DRUG TESTING

PUBLIC WORKERS MUST EARN TAXPAYERS' TRUST

Drug testing should be mandatory for all public employees. Taxpayers pay for our salaries, and they deserve the best.

We who deal with the public must have the public's undivided trust. Teachers who deal directly with our children every day should be drug-free.

Honolulu firefighters, who deal with the public every day, agreed to mandatory and random drug testing back in the 1980s. We needed and won the public's respect as being one of the most respected occupations.

Our program was not designed to detect and fire the employees for using drugs, but to help them rehabilitate through a drug-free program that the department provided for them. They only faced termination if they refused to complete the program. Those who were rehabilitated returned to active duty subject to random testing. Those employees who were caught selling and dealing with drugs were terminated after being convicted.

It is only when the public has complete trust in you, will you be able to achieve the goals of your occupation.

MONITORING BEHAVIOR CAN BE A SLIPPERY SLOPE

Teachers hold a unique position in society. In addition to imparting knowledge and skills that will help their students later in life, teachers are also expected to set examples for their students to follow — intellectually, morally and civically. For these reasons, I can see the logic in favor of drug testing teachers to reinforce the perception that they are in fact role models for their students.

I do get concerned, however, when I hear people say that drug testing makes sense because if "you have done nothing wrong then you have nothing to fear." The problem with that sentiment is that it is difficult to define the word "wrong." What exactly would those drug tests look for? Just illegal drugs?

Could those tests also be used to identify other "wrong" behavior, such as smoking, alcohol or a high cholesterol diet? Those behaviors are not illegal, but could they potentially affect the job performance of a teacher?

It is a slippery slope to monitor people's behaviors outside of their jobs.

Teachers should be held to a high standard, but when that standard involves the possibility of undue scrutiny of their private lives we make a very difficult job almost unbearable.

ELECTION 2006

PINE HAS DONE NOTHING FOR 'EWA TRAFFIC RELIEF

I am writing in regard to your endorsement of state Rep. Kymberly Pine (Oct. 4) based upon "her ability to work with Democrats, which paid off in traffic relief in her first year."

Given her voting record and perpetual attacks on Democrats, I don't understand your reasoning. Anyone who drives in and out of 'Ewa Beach knows there has been no relief to our traffic crisis.

In the last session, Pine voted for a House budget that had no funding for our roads. She is against the funding needed for mass transit. Late in the session, after state Sen. Brian Taniguchi put in funding for the North-South Road, Pine orchestrated an effort to blast Taniguchi for ignoring 'Ewa Beach. She seemed to ignore her own votes and the funding already in place in the Senate. This was not an example of working with Democrats.

In two years, Pine has introduced no legislation pertaining to traffic. Taking credit for the work of others, while politically savvy, does not make for honest representation. Voters are too tired to spend time checking facts. We count on the media for this, and I wish that those responsible for endorsements had been more thorough in seeking the truth.

JUDGES' RETIREMENT AGE SHOULD NOT BE RAISED

Now is not the time to raise the retirement age for Hawai'i's judges. Perhaps the motives of the Democratic legislators who put this amendment on the ballot were above reproach; or, they may have been looking for a way to reward cronies and tie the hands of the Lingle administration.

The timing is suspect, however, like Time magazine's slap at Sen. Dan Akaka. In two years, the electorate will get to decide if we want a constitutional convention in 2010 (the question should have been on the ballot this year). If the voters say "yes," they'll have a chance to carefully consider the plight of our 70-year-old judges. Of course the age limit is discriminatory, so is the requirement that they be lawyers. (U.S. Supreme Court justices need not be.) After our duly elected constitutional convention delegates debate the issue and put their recommendations on the ballot four years from now, we voters may be given the chance to look at this question again. Who knows, a majority might vote to give a break to geriatric judges in the future, when the smell of rotten fish is not so heavily in the air.

COSTS, SERVICE

MAYBE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE MISSING

Lynda Arakawa in her Business article on Oct. 12, "Many resigned to paying more," has a good point. People in Hawai'i have just become used to paying more for everything. However, I feel one can carry this out to way more than just getting used to higher prices.

The citizens of this state have gotten used to: Bad roads, bad sewers, frequent water main breaks, frequent power outages, extremely slow road construction projects, slow and bad service in government and private business, bad, bad government (and we keep re-electing them).

