Who's hapa?

Plenty of people in Hawaii claim a rainbow of racial heritages. We call it being hapa.

Washington decision makers are now considering adding a new category to census forms that would allow Americans of mixed-race birth to acknowledge their diversity. In addition, the Star-Bulletin published a story last week announcing a census task force's recommendation that Hawaiians remain categorized as Pacific Islanders and not Native Americans.

What do you think? Should the 2000 census include a cagetory for mixed-race Americans? And how should Hawaiians be categorized?

Write us a letter and tell us what you think. The Star-Bulletin will print a selection of letters in an upcoming issue. Be sure to include a daytime phone number.

Send your letters to:
Letters to the Editor
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
P.O. Box 3080
Honolulu, HI. 96802

Fax letters to (808) 523-8509.

Online Letter to the Editor form or e-mail letters@starbulletin.com.

---

No need to organize
an economic summit

Now Governer Cayetano wants to hold an "economic summit." Hasn't he read the articles by local economists, business leaders and others in our newspapers? All say that we need to reduce the size of government, lower taxes and reduce the over-regulation of business.

Does he need a summit to hear it in person, or is this more pre-election year posturing?

It's time for the voters to clean house from top to bottom, and that "house" is the state Capitol on Beretania Street.

The governor has had almost three years to show some leadership. But he and the Legislature have done nothing more than be rubber stamps for the special interests who are ruining this state.

Larry Nelson
Mililani
(Via the Internet)

Naya is in serious denial
about the economy's woes

Forget the Forbes magazine article that has been the subject of so much affirmation and denial. On a regular basis, we have been exposed to the same information by Hawaii power brokers. On a daily basis, we have been informed about the highest bankruptcies in the nation, highest cost of living, poorest schools, ad nauseum, by our own news media.

Our residents knew it to be true long before Forbes printed it; they were living it. A person in social services has said that she believes most residents are just one pay check away from foreclosure, bankruptcy and welfare.

Then along comes Seiji Naya, who holds the exalted title of "state director of business, economic development and tourism." Naya feels obligated to deny every charge made by Forbes when they have been validated by business, banking and the residents who are suffering through it all.

Since government officials seem to sit in ivory towers and ignore the plight of their unfortunate constituents, they should be given a subscription to local newspapers and magazines. Then they should be forced to read them, check them out and get a shot of humanity before handing down any more self-serving decisions.

Elsie D. Hollingsworth
Pearl City

The theory of evolution
deserved better analysis

Is there such a paucity of interesting thinkers in Honolulu that we must be subjected to the illogical ramblings of Janice Judd (Viewpoint, July 11)? Taking the murder of Bongak Koja as her starting point, Judd proceeds incoherently against her main target, the theory of evolution.

To correct just a few of her misconceptions:

There have been horrible murders throughout history, many in times more "Christian" than ours. The Lindbergh kidnapping occurred in an America that was more religious, at least superficially, than the nation of today.

Evolution did not produce Marxism (except in the sense that it likely produced Marx). Evolution is based on biological science; Marxism is a political doctrine. They were both intellectual products of the last century, but to say one produced the other is like saying the invention of the airplane caused World War I.

In her effort to smear evolution, Judd identifies Dr. Steven Gould as a Marxist and as "the major" proponent of the theory. To identify someone as the single major proponent of evolution is like saying someone is "the" major proponent of the belief that the Earth is round. Evolution is universally accepted among scientists, except for the self-promoting quacks whom creationists love to quote.

Robert Day

Senator was wrong on impact
of reciprocal benefits bill

It is interesting that the discussion surrounding reciprocal beneficiaries is now focused on the increased cost of health benefits to private employers.

I recall seeing Sen. Avery Chumbley, the lead person for the Senate on this bill, on TV in April explicitly stating there would be no economic impact on business because the bill only applied to the public sector.

I also remember Rep. Terrance Tom, the lead person for the House on this bill, stating he did not want to pass any legislation granting benefits that could have a potential economic impact on our community.

However, Tom recognized the need to pass this bill in order to protect traditional marriage. But, when he did so, it was with the assurance from Chumbley that the bill did not apply to private business.

The Senate refused to pass the constitutional amendment bill to preserve traditional marriage unless the reciprocal beneficiaries bill was passed. Without that constitutional amendment bill, the public would not have the opportunity to vote against legalizing same-sex marriage -- like we will in November 1998, thanks to Tom and the House.

As it turns out, Chumbley and his gang were willing to defy both the public and business when they assured us there would be no economic impact associated with this bill -- when they knew there was.

Dominic Olaso

---

Same-sex archive

---

Want to write a letter to the editor? Let all Star-Bulletin readers know what you think. Please keep your letter to about 200 words. You can send it by e-mail to letters@starbulletin.com or you can fill in the online form for a faster response. Or print it and mail it to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or fax it to: 523-8509. Always be sure to include your daytime phone number.