DISASTER

NOW IT'S TIME TO HELP OUR FELLOW AMERICANS

My family and I moved to O'ahu in June 2004 from the New Orleans area, and we have many friends and family dealing with the aftermath of the Gulf Coast disaster on a firsthand basis. It brings tears to my eyes to see my former home so devastated.

Hurricane Katrina is affecting hundreds of thousands of victims. The worst-hit areas will not even be seen on the news for days because the roads are impassable. People are without dignity, food, water, shelter and clothing. Many have lost every worldly possession, and some have lost lives.

The death toll is unknown at this time. When the scope of the suffering of last year's tsunami victims was made known, the outpouring of love and support was amazing. Well, now we have our fellow Americans suffering and dying on the Gulf Coast.

Let us again open our hearts to those in need and do what we can to alleviate their suffering. The American Red Cross can be contacted at 1-800-435-7669 (1-800-HELP-NOW) for donations. Mahalo and God bless.

NORTH SHORE

TOURISTS ARE TAXING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

Whether it's the threatened turtles, whose plight was described in your excellent article on Laniakea Beach, or the explosive growth of illegal vacation rentals, the North Shore of O'ahu is reeling from the current onslaught of tourists.

As residents, we look to city and state government to protect our native species, natural areas and neighborhoods from commercialization. We must find a way to implement the federal law protecting turtles from harassment. We must help the City Council craft a resolution that would make current zoning laws controlling vacation rentals and B&Bs enforceable.

Local government often seems to favor whatever a tourist might want no matter the negative impact on this island, its creatures and our residential neighborhoods. Normally gentle turtles are becoming aggressive. When will our normally laid-back residents follow their example and reclaim their beaches and surf breaks from commercial users and drive illegal businesses out of residential neighborhoods?

SECESSION

OHA SHOULD NOT HAVE FUNDED PRO-AKAKA BID

The multiracial kingdom of Hawai'i, a constitutional monarchy, owned crown and government lands. Upon annexation, Hawai'i ceded these lands to America. Upon statehood, overwhelmingly approved by Hawai'i's voters, America entrusted these lands once owned by all of our ancestors who were citizens of the kingdom to the state of Hawai'i for one or more of five purposes, one of which is "for the betterment of the conditions of Native Hawaiians."

OHA then used part of this government money to conduct a campaign for the Akaka bill while asserting that one of the negotiated positions Hawaiians, if recognized as an "Indian tribe," might take is "complete independence."

Thus, government funds owned by all of us were used by some of us to try to secede from the Union while most of us disagree. What's wrong with this picture?