The list goes on and on. The citizens of this state have gotten so used to having nearly nothing good (other than the weather) that they don't know what they're missing.

Maybe a trip to the Mainland (other than Las Vegas) or Asia would wake them up and make the government and business owners of this state be held more accountable and give the citizens the goods and services at reasonable rates, with a good attitude and in a reasonable amount of time.

HANSON COLUMN

ATTACK ON ANONYMOUS SOURCING IS SURPRISING

I am a little surprised by Victor Davis Hanson's column (Oct. 12) that questions the journalistic integrity of the authors of some recent books about the Iraq war because of their reliance on unidentified sources.

I am surprised because in a commentary printed just last month in this newspaper, Hanson supports a point he is trying to make with the statement: "Indeed, rumor has it that Syria, Iran and Hezbollah are much less pleased with the result of the war than Western journalists had supposed." Whose rumor? Which journalists?

What is it, Mr. Hanson? Are anonymous sources bad, but rumors okay? Or does it just depend on whose side you are on?

BOTTLES, CANS

ROOSEVELT STUDENTS HAVE RECYCLING DRIVE

To all those who are frustrated with the recycling sites, here is a solution: Donate your bottles and cans to the music department at Roosevelt High School. The students are out in front of the school collecting donations on the first Sunday of every month.

Don't drive away frustrated, drive away happy that you were able to help out.

COMMUTING

THEBUS CAN BE VIABLE ANSWER TO TRANSIT WOES

After having ridden TheBus the past week, I can sympathize with all those riders who take the bus after 9 p.m. Even though six buses are routed to travel a distance of less than four miles, there were times when I still had to wait longer than 30 minutes. However, all the bus drivers I rode with were very courteous and professional.

In spite of a few shortcomings, TheBus can be a viable solution to O'ahu's mass-transit woes. There are two keys to making TheBus a more viable alternative to driving. The first key is to have TheBus management make a promise to all riders that, between the hours of 6 and 11 a.m. and 2 and 7 p.m., no rider would have to wait longer than 10 minutes to catch a bus to his or her destination. In addition, there would be a fleet of ultra-modern buses that would have, among other amenities, television and a light snack-and-beverage service.

How many billions of dollars will it cost for O'ahu's proposed rail transit system and how many of those nifty buses could be purchased for the same billions of dollars? Each of the buses could be leased to entrepreneurs, thus creating possibly more than a thousand new small businesses. Current bus drivers would have the first option to become lessees or to work for them. Anyone purchasing a yearly bus pass would be entitled to reduced taxes and service fees from the city and county and the state.

The greatest advantage to the proposal is that it would not mar the beauty of this land, which — next to its people — is Hawai'i's most valuable resource.

EARTHQUAKE

REACTION TO CRISIS PROMPTS RESPONSES

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES CRITICAL FOR ALL OF US

I was a little disturbed to read reports of people flocking to stores to get emergency supplies, such as batteries and canned goods, during yesterday's power outage.

With all the hurricane (and disaster) preparedness reminders we have via the media, why were residents still so unprepared?

BE PREPARED, THEN HELP OTHERS IN NEED

I find it hard to believe that lots of people on O'ahu are still unprepared for a disaster. How many warnings do they need?

After being shaken out of bed by the earthquake Sunday, I was listening to KSSK as soon as they came on the air. I was amazed at some of the calls from the public with their unimportant problems and complaints (from O'ahu).

A temporary power outage on O'ahu should not cripple us! A healthy person should be able to go one day without complaining and whining about food and being hungry in the event of a disaster. We had no disaster on O'ahu, just a power outage. Stop the selfishness; eat some canned food out of your cupboard. Have some batteries and other essentials to be self sufficient for a few days or a month.

Those people who are capable of preparedness should wake up and get prepared. Don't be a burden on others; be prepared to help those less able and in distress. The government could be more efficient if we as citizens were more prepared. You have no right to complain if you haven't done your part.

HECO WRONG TO SHUT DOWN POWER SYSTEM

Thank you for your coverage of the Hawaiian Electric Co. power outage.

I would like to express my dismay, however, that HECO chose to shut down the power islandwide to protect their system.

In cases of disaster or civil emergency, it would seem to me that power is vital and critical in such times to protect the citizens of this state. It was a mistake for HECO to program their system to do that. I hope they will reconsider their position.

Their actions caused considerably more problems and inconvenience than the 6.7 earthquake.