Alana's touching story
broke down many barriers

I am saddened by the passing of a beautiful young lady.

Alana. She was an inspiration to everyone who knew about her.

I recently moved back to the island from the mainland and am just now becoming aware of this story. It is one that cuts across lines of race, ethnicity, language, religion, etc.

The headline said that she "lost her battle." I disagree! I think she won and so did everyone whose life she touched, directly or indirectly. My heart goes out to her family and many friends she left behind.

Through this trial, we grew and developed a better understanding of life and death, and our own mortality. Definitely, God has rewarded her with a better place. May God rest her precious soul.

William Eichenberger

Inspiring little girl revived
our sagging aloha spirit

Hawaii has lost a treasure in 3-year-old Alana Dung. Her story and heart touched thousands of local people across the state of Hawaii, bringing more than 30,000 local people to register with the bone marrow registry. Alana's plight, as sad as it was, brought the aloha spirit out of many Hawaiians, especially since many thought the Hawaiian spirit had disappeared.

The governor should consider lowering the flags at the state Capitol and urge Mayor Harris to do the same as a way to say thank you to a little girl who definitely has put a smile on the faces of many people today who can say, because of her, I am proud to be a Hawaiian person.

Robert A. Rabideau Jr.
Waikele

Parents towing kids should be
barred from some films

In our effort to help eliminate child abuse and improve the lives of our keiki, I would like to ask the local theaters to consider enforcing the ratings systems by refusing to admit small children to R-rated films.

I just came from seeing "L.A. Confidential" in the Enchanted Lake Theater. A man and woman brought their little boy, about 2 years old, to this film. He was exposed to mass murder, repeated torture, and extreme language. Children have minds that absorb abolutely everything they see and hear, no matter how incomprehensible to them. When our children become desensitized to violence, we all suffer the consequences eventually. What parents would willingly expose their child to material designed for adults?

Quite a few I guess, because the three or four times a year I find arrangements for my older child and go to see an R-rated flick, there is always at least one tiny person in the theater who in my book shouldn't really be there.

Until people develop the sense to keep their small kids from being exposed to really gruesome violence on their own, will Consolidated, Wallace and Signature Highlands please consider taking a stand for the kids by refusing them admittance? It may cost them a few dollars, but it will benefit the community so much.

Laurie Baron
Kaneohe

Michener understood
the islands that he loved

James Michener's death is a loss to Hawaii. The teacher of our U.S. history honors class assigned us to read "Hawaii" as a part of this year's theme of migration. It turned out to be a very heart-warming reading experience.

Although not everyone was happy with the contents of the book, I applaud Michener for portraying as accurately as possible the people who molded the present shape of Hawaii.

The clashes of different cultures are vividly presented in his book. It helped me to appreciate the difficult process of building a society out of different peoples with different views. The development of such a society is gradual and sometimes painful.

Reading Michener's book is to understand and love Hawaii.

Arden A. de la Cruz
McKinley High School

State is striving to build
business ties with China

Contrary to Richard Borreca's Oct. 15 column, "Hawaii neglecting Chinese opportunities," state government is actively building economic relations with China, attracting Chinese businesses and investments to Hawaii, and promoting the expertise and skills of Hawaii firms to the Chinese government and businesses.

In May/June 1995, the state sponsored a trade and investment mission in which Hawaii companies were introduced to government officials in Shanghai and Jiangsu.

In May 1995, it co-sponsored workshops for industrial representatives from Guangdong Province. Later that year, the mayors of Guangdong's 15 districts visited Hawaii for workshops on high-tech facilities.

In 1997, the state expanded cooperation with Hainan Province, a sister-state. Following meetings in Hainan earlier in the year, the state and the Hainan provincial government, in cooperation with the USDOC International Trade Administration and Hawaii-U.S. private-sector energy developers/energy service companies, embarked on an Energy Infrastructure Assessment and Sustainable Development project.

Hawaii has been moving expeditiously in developing relations with its Asian neighbors. Our goal is to develop longer-term relationships that play to Hawaii's competitive advantage and result in new income and employment for our residents.

Seiji F. Naya
Director
Department of Business,
Economic Development and Tourism

GOP is persecuting
poor Susan McDougal

It is my hope that everyone is aware of and following the Susan McDougal ordeal. What our justice system is doing to that innocent woman would break the spirit of the strongest man I can think of -- but Susan's spirit didn't break, her spirit soared.

This proves once again that one of the most dangerous things a free society can do is to imprison, unjustly, a morally courageous person.

Republicans must think of her as the English did of Joan of Arc. And, I'm sure, considering the party's dark religious undertones, they wish she could be dealt with in the same manner. Today, I would be ashamed to admit that I was a member of the party.

Susan McDougal, political prisoner, is one of the most -- if not the most -- admirable women in our country. She is a credit and an inspiration to us all.

Bettejo Dux
Kalaheo, Kauai

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Bishop Estate Archive

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