SUPERFERRY

KAUA'I NEEDS EIS DUE TO INFRASTRUCTURE WOES

People may ask where Kaua'i protesters were two years ago when the Superferry plans came out. I ask, "Where were you?"

Remember the full-page ads in the papers alerting everyone to the plans and impacts? I signed a petition almost two years ago demanding an environmental impact statement.

No response was given by the state to the petitions that thousands of citizens knew were lawful and just.

Kaua'i needs an EIS because we have enough to deal with already with infrastructure not in place for residents or our growing homeless population.

Money to get things fixed and improved, such as roads, parks, bathrooms, landfills, etc., should be included in taxes charged to the Superferry to operate here. It's kokua. Ask, and we'll negotiate. But you may not force this issue upon us.

I thank Kaua'i state and county leaders for their courage and conviction. Most have stood true to the law and Kaua'i's wishes.

I celebrate those who refuse to be silenced, especially in a time when we are cautious of federal, and now state, agendas.

TWO RECENT PROTESTS SHOW DOUBLE STANDARD

I was driving through urban Honolulu this weekend and noticed something ironic.

Amongst the skyscrapers, the traffic and the concrete, I passed by three cars with bumper stickers that said either "Keep the country country" or "Keep the North Shore country." I pointed out to my passenger, a Kaka'ako skyscraper resident, the large number of these beater cars and she said, "If they're against development so much, they shouldn't be coming to town."

These people come to my favorite part of the island whenever they want, yet when developers wanted to expand Turtle Bay so that I can visit their side of the island, they protest.

Another anti-progress group that came to mind are the Hawaii Superferry protesters. They can come to O'ahu whenever they want, but when we go to Kaua'i, they will deflate our tires and slam on our cars with their fists.

Is it just me, or has the double standard and hypocrisy finally been exposed?

As a state, we need to keep our eyes open and vote out politicians who pander to these special-interest groups.

O'AHU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT COQUI FROGS

If the people of O'ahu have any doubts that the Superferry could cause significant environmental effects, I hope they will consider what it will be like when coqui frogs disturb the peace of their homes and hotels and damage the visitor attractiveness of O'ahu with 90-decibel squeaking throughout the night, courtesy of the Big Island, whose mayor wants the Superferry to run between his island and O'ahu.

Maybe someday the people of O'ahu will understand that the people of Kaua'i are speaking for the whole state when we request an environmental impact statement first.

IMAGE

ISLES SEEM TO BE TELLING WORLD WE ARE WACKO

Everyone everywhere knows Hawai'i is a beautiful place, but between the Superferry blockade and airport bomb "art," it would seem that we are trying hard to convince the world that we are also a wacko place.

FAKE BOMB

STAR SIMPSON CASE SETS BAD EXAMPLE FOR YOUTH

On Sunday, Sept. 23, The Honolulu Advertiser printed the article, "Hawai'i family supports arrested MIT student."

Star Simpson, a 19-year-old woman, was arrested for wearing a fake bomb in Boston's Logan Airport.

Two problems arise. The article ignores the negative aspect of disregarding airport security laws.

After the charge, her father said, "We're very proud of her." He added that parents must help their children work through their problems.

I agree that parents should help their children. In Proverbs 22:6 we read, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." The Bible states that parents must direct the moral development of their children. The Simpsons, it seems, see nothing wrong with what she did.

Second, the headline paints an inaccurate picture, neglecting the fact that a teenager purposefully entered an airport wearing a fake bomb.

As a teenager with younger siblings, I know that I must set a good example for those who are younger than I. If Miss Simpson's friend Tiffany said, "I don't think it was that big of a deal," what message will others receive?

SUSTAINABILITY

STATE'S YOUTH CAN MAKE THEIR OPINIONS COUNT

The input that matters the most in the 2050 Sustainability Plan will come from those who will be breathing the air, looking for homes, swimming in and drinking the water, preserving cultures, raising families and trying to make ends meet 43 years from now — Hawai'i's youth.

It has been said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it." I attended the 2050 Youth Sustainability Summit last week, where 226 high school students from across the state gathered to prime their civic responsibility to deal with the enormous challenge of meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

It was a thrill to witness the future of Hawai'i become passionately, civically engaged. Kids Voting Hawaii is providing a way for our youth to continue the critical dialogue on sustainability.

The opinions of Hawai'i's future decisionmakers count. Their input in the strategic planning for sustainability is critical and relevant. While adults attend meetings across the state to have their say in the process, those middle and high school students who will be around in 2050 will be logging on to www.kidsvot inghawaii.org to register their opinions in an on-line survey.

Kids Voting Hawaii is where students K-12 statewide cast ballots in every general election. It is their portal to democracy and their place to be heard.

Through Oct. 19, the Kids Voting Hawaii Web site also will be the place where the future generations will record their opinions on the economic, social and environmental quality of life they hope to be experiencing by 2050.

RECYCLING

RESIDENTS NEED MORE INFORMATION ON COST

More information should be given to readers about the real cost of recycling.

Clearly the newspaper is all for recycling and, yes, everyone would agree recycling is needed, but at what cost to residents?

Paying $10 more a month for a second weekly pickup is one thing, but residents are already getting hit in the wallet at recycling centers. When bottles and cans are weighed, consumers don't get the full value. Also, the extra one-cent fee taxed to us for buying one can of soda might seem minuscule, but over a year it adds up.

It's all of our responsibility to do what we can to recycle, but how much more are O'ahu residents willing to pay out? The city needs to front more of the cost.

Are there any other alternatives the newspaper might be willing to explore instead of just saying, "We need to do more to recycle"?

GREEN SPACE

PUBLIC CAN HELP IN MAINTAINING CITY PARKS

I have been a parks and recreation maintenance worker for almost six years. I have witnessed the transformation of Ala Moana Beach Park from years before, and now with Mayor Mufi Hannemann's help with park closure hours at Ala Moana Beach Park.

Before the park closure hours, our staff would be harassed by homeless individuals sleeping in the comfort station as we begin work each morning. I and my other co-workers take pride in maintaining this park.

How do you maintain the park with homeless people around, uncontrolled vandalism and graffiti? When these problems arise, we try to solve them as soon as possible. We keep a close watch of familiar faces, but we are not in the park 24/7.

The public can help by disposing of their trash and rubbish to preserve the beauty and keep a safe environment for this family-oriented park. We have lost several trees because of careless park users who left lighted charcoal.

SENATORS RESPOND

MOVEON MISGUIDED, HAS RIGHT TO OPINION

Please allow us to respond to the readers who recently expressed their opinions regarding our nay votes on the Cornyn amendment.

As veterans of World War II and as senators who serve on U.S. military-related committees, we are well aware of the sacrifices that are made by the men and women who serve in our armed forces. We respect Gen. David Petraeus and all the brave men and women in uniform.

We believe the MoveOn.org advertisement disparaging Gen. Petraeus was misguided, just as much as we disagreed with the advertisements by the questionably named Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who attacked Sen. John Kerry's service in Vietnam.

However, both groups had the right to say what they did, even though many Americans disagreed with their opinion.

Freedom of speech is one of our nation's bedrock principles. What makes our nation unique and special is its strength to withstand and tolerate many contentious voices.

Finally, if the Senate is to get into the business of criticizing attack ads, its position should be more expansive than the Cornyn amendment. It should state, as the Boxer amendment did, that all attacks by any person or organization on the honor, integrity and patriotism of any individual who is serving or has served honorably in the U.S. armed forces should be condemned.