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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, July 29, 2007

Letters to the Editor

ANNEXATION

HISTORY PROVIDES GOOD CONTEXT FOR AKAKA BILL

It is quite instructive to read U.S. Congressional records of the debate over the "annexation" of Hawai'i in the late 1800s. Legislative opposition to annexation was blatant in its racism. Today, such attitudes are almost never publicly expressed. They are often couched in such terms as "being color blind."

In 1897-98, tens of thousands of Hawaiian nationals opposing annexation signed the Ku'e petitions. These anti-annexationists were motivated by completely different reasons than the men in Washington, D.C.

It is the same today. There are some very profound and very different reasons that people do not support the Akaka bill. It serves us all to learn more about this.

Nancy Aleck
Honolulu

MAKUA VALLEY

ARMY WORKING WITH ALL INVOLVED ON ACCESS

The Army has limited public access to sites in Makua Valley, as reported July 22 in the Hono-lulu Advertiser. The limitations on access are intended to both protect the safety of the public and to preserve the cultural sites. We continue to work with public groups, as well as state and federal organizations, to ensure the greatest access consistent with public safety and preservation of the sites is available.

In January 2005, the U.S. Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board closed public access to several cultural sites due to concerns of unexploded munitions. Since then, the Army has started a more thorough unexploded ordnance clearance effort to minimize the risk to the public and enable access to be restored.

To restore public access to cultural sites, the Army in Hawai'i assessed and developed a plan for safe access and preservation of the sites, as required by federal law. The National Historic Preservation Act requires the Army to ensure that these federally protected sites are not disturbed or altered.

The Army developed this plan as part of an ongoing consultation with a broad range of Native Hawaiian groups, and state and federal organizations. The Army used the input received from this process to shape the access plan. The Army's access policies do not give preferential treatment to any group or individual. The policies apply equally to all. The Army will continue to work with all involved as it seeks to establish the best balance of access, safety, and preservation.

To provide safe access, the Army is thoroughly clearing unexploded ordnance along specific routes to the sites. Two of the four sites have been cleared of unexploded munitions, and progress has been made on the remaining two. Malama Makua has been updated and is aware of what needs to be accomplished to provide greater access.

The Army is working to open, not deny access. The Army will proceed in a safe and responsible manner that complies with the law. When both clearance and consultation are complete, it is our intent to provide as much public access as possible, consistent with safety and preservation, while keeping the public informed of our progress.

Col. Matthew T. Margotta
Commander, U.S. Army Garrison, Hawai'i

CAMPAIGN SIGNS

CANDIDATES SHOULD REVIEW OUR STATE LAW

It is unfortunate that presidential candidate Ron Paul's supporters claim that posting campaign signs on public property causes no harm and violates no law.

The Revised Ordinances of Honolulu state: "No person shall post, affix or display any notice, poster or other paper or device, calculated to attract the attention of the public, to any lamppost, public utility pole or shade tree, or upon any public structure or building except as may be authorized by law." Other Hawai'i counties have similar laws.

The Hawai'i Revised Statutes states "...it shall be unlawful for any person to paste, post, paint, print, nail, tack, or otherwise fasten any card, banner, handbill, sign, poster, outdoor advertising device, or notice of any kind or cause the same to be done, on any curbstone, lamppost, utility pole, streetlight pole, hydrant, bridge, tree, street sign, traffic sign, or traffic light upon any public property in the state."

Violation of either law is not just a simple infraction, it is a criminal offense punishable by hundreds of dollars in fines and possible jail time or court ordered community service. Perhaps more importantly, these signs degrade the beauty of Hawai'i and lower the quality of life for our residents.

Campaign signs on private property currently are not regulated anywhere in Hawai'i. Campaign signs on public property are prohibited. Hopefully Mr. Paul's campaign and all other candidates and their supporters will remember this during the next election.

Bob Loy
Director of environmental programs, The Outdoor Circle

AKAKA BILL

FORGET THE POLLS, IT'S TIME FOR DISCUSSION

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono's West Hawai'i field representative, Richard "Dickie" Nelson, recently wrote The Advertiser to criticize the polling conducted by the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii that painted the Akaka bill unfavorably.

Nelson dismissed the GIH's polling questions as biased. Others doubt the credibility of other polls (e.g., a 2006 Advertiser poll) as biased. Regardless, I'm glad to see that Representative Hirono is interested in how informed citizens really feel about this issue.

It seems what's needed is a serious statewide discussion concerning what makes sense to assist those who are in need and are of native Hawaiian ancestry — in the context of the overarching American principle that discrimination solely on the basis of race or ancestry is generally considered antithetical to the U.S. Constitution.

In light of Mr. Nelson's interest on behalf of Ms. Hirono, it's now my impression that Ms. Hirono would like to go beyond a "dueling polls" version of public discourse and instead encourage a discussion that contrasts the likely benefits versus the detriments of the Akaka Bill for the state.

Then, let's have a referendum!

Mike Rethman
Honolulu