Editorials
Tuesday, June 2, 1998

Religion can be given
role in public schools

IN his weekly radio address, President Clinton announced that he is issuing revised federal guidelines on permissible religious activities in the public schools. These activities include the right to pray privately and individually, to say grace at lunch, to form religious clubs that use school facilities and to read the Bible or any other religious material during free class time or in study halls. Students are not to be required or coerced to participate in any kind of religious activity.

The guidelines, which were issued in 1995, have been modified after court rulings to give schools discretion to excuse students from any lessons or classes "that are inconsistent with their religious beliefs," according to material issued by the federal Department of Education. Schools can also exercise discretion to decide whether students can wear religious items such as skullcaps or head scarves.

Clinton's remarks were intended to strengthen opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment to authorize prayer in the public schools. The proposal, sponsored by Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., is scheduled for a vote this week. The issue has been simmering since the 1962 Supreme Court decision banning school prayer and Bible reading as regular devotional exercises in the schools.

Clinton's main point was that amending the Constitution is the wrong approach; the federal guidelines, he said, are an example of "the right way to protect religious freedom." He maintained that "nothing in the Constitution requires schools to be religion-free zones, where children must leave their faiths at the schoolhouse door."

This contradicts the views of those who consider the principle of separation of church and state to require the banning of religion in all forms from public institutions, but it is faithful to the meaning of the First Amendment, which protects freedom of religion while forbidding "an establishment of religion." We see no need for and no value in amending that crucial part of the Constitution, either to allow school prayer or to ban burning the American flag -- another First Amendment issue.

Last week the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that prayers may be allowed in public high school graduation ceremonies when led by a student without interference from the school district. The Hawaii Department of Education's policy permits student graduation speakers to include religious themes in their address but does not permit them to preach religion.

This decision shows how religious practices can be permitted in school activities without amending the Constitution.

Tiananmen march

EVEN under Chinese rule, the people of Hong Kong continue to commemorate the bloody 1989 crackdown on dissidents in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Hong Kong reverted to China last July, but on Sunday several thousand people marched through the city, carrying a coffin and chanting anti-Beijing slogans.

The anniversary of the massacre has been observed every year in Hong Kong but there was some question whether the government under chief executive Tung Chee-hwa would permit Tiananmen protests this year in view of the turnover to China. This time, at least, they were.

However, authorities in both Hong Kong and Beijing have warned that they would not let Hong Kong become a base for anti-Chinese activities. A law enacted after the turnover gives police power to ban activities that threaten national security. In addition, the newly elected Hong Kong legislature is expected to enact anti-subversion laws.

Pro-democracy activists said they were encouraged by the turnout for the rally -- about 2,500, despite heavy rains -- and vowed to press on with their campaign. "I think people have spoken very loudly and clearly that they have not forgotten the massacre in Beijing in 1989," said pro-democracy advocate Emily Lau. She won a seat in the new legislature in recent elections along with other advocates of democracy but most of the seats were reserved for voting by people who are pro-Beijing.

"We hope the Chinese government and the Hong Kong government will recognize Hong Kong people's right to peaceful assembly, to express our views," Lau said.

That isn't the case in China proper, but Beijing promised to refrain from interfering with Hong Kong's political and economic freedom in its 1984 agreement with Britain. The authorities' willingness to permit the Tiananmen protest march was an encouraging sign. But will their patience eventually wear thin, as it did in Beijing nine years ago?

Viagra and Hawaii

VIAGRA, the phenomenally popular drug to boost male sexual performance, could give a boost to Hawaii's sluggish economy, too. A Japanese travel agency is organizing tours to Hawaii for men who want to buy Viagra, which has not been approved for sale in Japan.

The head of the travel agency said participants get blood tests from a doctor in Japan before leaving. The results are sent by fax to a doctor in Hawaii, who prescribes the drug.

We wouldn't suggest building more hotels to accommodate the Viagra customers. Approval of the drug for sale in Japan would wipe out that market instantly.

Hawaii has aspirations to become a medical center for the Pacific, but such efforts should be based on something more durable than the availability of Viagra.

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Rupert E. Phillips, CEO

John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher

David Shapiro, Managing Editor

Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor

Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors

A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor