them to fly, those in wheelchairs, or those who are hard of hearing or have a loss of eyesight.

I am a caregiver for my mother, who has all of the above problems and lives with us. My husband and I have not been able to go anywhere for the last eight years. We have friends on another island whom we can never see. With a ferry, we could actually take Mother with us for a getaway and at least have some change of scene — for her benefit as well as ours, even for a day.

Please, keep the superferry coming. It would be so beneficial to so many for so very many reasons.

Editorial danced around the issue

Talk about trying to have things both ways!

In your Feb. 23 editorial, you bemoan the likely motives of the proponents of the Superferry environmental review — anti-business, anti-competition. You worry about the potential effect — losing the Superferry. You acknowledge the unfairness of changing the rules late in the game and requiring Superferry to do what no other interisland transport company has to do. You accept the possibility that litigation could add years to the process.

But still you say an environmental review "seem(s) to fit the bill in this case."

How many valid arguments are you willing to just dance around in order to arrive at your predetermined position? If Hawai'i loses the Superferry due to this kind of nonsense posing as logic, all I can say is that we'll deserve what we don't get.

Criticism is amazing

I find it amazing that the special-interest groups are once again stifling a wonderful improvement and opportunity for all the citizens of Hawai'i.

All anyone needs to do is visit Vancouver or Seattle to see the value and benefits of a ferry service. It is hard to understand how anyone could not see the potential job benefits and improvements in interisland transportation and interisland commerce.