Now Ben Cayetano's administration is trying to cut the 20 percent ceded land revenues it pays to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, a state agency. The state, in its neocolonial role, is at the same time trying to appease Hawaiians by funding and controlling the so-called Native Hawaiian Vote. The plebiscite is touted as the last and best hope for Hawaiian self-determination.
I hope people are not fooled and do not vote in this dangerous process. There is no "self" in the determination game being played by the government.
As we are all seeing the state giveth and the state can taketh away.
Nancy Aleck
The taro growers of Hanalei, Keanae and Waialua, whose livelihood has seriously suffered because of apple snails, will not be at all happy with the May 1 Star-Bulletin story, which promotes the value of apple snails as a delicacy at expensive restaurants as well as an exotic meal to cook at home.
These apple snails occur naturally in South America. In the early 1980s, some were taken to Southeast Asia. They are now the number one pest of rice in the Philippines, causing millions of dollars of damage annually.
In about 1989, they were brought to Hawaii. They now threaten the traditional and culturally important Hawaiian practice of growing taro. The price of poi has increased as a result of the destruction of taro crops.
Should we be supporting the production of exotic escargot for fancy restaurants, or the maintenance of taro cultivation and the production of poi as integral aspects of the local way of life?
Robert Cowie
However, what was interesting was that in the same issue you carried two stories of products of our current liberal social system. One was of a 6-year-old boy who beat up a baby because the baby's family "looked at him the wrong way." The other was of a 16-year-old girl who "had been arrested plenty times" who could "not stay out of trouble."
Just maybe it's time we returned to a few family values, discipline and conservatism. The alternative sure hasn't worked.
R.D. Greenamayer
Personally, I think that school uniforms are a good idea, as long as the design is not outrageous. No one could tease each other because they will wear the same thing.
I'm only in the fourth grade, but I'm even more against those pointless "menace" accessories that many people wear. And those new clothes that have swear words on them are a horrible example to little children.
Drew Anderson
But I have a solution - put their first and last names on the back.
Nathaniel Nasca
Blair Agena
Uniforms are good because you will not have to use 10 minutes choosing what to wear. But the bad part is everyone in my class thinks we will look like dorks.
Alexa Stottlemyer