Letters
to the Editor

Write a Letter to the Editor

Monday, September 7, 1998

Candidate Mike Liu brings experience to GOP ticket

Even though the Republican primary contest has been pretty much overlooked, the position of lieutenant governor demands someone who is experienced. Judging from the endorsements, it appears that experience knows experience.

With 34 years of combined legislative experience, Reps. Barbara Marumoto and Cynthia Thielen and former Rep. Fred Hemmings have endorsed Mike Liu for lieutenant governor. By contrast, three other Republican legislators with only six years of combined service have endorsed Stan Koki.

Hawaii is currently facing tough fiscal times. It needs a strong leader with experience in the number two job, someone who has offered innovative solutions to the state's fiscal woes. That candidate is Mike Liu.

Lori Ann Wong

UH-West Oahu is proud of high satisfaction rating

In response to Diane Chang's Aug. 28 column about a student at UH-West Oahu, federal privacy laws prevent us from publicly addressing the specifics of the individual's complaint.

However, every eligible student who complied with federal and university requirements in a timely manner was provided with financial assistance prior to the start of school.

Even students who were not able to meet the published deadline were assisted quickly once their documents had been received. We make a special effort to be responsive to our students' needs.

We believe that if a student takes responsibility for meeting his or her obligations, we have an equal responsibility for minimizing any barriers that could hamper his or her progress toward completion of educational goals.

Have we succeeded? Yes, as demonstrated by a 98 percent satisfaction rate of graduating seniors who evaluated their educational experience at UH-West Oahu as either good or excellent.

That is a higher satisfaction rate than any other campus in the UH system, and is well above the 80-85 percent rate of four-year, mainland institutions as studied by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems.

Joanne E. Clark
Interim Chancellor
University of Hawaii-West Oahu

Give Cayetano credit for his accomplishments

Ben Cayetano is doing a good job. It's not easy to fix the economy.

It is unfair to blame him for everything. He doesn't even get credit for the good things he does.

That's the difference between Cayetano and Lingle, who insists on taking credit for things that she never did or was only in attendance at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. No shame or what?

Ted Saribay

Time for Lingle to fix economy on statewide level

As a resident of Maui, I realize the effect of the state's economic decisions at the local level. As the state seeks more money and cuts counties' allocations, it forces people to slice their own budgets.

Therefore, while Maui County has been trying to hold its own, the state continues to tumble. In the end, it affects us all.

People of Hawaii, get out there and vote! We need to move forward with a leader who is positive, has good management skills, is willing to work hard and knows we have to fix Hawaii first.

The only one I can see through all the smoke is Linda Lingle.

Francis Okudara
Wailuku, Maui

Underground Heco lines have many advantages

If indeed the Hawaiian Electric expansion project is really needed, for 17-33 cents per month (effect on typical residential bill, depending on technology used, as stated in Heco's May '98 Currents newsletters), we could protect the Hawaiian cultural traditions still being practiced on Waahila Ridge by hula halau, provide a safe habitat for the endangered species that call it home, and preserve the area's natural beauty.

If Heco would bury all the existing lines up the Palolo route as well as the new ones, that might be a satisfactory solution. But because the utility has failed to demonstrate how the line is needed, the no-build option is still the best investment in our future.

Mary M. Cooke

Honolulu doesn't value its police officers

The fact that hundreds of experienced Honolulu police officers may be leaving for Seattle comes as no surprise to those of us in law enforcement. Consider the following:

Judge Watanabe's decision to reward Chinky Mahoe with probation for molesting four young boys.

Judge Simms' decision to reward Jonnaven Monalim with "paternity leave" for breaking someone's jaw while he was on probation for five felonies.

Judge Ezra sentencing an ex-police officer to 20 years in prison while sentencing a major organized crime figure to seven years for the same offense.

Mayor Harris' complete lack of concern in protecting the citizens of Honolulu from a wave of chaos and crime that is forthcoming with the loss of experienced police officers.

The message from the courts in Hawaii is very clear to criminals: Do the crime and do no time.

The message from the mayor is just as clear to police officers: Spend millions of dollars in tax money to train them, pay them 25 percent less than they're worth, and then send them to the mainland where they are valued more. Let the people of Honolulu fend for themselves.

Alexander Garcia
Mililani

Same-sex marriage
amendment

Sexual preference equality is important to teach, too

We try to teach children that they should appreciate and respect others -- no matter what race, religion or gender. We teach them to love people regardless of economic standing or various disabilities. We want them to value differences and individuality.

Teaching our children to respect people of a different sexual orientation seems to be the next logical step. Why should equality apply only to race and gender? The lesson learned from the past is not equality only among the races or genders but, simply, equality.

I am 19-year-old college student, born and raised in Hawaii. I am proud to come from a state that recognizes this basic principle. Vote not to change our Constitution, thus ensuring equal opportunity and rights for all.

Elia Herman

People have no choice but to amend Constitution

I didn't believe the proponents of same-sex marriage would fool anyone by hiding behind the guise of protecting our Constitution until the League of Women Voters came out in support of gay marriage. Its members have rationalized this by stating that they are trying to protect the Constitution.

They have forgotten that this entire conflict was caused by a constitutional convention in which the word "sex" was added to the Bill of Rights. This was done so Hawaii could be at the forefront of promoting women's rights and the Equal Rights Amendment.

This was not done with the intent of, one day, legalizing same-sex marriage. All of this is forcing the people of Hawaii to do something as unusual and daring as amending our Constitution.

Gloria Kaneshiro

Hawaii can show world how progressive it is

The people of Hawaii have a golden opportunity to heal the heart of diversity by voting "no" on holding a Constitutional Convention, and "no" on changing the Constitution to discriminate against lesbians and gays by talking away civil rights granted by the courts.

Wealthy religious and conservative forces have descended on our state and are campaigning hard. They will deepen the wounds to the heart of diversity, and will leave our Aloha State to bleed. Do not let them do this!

We are a nation whose heritage and tradition are personal freedom. Our Constitution says "freedom and justice for all" -- no exceptions!

Shay Bintliff, M.D.
Kamuela, Hawaii

---

Write a
Letter to the Editor

Want to write a letter to the editor? Let all Star-Bulletin readers know what you think. Please keep your letter to about 200 words. You can send it by e-mail to letters@starbulletin.com or you can fill in the online form for a faster response. Or print it and mail it to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or fax it to: 523-8509. Always be sure to include your daytime phone number.