Why does magazine
have to tell us to wise up?

"The People's Republic of Hawaii" -- what a timely article (in Forbes magazine). When will the people of Hawaii finally wake up and stop electing and re-electing entrenched bureaucrats, generous spenders, friends of the unions and members of the old boys' club, who appoint each other to lucrative jobs? But, what the voters want, the voters get.

As long as we do not allow business to prosper, we will all remain poor, living in a welfare state.

Any activity in this state is regulated and overregulated by bureaucrats, who have little responsibility and cannot be fired.

These bureaucrats are not held accountable for the wrong books they order for our schools, unprofitable housing they have built and other failures in competence and judgment.

It is time for a change.

Klaus Wyrtki

Jihad is not synonymous
with terrorism and evil

Please spare some valuable space in your esteemed newspaper to publish my humble response to "Jihad/USA" (May 24).

To link Jihad with terrorism/killing is a clear manifestation of the lack of understanding of the meaning of this word.

To fight in the path of God is just one aspect of Jihad. To fight against evil and all kinds of temptations that lead to sin, all that and more are part of Jihad.

It is the duty of any government to check the widespread use of its soil for illegal activities. If a person or group is adopting illegal methods to collect money, then it is the duty of law-enforcement authorities to take measures to apprehend and punish them according to the law.

The majority of peace-loving people, including Muslims (the followers of Islam), want the government to act swiftly in this regard.

However, action should be taken against all offenders, regardless of who or what group is involved, or of their objectives, whether political, personal, religious, terroristic, etc.

By concocting imaginary scenes of destruction in the media, the intention seems to be causing panic in the minds of innocent people, a sort of mental terrorism. Is that not disgusting?

Razeen Haniffa
(Via the Internet)

Stop huffing, puffing
at bill protecting nonsmokers

Helen Carroll's May 17 letter shows that she is clearly misinformed about Bill 22. The purpose of the bill, which was approved unanimously by the City Council, is to protect nonsmokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.

It extends the current smoking prohibition to many areas not covered under existing ordinances such as pool halls, bowling alleys, hotel lobbies, and many industrial, wholesale, retail and commercial establishments.

After three long years and two unsuccessful attempts, Councilman Mufi Hannemann and his colleagues should be commended for this bold step.

The "amendment" referred to by Carroll simply clarifies the definition of "enclosed and partially enclosed" areas within commercial buildings, such as common entrance areas, lobbies, malls, hallways and corridors. It does not affect smoking restrictions within those areas of multi-family dwellings that are open to common use.

Finally, Carroll's claim that Mufi's amendment was dictated by big business and the hotel industry is absolutely false.

C. Rocky Finseth
Senior Adviser
City Councilman Mufi Hannemann
(Via the Internet)

Sacred object should be
returned to Hawaiians

It is both a disgrace and desecration of Hawaiian belief and practice that Herb Kane and Rubelite Johnson volunteered to testify against our claim for repatriation of the kii aumakua now held by Providence, R.I.

When the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) was enacted by Congress in 1990, it was hailed as a vital civil-rights law. Native Americans, Alaskan natives and native Hawaiians have been systematically deprived of religious freedom and the ordinary respect of other citizens for beliefs and practices guaranteed by the federal Constitution and assured every American.

No other Americans had thousands upon thousands of their family graves dug up and the bones kept in museums for more than a hundred years, had their holy structures and places destroyed, and had their sacred objects stolen and abused.

At least, not without such actions being considered crimes.

The members of the NAGPRA Review Committee unanimously rejected the so-called expert testimony of Kane and Johnson, and affirmed that Hawaiians continue to share a living culture and belief that the kii aumakua is a sacred object needed for modern spiritual practice and strength.

The officials of Providence should be disturbed by their action to sell the kii.

Herb and Ruby should be abjectly ashamed for betraying Hawaiians and demeaning our deeply held beliefs.

Linda Kawaiono Delaney

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