EGG-THROWING INCIDENT

HOPEFULLY, 4 STUDENTS LEARNED THEIR LESSON

Please accept my donation to the Gerald Jervis Defense Fund.

Jervis, the former Bishop Estate trustee and Windward attorney, allegedly rammed an SUV containing (alleged) football players from Saint Louis School who had (allegedly) "egged" his house and others in Lanikai.

Eggs, when they solidify, have a tendency to ruin paint, create havoc with most finished surfaces and create a lot of work for the recipient.

Jervis, with his blood alcohol over the legal limit (allegedly) got out swearing after he sent the SUV halfway up a utility pole. He did the right thing! He has become a hero of the masses; he is the character in "Network" who rushes to the window and yells, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore."

Jervis is the master educator.

Educational psychologists tell us that a person will learn in only one of two ways: 1) by repetition or 2) by dramatic event.

So, what those Saint Louis football players failed to learn in the classroom and on the field, they were able to learn (hopefully) by one incident at night in Lanikai.

JERVIS SHOULD GET A MEDAL FOR HIS ACTIONS

Gerard Jervis is a hero. He should be awarded a medal. His courage should be commended for chasing down an SUV full of hooligans.

His neighbors should all be thankful for his actions. Our communities need more people like him who are willing to put a stop to destructive behavior.

TRIBUTE

DOLMAN WAS KNOWN FOR VISION, MENTORING

Hawai'i lost one of its real estate titans when Vi Dolman passed away on Feb. 26.

Her successful career spanned more than 40 years, and she made indelible marks in Hawai'i's real estate industry.

She formed her own market-leading luxury real estate company, Dolman Associates Inc., in the 1970s, a time when it was rare for women to be business leaders, and put together a huge ground lease for Henry Kaiser to develop Hawai'i Kai.

Never one to shy away from leadership, Vi served as president of both the Honolulu Board of Realtors and the Hawai'i Association of Realtors. Her peers honored her as Realtor of the Year, a true testament of their respect for the grand dame of real estate.

Her impact goes beyond Hawai'i's real estate community. Early on, Vi recognized Hawai'i's position as the crossroads of the Pacific Rim and became an advocate of international real estate education.

Vi Dolman will be remembered as a person with dynamic vision, a solid reputation for conducting business locally, nationally, and internationally, and her ability to mentor others in the profession.

Her loss will be felt at every professional and personal level in Hawai'i's real estate industry.

POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS

CORPORATE DONATIONS MUST BE BANNED HERE

In an article on Feb. 29, The Advertiser discussed the defeat of a state House of Representatives bill to lift limits on corporate contributions to political campaigns. This was most encouraging for us because it takes Hawai'i a step closer to joining the 22 other states banning corporate contributions. But the Senate passed it!

We must not allow corporate treasuries to have a bigger voice than the average individual citizen and citizen groups, especially when that "voice" is translated to mean "influence."

The perception and the reality are that, in too many instances, money not only influences but determines public policy.

Let's truly make our state one that respects the views of all of its citizens and adopts policies that work toward the betterment of the state and all of its residents.

Call your representatives and urge them to ban corporate contributions to election campaigns.

FREEWAY

H-1 AIRPORT EXIT SIGNS ARE VERY MISLEADING

The signage on H-1 for the airport exit is hazardously misleading.

A driver heading 'Ewa sees a sign stating the airport exit is in 4 miles. No hurry, right? Wrong.

One must merge to the right almost immediately. Timely instructions and arrows to merge to specific lanes for the airport viaduct would be clearer. Once on the viaduct, distance to the airport exit would be appropriate.

SECOND AMENDMENT

CITIZENS MUST BE ABLE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES

The Second Amendment states the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. In his letter of March 2, J.B. Young writes that the .50-caliber rifle targeted by HB 2999 is needed only by the military and police.

Apparently Young does not understand the meaning and purpose of the Second Amendment. It does not state the right to keep and bear some arms. HB 2999 is just another step in the strategy of anti-gun activists to incrementally deprive citizens of their right and ability to protect themselves against repressive government and from criminal attack.

Hawai'i citizens have already lost some of their rights: Selected guns and magazines holding more than 10 rounds are prohibited. In practice, citizens cannot carry firearms in self-defense; their right to defend themselves, family and home is severely curtailed.

The police cannot protect us; why do they have the right to deny us our right to protect ourselves? Remember Janel Tupuola; calls to 911 were useless. The police could not possibly have arrived in time to save her.

How many more citizens must be attacked before our ability to defend ourselves is restored?

MIDEAST

AMERICANS RESPONSIBLE FOR DESTRUCTION OF IRAQ

As I drove to work on a recent morning, a National Public Radio commentator checked in with two of his network correspondents—one in Baghdad, the other in Jerusalem.

Both cities had been the sites of horrific atrocities the day before. In Iraq, a suicide bombing killed at least 55 people in a shopping district; in Israel, a gunman burst into a seminary and sprayed automatic gunfire, killing eight students.

In response to each of these reports, the commentator posed the same question: "Has anyone claimed responsibility?" The answer he expected, I believe, was the name of one or more of several sectarian or political groups known for terrorist activity. As it turned out, no clear answer was forthcoming as to who was responsible.

What occurred to me as I listened to these tales of terror, was that the question about responsibility — along with the implied answer — was clearly misdirected, at least in the case of Iraq.

The true source of responsibility for the violence that has been inflicted on that nation for the past five years is a lot closer to home.

The people of the United States, either unable or unwilling to restrain their president and his generals, are ultimately responsible for the invasion, occupation and destruction of a sovereign land.

Are we, in the words of the NPR newsman, ready to "claim responsibility?" I'm not holding my breath.

UH WOMEN'S TRACK TEAM

ATHLETES HELP AT RUN TO AID DARFUR GENOCIDE VICTIMS

I want to thank Ann Miller for the terrific coverage of the University of Hawai'i women's track team's successes this year. The team really has had a remarkable year.

But that year was made even more remarkable by an act of community service and commitment to social justice that may be even more deserving of public commendation than what the team has accomplished on the field.

On Feb 24, the Hawai'i Coalition for Darfur sponsored a run and walk to raise funds and raise awareness about the horrors of the genocide being committed by the Sudanese government against the people of Darfur. The event was a huge success, raising $3,000 that was matched by a wonderful donor, so $6,000 was donated to help survivors of the genocide.

Without even a request from members of the coalition, our chair, Leanne Gillespie, received an e-mail from the women's track team. They had heard about our event and wanted to help. And help they did! Despite the fact that our run was to start early Sunday morning down at Kaka'ako Waterfront Park, the entire women's track team turned out!

The event was a torchlight run symbolizing an international effort to raise awareness at the Olympics. The track team turned our event into a relay, with members of the team holding the torch as they trotted around our course. I wanted to cry.

So, thank you, UH women's track team. You are truly a class act. I am so proud to be a member of the UH community that you represent so beautifully.