Declaration leads to beefed up security
Now that Clinton has declared that we are officially "at war" with terrorism, when will I see combat pay, tax advantages and free mailing privileges in my monthly pay check? From 1967-69, I received these amenities; but I was in Vietnam. For the first time in over 20 years, I was treated like a potential terrorist as I merely went to work.My vehicle and I were searched for explosive devices. I passed, just as I have for 27 years of active duty, along with 16 years of civil service to this country.
I can accept heightened security measures, but the president shouldn't make these decisions merely to mask other activities. I will go to the ends of the Earth to support the armed services, but not one inch for political means.
Rich Ernst
Aiea
Lands were stolen and must be returned
Mayor Lingle may believe that Hawaii is "and will remain" the 50th state, but that belief is unlikely to endear her to Hawaiian voters.According to law, if someone steals Mayor Lingle's car, it doesn't matter how many times that car changes hands. It is still her car.
A governor of Hawaii should understand that it doesn't matter how many times Hawaiian lands change hands because, under the law, these islands are still Hawaiian lands.
President Clinton, a lawyer, understands that. So does Congress. But the people who obtained stolen property don't want to relinquish it.
It now falls to the United Nations to remind people like Mayor Lingle that the U.S. is not above the law.
Rico Leffanta
A candidate's sex life is none of our business
So the rumors about Mayor Linda Lingle's sexuality have made the papers. Despite her disingenuous attribution of the rumor to the Cayetano campaign, Maui residents will tell you that the rumor has been around for many years.So where's the news flash? Maui voters have, over the years, elected several competent, homosexual politicians. Raised in these islands, we were taught tolerance for the glorious range of human behavior.
Since when is one's sexuality a reliable predictor of performance in public office? The neo-puritan, mean-spirited Republican focus on President Clinton's sexual peccadilloes has degraded the public dialogue in our country to a level barely above that found on the Jerry Springer show.
When will we mature into a people accepting of the fact that human sexual behavior falls along a broad spectrum and that, where that behavior is between consenting adults, it is rightfully a private matter? When will we learn to live and let live, and show some savoir faire, class and sophistication in such matters?
Even were there substance to the rumors about Lingle, so what? I happen to support Governor Cayetano in this election, because his education, experience, vision, character and proven commitment to working people make him the superior candidate. The sexuality of Lingle or, for that matter, of Cayetano is of no concern.
Stuart E. McKinley
Wailuku, Maui
Lingle should show proof about welfare observations
There is a persistent myth about welfare programs being perpetuated by Linda Lingle. She mentions in her speeches that people from other states are pouring into Hawaii to get welfare.Lingle should substantiate such a claim with facts. Does she know of any substantial number of newcomers who are here because of welfare?
Unlike the mainland, Hawaii does not have any contiguous neighboring states from which new welfare recipients can walk or drive across the border. The three closest mainland states -- California, Oregon and Washington -- all have equal or higher benefits for their general assistance programs than Hawaii. One would think these states would be less expensive and more attractive destinations for any aspiring welfare migrant.
Hawaii's welfare population is decreasing. Since 1996, the general assistance program (single disabled persons) has decreased from about 7,000 to 5,600 cases. Temporary assistance to needy families has declined from 22,000 to 17,000 cases.
The only increase in caseload has been in two-parent families. The facts simply do not show any influx of cases from neighboring states.
Kathleen G. Stanley
Deputy Director
State Department of Human Services
Survey on gay marriage insults readers' intellect
Regarding your Aug. 14 poll on the same-sex marriage issue, I would like to cite some wag's observation that there are lies, damned lies and poll results. I am surprised and not a little disappointed in a newspaper of your standing giving credence to such poll returns.The most onerous thing about such tactics is that they insult the intelligence and good sense of readers who think for themselves.
Reginald D. Jones
Cloning breakthrough at UH is remarkable
Thanks for your excellent coverage of Dr. Yanagimachi's and his colleagues' achievements in their cloning experiments. Their work is all the more impressive considering the many roadblocks that face scientists before they can even do an experiment.One of the most challenging is the need for external grant support, particularly from the National Institutes of Health, that funds most of this type of research. Having served on a review panel for such grants, it is ironic that a proposal to do the cloning work probably would not have been funded because of its perceived risk. Adding to these challenges is the external view that the UH is not a "first-rate" biomedical research institution.
Dr. Yanagimachi's group has demonstrated what can be accomplished with world-class minds despite limited resources at the UH. Imagine what could be done with a bit more help. Hawaii should be proud of these achievements, justifiably noted by your news coverage.
Dr. Jerold Chun
Associate Professor
School of Medicine
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, Calif.
(Via the Internet)
Kioni Dudley envisions public schools as priority
I read with interest Ken Armstrong's Aug. 18 letter, which said there is little a governor or lieutenant governor can do about public education. He questions why Kioni Dudley, who is running for lieutenant governor, would emphasize education in his campaign.Armstrong's comments may reflect how little the current administration has done about the public schools. There are classroom shortages, large classes, students without books, etc. This is unacceptable and the voters should hold the governor and lieutenant governor accountable for the condition of our schools.
Here is what a governor or lieutenant governor can do:
Prepare a comprehensive education program and budget based upon input from parents, students and teachers.
The voters should be overjoyed that someone like Dudley wants to be a lieutenant governor and will accept responsibility for the public schools. Putting someone with 38 years of teaching experience in that office makes sense if we really think education is important.
Brian N. Durham
Makakilo
(Via the Internet)
Wahine volleyball players are acting like brats
Cindy Luis' August 3 sports column says that our Rainbow Wahine are "up in revolt." Team captain Kelli Cordray is leaving our program! She is joining the "swelling ranks" of former players "disillusioned" with coach Dave Shoji's system of running things.Poor little babies. Perhaps sucking in smog in Westwood, Calif., will "purify" our former athletes. Maybe a nice drive by Sunset Boulevard will open their pretty little eyes.
Michael E. Powers
Heco's plan seems to be a 'half-donkey' solution
Let's see if I have this straight. Hawaiian Electric proposes to install a new 138KV line from its Kamoku substation at the corner of Date and Kamoku streets to the Pukele substation in back of Palolo Valley to improve the reliability of its power grid system. Part of the line is to be underground and part on towers.Underground lines are more reliable, as the overhead lines are subject to a number of hazards, such as flying objects (helicopters, kites), effects of weather (hurricanes, corrosion), local disturbances (erosion, land slides, brush fires) and vandalism (people climbing towers, use of insulators as targets).
As the power transmission line is only as strong as its weakest link, and a good portion of the proposed line is overhead, the plan appears to be, to paraphrase a familiar expression, a "half a donkey" solution.
Walter Young
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