After months of wrongly accusing the process of being state-controlled, four individuals now ask the federal government to stop the vote because they don't want to participate in it.
They want their own self-proclaimed "nations" - rather than one formed by elected delegates - to be able to deal directly with the federal government. These four individuals place their own self-interest above that of the thousands of Hawaiians who choose to participate in the process.
What we need are elected, not self-proclaimed, representatives who are accountable to the Hawaiian people as a whole. The Native Hawaiian Vote is the first step. I urge all Hawaiians to be part of this historic opportunity.
Davianna McGregor
Associate Professor
Ethnic Studies Program
University of Hawaii
His first mistake is lumping together procurement laws, campaign contribution laws, and laws governing the ethics of government officials and employees. These are very distinct areas of law with their own unique problems. They cannot be subject to the same sweeping generalizations.
Certainly Smyser cannot be saying we should allow members of powerful state boards to vote when they have conflicts, or let state employees sell campaign fund-raiser tickets or make food for campaign fund-raisers on state time. Nor should big companies provide ample "salary supplements" to high-ranking state officials who make "insufficient" salaries.
Our ethics code fortunately prohibits all of the above.
Nobody wants nonsensical ethics laws. But let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Daniel J. Mollway
Executive Director
State Ethics Commission
The Legislature has authorized budget allocations for the UH system which should stop the bleeding that has occurred over the last two years. But these funds must not be restricted by the director of Budget and Finance or the governor.
The state stands at the point of jeopardizing the $150 million received by the university from external sources. Loss of any external funding will not only undermine our budgetary status, it will jeopardize the nature of the UH.
The importance of a university's status as a research institution should not be underestimated. The quality of our undergraduate and graduate programs is directly related to the research endeavors of our faculty.
A totally parochial institution stripped of its excellence is not the right answer to the needs of Hawaii's citizens. The university must be more than a degree or diploma mill.
The UH truly needs to represent the collective knowledge and expertise of our community. If we are to compete as universities and colleges, then we must be among the best and the brightest. Only then can we be sure that our standard of living and our quality of life will not decline.
J.N. Musto
Executive Director
University of Hawaii
Professional Assembly
Their employees are paid only $200 for as long as 70 hours a week. Meanwhile, many of their goods are sold in upper-end retail stores.
Recently, the Rev. Jesse Jackson toured Indonesia and found it exploited workers who were paid only $1.90 a day manufacturing shoes for Nike and Reebok that are selling in the U.S.
Indonesian labor leaders, who demanded better pay and working conditions, were harassed and threatened. U.S. basketball superstars were paid millions for endorsing these shoes.
The U.S. must cease this double standard in human rights and seriously begin to investigate and prosecute violators. Retailers can play an important role by refusing to purchase products and goods that are made in "sweat shops" - and superstars should refuse to endorse them!
How Tim Chang