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Tuesday, June 9, 1998

It's tiring to hear how 'wonderful' killers are

When the murderer of Chief Warrant Officer John Latchum Jr. is taken into custody, will Hawaii residents be subjected to hearing the killer's family and friends extolling how "wonderful, dear and kind" the killer is?

Can we hope both TV and the newspapers will forgo any of these interviews, having decided that enough is enough?

W.M. Claybaugh
Kailua
(Via the Internet)

Slight wasn't intentional in Castle High yearbook

Some of the ruckus over a picture of a Castle High student, who may appear to be dressed as a Ku Klux Klan member for Halloween, is unnecessary.

In our society, we sometimes judge things too critically. I myself dislike the KKK and think it stands for negative ideals, but we must remember that it was Halloween when the picture was taken. Just because the student's costume resembles a KKK robe doesn't mean that is what he was dressed up as.

As a yearbook editor myself, I know that checking pages for potentially offensive pictures or degrading copy is always a top priority. I strive to do my best to find and correct any errors.

Regardless, oversights will always be made. No yearbook is ever 100 percent perfect. Whether it's misspelled words or the addition of a wrong picture, yearbook editors and advisors are only human and do make mistakes, as was in the case at Castle.

People need to understand that it was not meant to offend anyone.

Matthew Spencer
Kamehameha Schools
Yearbook Editor
(Via the Internet)

School chief needs a fresh approach

Hawaii has a rare opportunity to bring fresh ideas and broad experience into the state Department of Education. With the choice of a new superintendent, we can hope for positive changes that will pull us up to new levels of achievement for our students.

To repeatedly say that only someone from within Hawaii can understand our schools is to close off the possibility of learning from the experiences of those who have succeeded elsewhere. No system that can maintain progress solely through its own ideas and experience -- everyone needs stimuli.

We need someone who has had experience in educating children and has shown that he can actually make a difference, someone who can work collaboratively with the Board of Education and the DOE.

We are ready for a superintendent who will see our problems in new ways, with the possibility for change.

Marion Saunders
Education Committee
League of Women Voters of Hawaii

Heco must supply proof that new line is needed

Alan Lloyd's June 5 letter stated that Heco's proposal to build a line part underground and part overhead on Waahila Ridge "would save tens of millions of dollars compared to placing the entire line underground."

In the draft Environmental Impact Statement, the difference in cost is approximately $8.5 million, significantly less than "tens of millions."

If we truly want to be careful about where we spend our limited funds, we should demand proof that this line is necessary.

Brian Durham
Makakilo

Society must cleanse hearts of young people

In response to Diane Chang's May 29 column, "What this state needs is a good cleanup," it is nice to make ourselves feel good by cleaning up the trash that litters our landscape. But who is trying to clean up the trashed hearts and souls of our young people as society plows madly on in its pursuit of material wealth?

In spite of media efforts to control the flow and content of the "news," the hypocrisy, foibles and follies of our leadership at all levels do not escape the sharp minds of youth. They are living out the legacy that we are leaving for them.

Ken Wooley

Cayetano is trying to shed responsibility

I am not entirely sure what our governor means by the "politics of blame" with respect to Mayor Linda Lingle's assessment of the state of our state.

We are in an economic slump that is projected to get deeper. The Democratic Party has been guiding our state for the past 40 years. The rest of the nation is enjoying economic prosperity and stability while we are in fear of our economic and social survival.

Given these facts, I believe Lingle is practicing the "politics of responsibility." Those who have guided us, for almost half a century, must now accept the responsibility for having made decisions -- bad decisions that have almost ruined our economy.

Our present governor has been very liberal in blaming others. But he has forgotten that we, the voters, remember that he was a powerful player during the time his party guided us into this economic morass.

Robert S. Ferguson
Kaneohe
(Via the Internet)

Here's name possibility for WAC defectors

Just thought of a good name for the new league of WAC defectors: The Backstabbing 8 Conference. If you win the conference title in football, you get the Shiv Trophy and an automatic berth to a bowl game in Detroit.

Alan R. Chock
Las Vegas, Nev.
(Via the Internet)

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