LANGUAGE

DON'T EQUATE SPEAKING PIDGIN WITH IGNORANCE

I am once again disturbed by the continuing allegation in recent letters that speaking pidgin equates to ignorance and illiteracy. Command of the language is a stigma in some instances; however, to imply that it means a less-than-stellar aptitude is an antiquated theory.

This local boy grew up with books and pidgin. Intelligence speaks many languages and dialects, Hawaiian creole included.

GRAFFITI

DEFACING LANDMARK SHOWS LACK OF MATURITY

In a distinctly no-class gesture, the Kaiser High School graduation class has seen fit to deface our majestic Koko Head crater.

How sad that these high school graduates have so little respect for the environment and the rights of others to enjoy it.

Perhaps the Class of '07 will muster the maturity to admit an error in judgement and redeem themselves by removing this childish eyesore.

PIG HUNTING

USE SAFER ALTERNATIVES TO HUNTING WITH DOGS

I have followed with interest the realities of pig hunting with dogs in Manoa and Tantalus. While there have been reports of domestic animals attacked and killed, there are probably twice the number of potentially dangerous encounters that do not result in injury or death.

While walking my dogs on Tantalus Drive Christmas morning, a man emerged from one of the undesignated "trails" that intersect the road. He was in control of two leashed pit-bull mixes, but a third dog was running free. His two small children ran after the loose dog, which had run up to my two dogs and started to growl. I had a feeling that the children would not be able to hold the other dog for long so I picked up a large stick as I headed (at a rapid pace) down the road.

Sure enough, the dog broke loose and — with calls of "get back here!" — came around the corner seeking my dogs out. The stick helped hold the dog back until the children again caught the dog but a bright Christmas morning was ruined.

The sad part is that there are safer methods available to reduce the population of feral pigs near residential areas without putting the public and other animals at risk. Where there is a sizable residential population nearby, bow and arrow hunting could be a preferred alternative as well as the practice of trapping pigs with baited cages (a service offered by the Department of Forestry).

I know hunters who hunt with dogs on the Big Island, but they hunt on private and public lands far from public roads and nowhere near residential areas crisscrossed with hiking trails.

Hopefully, the Manoa and Tantalus community associations as well as DLNR will realize the pig-hunting program needs to be altered before too many more animals are killed or maimed and before any humans are injured trying to protect their pets.

SUPERFERRY

CONTRABAND WON'T BE ISSUE FOR FERRY SYSTEM

I'm wondering why Rick LaMontagne (Letters, June 7) is so concerned about inspecting vehicles going onto the Superferry.

His main point had to do with contraband being hidden in vehicles. Young Brothers moves thousands of vehicles and containers between the Islands every year and there doesn't seem to be any concerned citizens crying out about a lack of inspections.

In fact, unlike on the airlines, a traveler will probably be able to walk onto the ferry without having to have every piece of baggage and their person (shoes and belt off, emptied pockets, no large quantities of liquids, etc.) scrutinized by the Transportation Security Administration.

Mr. LaMontagne, the drug dealers can get overnight delivery service. I doubt they have big plans to involve the Superferry in their dirty business.

TRANSPORTATION

GET WITH THE PROGRAM; TRANSIT IS THE WAY TO GO

Somebody tell all those folks grousing about the half-percent general excise tax increase and moaning about managed lanes (whatever those are) that the train has left the station.

The state Legislature enacted the tax, we're all paying it here on O'ahu and we've yet to see those doom-and-gloom claims of businesses going bankrupt come true.

The Honolulu City Council spent literally months analyzing studies and reports and chose fixed rail as the option for Ho-nolulu's mass transit system.

It's done and, thankfully, mass transit is moving forward, not a decade too soon.

I'm looking forward to being able to enjoy an efficient, reliable form of transportation, and I hope all those complainers stay off the train and stuck in traffic where they belong.

MAYOR HANNEMANN

THE MAYOR'S PROGRESS REPORT WELCOME NEWS

I enjoyed receiving my copy of Mayor Mufi Hannemann's progress report and was pleased to read about the progress he's made on some really tough issues.

It's no secret that our sewer system was suffering from decades of neglect and that our sewer fund was raided repeatedly to fund more glamorous projects. We're paying for that neglect and folly now, and while I'm not happy about higher sewer fees, at least I know that the money is going where it's supposed to go.

And then there's the eternal debate over building a masstransit system. Thank goodness we're making progress on that front. Every great city in our nation has a mass-transit system, and it's time that Honolulu had one, too.

Mahalo, Mayor Hannemann, for having the vision and commitment to make things happen.