UARC

FACULTY, STUDENTS HAVE LOST MORAL COMPASS

It was interesting reading Mike Gordon's Jan. 21 article on the opposition to a Navy university-affiliated research center at the University of Hawai'i. The extreme-left-wing bias and outrageous statements concerning loss of academic freedom vividly portray university members who have lost their moral compass and wouldn't recognize analytical thought or objectivity if it smacked them in the forehead.

Faculty and students were "insulted" by a proposal that would bring $50 million to a university that is in dire need of some engineering excellence. Typically, critics like professor Ruth Dawson portrayed association with the Navy as "an institutional commitment to destruction and killing" rather than a collaborative effort for national defense that has the potential for significant collateral benefits to the university.

I would respectfully suggest to the Board of Regents that university members appear to see wisdom in courting and defending the discredited rantings of the left-wing lunatic Ward Churchill while loathing a military institution that has a documented history of defending all freedoms.

The University of Hawai'i is long overdue a course correction from an institution that embraces extreme-left-wing political values to a campus that considers there may be educational and cultural benefits in a relationship with the military that protects a free society.

FUEL BLENDING

CHANGING DATE FOR ETHANOL WOULD HURT

The Honolulu Advertiser wants to support Hawai'i's ethanol industry by pushing back the April 2 ethanol-blending date. But ironically, changing the blending date will hinder, not help, the local ethanol industry.

When the administrative rules were enacted to mandate an April 2 start date, it created a "date certain" that put into motion a guaranteed market for ethanol in Hawai'i. This opened the financial incentive for investors to fund locally owned ethanol producers; some of these Hawai'i residents and companies have been working for 10 years or more to bring ethanol to Hawai'i.

Moving the blending date could negatively impact the network of financing, grants and fund-raising that these companies depend on. It could also negatively impact oil refiners such as Chevron, which has invested millions of dollars in ethanol-blending equipment and bringing in its own experts to oversee blending.

It's unfortunate that there will be short-term challenges such as importing ethanol for the balance of 2006. But it's important to keep in mind the long-term view and the long-term benefits of ethanol blending — greater energy independence for Hawai'i and a stronger, less oil-dependent energy-producing infrastructure.

Think of it this way: When the local ethanol-producing facilities go online, Hawai'i will have a new group of refiners for the first time in decades. These refiners will produce a renewable, environmentally friendly fuel — ethanol — and they will be locally owned.

LEGISLATURE

DISASTER READINESS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY

Your Jan. 18 editorial "2006 Legislature must not squander surplus" included a fine short list of needs the Legislature should address. I noted that disaster readiness was not included.

The federal government's slow, awkward response to last fall's Gulf Coast hurricanes would be repeated if a major tsunami or hurricane hit the Aloha State. Because we live in an island archipelago, most Mainlanders assume that we understand the risks and have prepared accordingly for floods, tsunamis, earthquakes and other natural disasters that threaten our part of the world.

Unfortunately, we already know that the local governments are not ready.

A Sept. 10 article ("Disaster plan is lacking, outdated") noted Mayor Hannemann's estimate that $25 million would be needed to renovate and replace its creaking, antiquated emergency preparedness system. A few thousand local law enforcement and military personnel would rely on this system to keep the peace while we all wait for help to arrive with basic necessities like clean water, food and electric power.

The trucks and troops that rolled in to save New Orleans won't arrive here. We would wait for the relief ships to bring the bulk of the supplies and equipment. Military and commercial aircraft would carry only the most urgently required resources and people.

The public schools also serve as disaster shelters, and previous reports indicate that many of these schools need repairs before a natural disaster strikes.

SAFE FOOD

TRANSGENIC CROPS HAVE GREAT RECORD

Regarding the Sunday Advertiser's pro vs. con on biotechnology: One pro vs. one con? No, the ratio is more like 499 to 1 among Hawai'i's scientists who can define the word "transgene."

Over 220 million acres were planted to transgenic crops in 2005 by almost 10 million farmers in 21 countries. Without one instance of as much as a sneeze! And with superb increases in quality, safety and yield of food.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug said it best: "Biotechnology is a wonderful tool and allows genetic improvements to be made much faster."

Plant breeders, he added, are simply following Mother Nature's lead in using transgenes to battle pests, diseases, etc. That illustrates, as he put it, "the nonsense of those who oppose biotechnology."

PIONEER

FAMILY COURT DOES ENCOURAGE MEDIATION

In praising U.S. District Judge David Ezra for promoting alternative dispute resolution in the Hawaiian artifacts case involving Hui Malama ("Judge Ezra needed in Family Court," Jan. 12), Myrna Murdoch wrote that Family Court denied an attempt at ho'oponopono and mediation in her case and ordered her to pay opposing attorney's fees and several thousand dollars in court costs.

Although I cannot comment on Ms. Murdoch's case because the records and proceedings are confidential, I wish to make two general comments for the benefit of persons who are or may be involved in a Family Court matter.

First, the state Judiciary encourages the use of mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution in lieu of litigation and is recognized nationally as a pioneer in this field. Mediation may not be appropriate in all circumstances, however, such as when the parties harbor intense animosity against each other and/or are unlikely to make a good-faith effort to reach a win-win agreement.

Second, there are valid legal reasons for requiring a party to pay court costs and opposing attorney's fees. For instance, a judge may take this action when one party files a groundless lawsuit or motion that places an unreasonable burden on the other party and the court and ends up wasting taxpayer money.

We would like the public to know that the Family Court tries to promote agreement and discourage harmful litigation, and will use mediation in all of its forms whenever it will help the parties and their children.

INEXPERIENCED

REP. CASE DOESN'T REPRESENT ALL OF ISLES

Ed Case's brash claim to "represent all of Hawai'i" during his most recent campaign for Congress must have raised eyebrows among Hawai'i's remaining congressional delegation, two of whose elected officials do, in fact, represent the entire state. While hyperbole may be appropriate to describe his many successes in private and public life, it suggests Rep. Case's ambition exceeds his political credentials.

Case seeks to unseat Sen. Daniel Akaka, one of Hawai'i's most beloved, effective, experienced politicians. In the Senate, where seniority counts so heavily, how might a congressman barely into his second elected term hope to compete with Sen. Akaka's political stature?

Hawai'i is fortunate to be represented in Congress by three senior officials whose combined influence exceeds what might be expected of a "blue" state with an equivalent population.

Rep. Case may one day achieve a comparable record of public service. Until he does, the parts of O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands he currently represents so ably seem a fitting place for him to learn and grow.