CIVIL UNION

HAWAI'I MUST EMBRACE RIGHTS FOR ALL CITIZENS

The Judiciary Committee's defeat of the civil union bill was a huge disappointment. Almost 10 years after Hawai'i became the first of many states to enshrine discrimination into their constitutions, it is past time for our state to join the embarrassingly short list of states, and the embarrassingly large list of other nations (20), that surpass the U.S. as a whole in civil rights for all of its citizens.

Far more people support equal rights than did 10 years ago, but this is irrelevant. The majority should not hold the rights of a minority to its whims. Leadership is about doing what is right, regardless of whether public opinion or the clergy favors it.

Opponents of equal rights for same-sex couples usually cite the perceived effects on children. No credible studies have found any difference in the development of children raised in same-sex households versus traditional families.

While my partner and I (going on 12 years together) do not have children, we have known other couples lovingly raising happy, well-adjusted children who are adopted or from previous marriages. Are they less deserving of the stability and support afforded to other children by the institution of marriage?

TEACHERS

DRUG TESTS SHOULD BE DONE PRE-EMPLOYMENT

Hawai'i State Teachers Association President Roger Takabayashi points out in his letter to the editor (Feb. 28) that the union is negotiating with the Department of Education and drug testing is on the table and that it should not be mandated. His reasons for this — the intrusion on personal privacy and the fact that random testing will not get all of the possible offenders — sounds reasonable.

My suggestion to the Department of Education is to simply make it a condition of employment (just like many companies in private industry make it). That way, no individuals are singled out for random testing and no rights violated.

No test, no job. That's simple and the public will know that we are not exposing children to drug addicts or worse, pushers.

EDUCATION

SCHOOLS ADRIFT IN SEA OF CONFUSING PEDAGOGY

My wife is a special education teacher. She also has extensive professional experience in teaching learning processes. She, as so many other teachers, is very dedicated and passionate about teaching.

I retired early from teaching as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) mandate required our staff to do things right, rather than to do the right thing. That is, we had numerous meetings and workshops designed to implement a curricula that would comply with NCLB. While achievement scores from dumbed-down and confusing curricula seemingly rose, real learning decreased.

Standards were set to meet AYP and API outcomes with little regard to meeting the need to teach to the developmental attributes of the student. While it would be a more perfect environment if schools could implement an individualized education plan for each student, the current demands are seemingly adrift in a sea of confusing pedagogy.

Demand accountability from the Department of Education. Throw out the NCLB Act. Teachers are the greatest of change agents, and are deserving of veneration, higher pay and more time. Maybe my wife will have a few minutes to read this when she comes home from her classroom.

COUNCIL VOTE

AIRPORT MOST CRITICAL PART OF TRANSIT LINE

What are some of our City Council members smoking? It causes instant delirium. We should get it patented and sell it around the world. It might even pay for the transit.

They are asking for billions of our tax money and won't even take us to the airport? They can't be serious. How many local residents and tourists want to go to Salt Lake Boulevard instead and how often?

Please come back down again and have the airport as part of the line. It is the most important part, the starting point, from which to go in either direction.

DANGEROUS HABITS

INATTENTIVE PEDESTRIANS A DANGER ON THE ROADS

Much has been said about the danger of drivers talking on their cell phones, but what about pedestrians talking on their cell phones or listening to music through their headphones?

I think it's just as dangerous because these pedestrians are concentrating on their conversations or music and not paying attention to traffic.

I've seen too many pedestrians who don't even look both ways before crossing because they're so engrossed in their conversations or music. Would they even notice a horn honking or brakes screeching?

Pedestrians as well as drivers need to be more akamai.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

MAKAHA STOPLIGHT WOULD HELP SAVE LIVES

The Makaha "death strip" reflects the negligence and irresponsibility of many people. The death of Carl Johansen was as unnecessary as the horrific deaths of the four young people who died drag racing on the same stretch of road several years ago and the many other pedestrians injured in that same area.

The flashing crossing lights provided by the city at a cost of $50,000 (two times), was a fraudulent waste of taxpayer dollars. It was an experimental system that was doomed to fail even though there is no excuse for the vandalism that ripped it out twice. But when will we ever learn?

It is time we stopped blaming the victim, and do the right thing. If we can spend billions of dollars on a transit system, surely we can invest a few thousand dollars and put up a stoplight in Makaha to help save the lives of our people. We deserve no less.

