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Wednesday, May 27, 1998

Aikahi wastewater plant must be expanded -- now

Aikahi Park residents are concerned about noise and odor problems from an expansion of the area's wastewater plant. It is clear that nearby residents are unhappy with the smell and noise they have to put up with now, and are afraid of a larger plant.

But do those who use Kailua Bay regularly agree that we should go back to bypassing partially treated sewage into the ocean because our facility cannot handle the load? Does the rest of the Kailua community feel the 20-year facilities plan should be stopped? How much smell and noise will there be if the city doesn't get a timely plan in place to treat the increased flow?

Save Our Bays and Beaches (SOBB), a community action group that took the city to court in 1992 for violations of clean water laws, has serious concerns about what will happen to the bay if the city does not put a 20-year plan into action.

Putting a one-year moratorium on the needed facility plan will ultimately hurt our community and the quality of our bay waters.

Clara Olds
Kailua

Miss Universe Pageant made Hawaii a winner

We have just experienced a world-class event, and we should be very proud of ourselves. The state's decision to host the Miss Universe Pageant proved to the world that we are capable, competent and ready for more world-class productions.

The fact that the stage and set were constructed here, and not in L.A. or New York, was good for our local economy. Many industries benefited, and we got a well-needed shot in the arm after years of economic challenges.

If you watched the final episode of "Seinfeld," you watched many million-dollar advertisements. We got two hours for $3 million. Do the math -- we are the big winners.

Cindy Howard-Bui

Is Miss Universe Pageant a racist competition?

The Miss Universe global contest involves three races: whites, Africans and Asians. Because, in the 47 contests, the judges have been mostly white, the results are 41 wins by white contestants, four by Africans (including in 1998) and only two wins by Asians (including Hawaii's Brook Lee).

The results are a slap in the face to Asians. Also, the contest honors and rewards only one winner, and dishonors and degrades all rejected girls and their proud nations.

Therefore, the contest needs to be made into a pageant where girls of all races are accepted as equals, and are all honored as princesses. Each would have a chance to reign as Miss Universe in alphabetical order.

If the Miss Universe Pageant organizers want to keep the contest as is, they need to appoint equal numbers of white, Asian and African judges. Then it would be fair and the results cannot be called racist.

Carl Hamashige
Lihue, Kauai

Ethnic studies post is too vital to leave empty

I was happy to see the May 18 article describing the growth in Asian-American studies and ethnic studies programs across the country. Hawaii was a leader in this effort to "teach our history our way."

After its founding in 1972, the University of Hawaii Ethnic Studies Department attracted Franklin Odo to be its leader. Odo was a local boy who had established himself on the mainland as a notable scholar in the field.

Now, two decades later, Odo has a top job in Washington, D.C., and we have a UH administration finally catching on to focusing on Hawaii, Asia and the Pacific.

So, after the great success of the work of Odo and ethnic studies, you would expect a prestigious international search for a replacement to ensure the chairmanship at ethnic studies is again well filled.

But not only is no search occurring, we are told that funding for Odo's position has been abolished. Worse yet, the university president hasn't even answered a community group's letter inquiring about the matter.

Let's hope he's been busy with the Legislature and now has time to set this outrage right. Funds must be ordered for Odo's position so that the department can fill this empty position and continue its internationally recognized work.

Bob Stauffer
Kaaawa
(Via the Internet)

U.S. seeks puppet leader for Indonesia

What's going on now in Indonesia is very like the Philippines in 1986, when then dictator Marcos lost his grip after he tried to steal the elections his dictatorship put together in the first place.

At that time, the U.S. government had Corazon Aquino in place to continue its bidding both militarily as well as economically.

But who in Indonesia is being prepared by the United States to succeed Suharto? Word has it that the late President Sukarno's daughter, a leader of the opposition, was asked to replace Suharto. But she apparently declined, not willing to dance to America's tune.

Now the ball is in Uncle Sam's court, as President Clinton and Secretary of State Albright and their civilian/military advisers frantically search for someone to keep Indonesia "safe for democracy." Tennis anyone?

J.J. Kaufmann

Fu is a hero for saving abused dog from owner

Commendations to Kimberly Fu for having the courage to rescue Mana from her cruel owner, Jerry Tong (May 20, "Humane Society to ask judge that abused dog be adoptable").

Tong should not only have to give up ownership of Mana and pay her vet bills, he also should spend some time in the jail.

Tim Wilcox
Dallas, Texas
(Via the Internet)

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