Over 15 organizations representing Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians form the Coalition to Stop the State-Sponsored Plebiscite. In addition, countless other organizations and thousands of individuals have registered their opposition to the plebiscite.
You stated that "there is no unity to begin with and the plebiscite is the current focal point of disagreement." You have it backwards. The strong movement for sovereignty is very unified around the bottom line: Hawaiians want their land back. And they are on the verge of getting it.
In 1993, 15,000 people demonstrated for sovereignty. That same year a federal law passed in which the U.S. government admitted committing an illegal "act of war" to seize lands.
The sovereignty movement is too close to achieving reparations. Hence, the state's fast-track approach to divide, deceive and manipulate Hawaiians into thinking that this is the "only option to achieve sovereignty."
This process would legalize another takeover of Hawaiian lands. The state's attempt to dictate the process for sovereignty flies in the face of self-determination.
Cha Smith
There are many persons in key positions in the 1994 election who have recently resigned, retired or been transferred to other departments. These include computer programmers, elections staff, observers and the deputy attorney general overseeing the audit of two precincts with missing ballots.
Is this another shell game to avoid questions and problems which may resurface in the fall elections?
It is very likely that the upcoming Hawaiian plebiscite will indicate how elections have become a waste of taxpayer money and a mockery of democracy and accountability.
Melissa Yee
The fireworks aren't bad in themselves; it's the stupid neighbors with the bombs and lack of control that kill it for everyone else. The dogs are tranquilized to the hilt, but still freak out with each earth-shaking explosion.
Won't the City Council members for once use their brains and limit the amount of fireworks each individual can buy? Why does it have to be a no-limit purchase? Not everyone wants to spend three days around each Fourth of July and New Year's Eve listening to unlimited noise.
Tina Jensen
Haleiwa
Why not also place a couple of the commodes in the Honolulu Hale offices of bickering Councilmembers John DeSoto and Andy Mirikitani?
The toilets would serve as a porcelain reminder that - instead of expending time, energy and money to bowl each other over - the feuding twosome could flush away their differences and close the lid on this needless waste.
Wanda Kulamanu Ellis Au
Your solution is to build even larger buildings with more population density. But they'll be "OK" because there will be a glimpse of a street setback (the proposed regulations actually reduce street setbacks).
Inadvertently or otherwise, you have opted for a fourth-rate approach to revitalizing our prime resort area.
Donald A. Bremner
Kailua