KALANI, PUNAHOU

TRIBUTE TO TWO COACHES OF HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER

The 2007 HHSSA State Soccer Championship was a watershed of sorts in the retirement of Punahou coach Bob Clague and Kalani High School's rise from nowhere under coach Myles Arakawa (former coach of many fine 'Iolani School teams).

Both coach Clague and coach Arakawa instilled pace, power, discipline and skill into all their teams, as evidenced by the championship thriller that Punahou edged 3-2.

Farewell, coach Clague, and good luck to coach Arakawa and Kalani in the future.

HAVES, HAVE-NOTS

SCHOOLS, GOVERNMENT CREATE SOCIAL GAP HERE

I have lived in Hawai'i for 14 years, and from the very first time I met local residents there has been a glass wall that comes up between us.

The first time it happened it left me rather confused. I was brought up in Los Angeles, and we got along with everyone. Friends would comment at our parties, saying, "Your parties are like the United Nations."

But, Hawai'i residents who asked me about my past turned stone-faced after hearing about my personal accomplishments. So now I always talk about what our local friends do. I never bring up what I do. Not ever.

But, I do see things beginning to change very slowly. Local residents who leave the Islands for the Mainland and return years later become more well-rounded in their perception of new people, and mixing with newcomers does not seem to be a problem.

Those local residents who haven't reached this level of awareness should put the blame on the local school system and the past civic administrations who have created a huge gap between the haves and have nots.

HARLEY RIDERS

HOG HEAVEN OR AUDIO POLLUTION BY MINORITY?

Regarding the March 2 Island Life story, "Hog Heaven," Gus Harper has "changed the exhaust pipes on his bike three times to make it louder." June Jones says, "The sound of a Harley is one that you certainly know. You know it's coming from a mile away ..."

I wouldn't deny you the right to ride your big bikes, guys, but grow up. You are denying the majority of the population the right to the quiet enjoyment of our homes. Why do you think it's your right to blast through a peaceful neighborhood, wake up babies, set off car alarms and generally wreak havoc?

The sooner we have enforceable regulations about this audio pollution, the better off we'll be.

Elected officials, are you listening?

Why are the rights of this minority more important than the rights of the majority? Let's get something on the ballot and settle this issue.

DARFUR

FUND'S OPPOSITION TO DIVESTMENT A DISGRACE

There are several bills before the Legislature requiring the Hawai'i Employees Retirement System to divest from Sudan.

This would show the Sudanese government and the world that Hawai'i does not condone and will not support the Sudanese government-led genocide in Darfur, where more than 400,000 people have been murdered and millions displaced.

I want to thank the authors of these bills — Rep. Josh Green (HB1117), Rep. Roy Takumi (HB34) and Sen. Lorraine Inouye (SB1255). I want to thank the Lingle administration and all those who testified in support of these bills. I want to thank the House Labor and International Affairs Committees for moving this important legislation forward.

I also want to express my shame and embarrassment that the Hawai'i ERS opposes divestment from Sudan. The Hawai'i ERS is supporting the murder of hundreds of thousands of Darfurians. Investment must no longer be about the bottom line, but about what is moral and right. The Hawai'i ERS's opposition to divest from Sudan is an unjustifiable disgrace.

THEFTS

WHAT A JOKE! GUESS A SUSPECT'S ARREST RECORD

The comics are not the only source of chuckles in the newspaper nowadays.

Recently, there have been a string of revealing articles about burglaries. What is so revealing is that these culprits have an amazing number of prior arrests and even convictions.

So what's funny about this? Well, even the people on Moloka'i joke about our famous copper thefts. This type of article is becoming so commonplace, it is as if we're missing something important here. It is so ridiculous that you can now try to guess how many priors the culprit has even before you read the article.

Go one step further and imagine a flashing sign on the way to baggage claim at the airport saying, "Life and property at risk. Known convicted thieves at large, pedestrians fair game in local crosswalks." How funny is that?

ISLAND WAYS

VISITOR FROM KANSAS DOESN'T UNDERSTAND US

Ben McClain from Kansas visits here and has a complaint about mopeds and street signs.

Why do people visit here who have absolutely no comprehension of island life, have so many complaints about Hawai'i? I don't understand why someone would complain about a place they spend no more than two weeks in.

I do not own a moped or a car. But with the traffic and the price of gasoline, I can see where an economical moped might be an option.

As far as street signs, most of our street signs are on every corner. But, most are in Hawaiian so you probably can't read them anyway, and we will not change that for you.

Things might be better in Kansas with a city of comparable size to Honolulu with its higher crime rate, pollution and unemployment.

No, Ben, "This ain't Kansas!"