Kau is looking forward to being home to prison
Residents of Kau, like myself, are thrilled to know that we'll be getting a 2,300-bed prison. So many of our young people are eager to serve as prison guards, cooks, janitors, etc., in the new state-of-the-art facility that's proposed.The prison will attract small businesses like convenience stores and fast-food outlets -- businesses that will bring big-city excitement to our sleepy rural community.
As for the party-poopers among us -- the back-to-the-land purists -- get real! We need jobs that pay money and provide benefits, employers and bosses, and a sense of security that only a large, profit-making corporation or a government bureaucracy can provide.
When I hear people talking about organic agriculture, agro-forestry, herb gardening and other such nonsense as a replacement for sugar, I just have to laugh. What do we know of such things? A prison is what we need.
Gloria Santos
Naalehu, Hawaii
Clinton has managed to lower standards
Many of us are having a hard time with this "Clinton thing." I've seen and read that this is because we're just not hip and cool enough -- after all, France and Latin America think it's macho to philander. Their leaders do so openly, therefore so should ours.Hmmm, didn't I teach my kids somewhere along the line that just because so and so does it...?
The absolute worst part of this Clinton thing is that here is a president whose defenders seem to be actually proud that their man is a party to lowering, not raising, standards.
Years from now, Clinton can tell his grandchildren, "Yup, I made the country safe for adultery." Gee thanks, gramps. What a trailblazer.
Annie Burns
Respect for presidency slows rush to judgment
During the 1992 campaign, there was an implicit agreement between the voters and candidate Clinton. He would fix our economy, and we would overlook the infidelities in his marriage. He won the presidency and voters expected that he would put that aspect of Arkansas behind him.Despite the polls that show the Clinton's popularity at an all-time high, this is a misreading of the voters. It is their respect for the office of president, liking of the president and his programs, and their distrust of his political opponents that is fortunately slowing their rush to judgment.
The people are naturally reluctant to accept the flood of leaked information. They know that if the allegations prove true, it would be a major national tragedy. Politics will seem dirtier than ever to a rising generation.
Cedric B. Cowing
Nixing Good Friday takes separation too far
Upholding the U.S. Constitution is important, but if we take "separation of church and state" to its most literal extreme, a lot is at stake.If Good Friday is declared "unconstitutional," what's next? It's only a matter of time until state and county workers must clock in on Christmas Day. After all, Christmas is the most blatant of all Christian celebrations.
In our quest for "constitutionalism" and "fairness," we are abandoning some of our spirituality and, yes, national identity in the process.
What was the original intent of our founding fathers? To prevent what happened in England, to ensure no one would be persecuted for practicing their own religion.
Now, as we look at the "constitutionality" of our government holidays, we should be able to notice that a day off on Good Friday can hardly be compared with the actions of the 18th-century Anglican Church.
Ideals of fairness and equality are very important, but sometimes they can be taken too far. Good Friday is not suppressing anyone's freedom -- but the abolishing of it sets a sad tone for the future of America.
Nikki Love
Aina Haina
(Via the Internet)
Selling Stones tickets is expensive proposition
I'm one of the many Rolling Stones fans who switched to Sprint long distance service to get a shot at excellent seats to their Friday concert. After much frustration, I was able to get fair seats. However, because of the purchase limit of four, my immediate family would have been split up (I made two purchases of four seats each). Also, there was a $7.50 surcharge per ticket!With the announcement of the Saturday concert, I was able to seats just as good -- all in a row, at face value -- at the stadium.
But my frustration returned when I tried to place an ad in the classified section of your newspaper to sell my Friday tickets.
To qualify for the flat rate of $17 for five days, you had to advertise the tickets at face value -- below cost when you consider the surcharge, advertising fee and time spent. Talk about getting scalped!
Mel McKeague
Flag-folding etiquette is in short supply
Sitting on a bench enjoying my Friday afternoon, waiting for the start of the Bridal Expo at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, I noticed the security guard making his rounds.I saw him go down the walkway and watched him disappear behind the building.
A few minutes later, he reappeared and came to a stop in front the flag pole. As I watched, he slowly untangled the rope and started to bring down the flag.
As the flag reached its final descent, I thought back to when I was a junior police officer in grade school. We were taught in school to fold the flag into a nice triangle.
But this security guard did not fold the flag. He rolled it like he was making lumpia. This man did not have a clue about what he was doing.
Whoever this man is, I hope he gets a day off when June 14 (Flag Day) rolls around.
Blake Panoke
(Via the Internet)
Cartoon to the editor by Sandy Ritz, Honolulu
Bishop Estate Archive
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