KIDS VOTING

Vote on the issues

Following are the issues that those in grades 6 through 12 will be voting on in the General Election Nov. 3.

Students respond to issues No. 6 and 7 today. Remaining topics will be covered next week. As you read the student comments, do you feel persuaded by their arguments? How do you feel about the subjects?If you would like to voice your opinions -- in cartoons or words -- on topics 8 and 9, submit them to: Kids Voting, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, HI 96802.

Make sure to include your name, age, school and phone number. Deadlines are given after the issue topics below:

1. Do you feel that school is preparing you for the future?

2. Should juveniles be tried as adults for adult crimes?

3. Should the student representative on the Board of Education have voting rights on the board?

4. Should the driving age be raised from 15 to 18 years old?

5. Should it be unlawful for adults to smoke in confined areas with children under the age of 18 years old?

6. Do you feel safe at school?

7. Should a doctor be able to assist a terminally ill patient in taking his/her own life?

8. Cockfighting is illegal in Hawaii. Should it also be illegal to be a spectator at a cockfight? (Oct. 30)

9. Do you believe that there is a connection between people who are cruel to animals and people who are violent to humans? (Oct. 30)

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Here's a sample Issues
Ballot for practice voting:

Submitted by Francis Aguisanda, Pearl City High, 11th grade

School safety debated

QUESTION: : Do you feel safe at school?

NO: At times I do not feel safe at school. At my school there are fights almost every week. They break out and it takes about 3 minutes to split the fighters.

This may sound like a short amount of time, but someone could get badly hurt in only 3 minutes, and maybe even die. I have seen rival gangs come running in to fight someone, and if one of the gang members had a knife or gun, some innocent bystander could get hurt.

My friends and I sit at a bench during recess, and sometimes a group of older people will come around and try to make us leave because of the kind of music we listen to or because of our skin color. The security personnel never notices and there is more than enough time for them to beat us up.

It is scary knowing we cannot do anything about it. If you tell someone, the people that are doing it will be even more angry and will hurt you more outside of school.

Security needs to inflict stronger punishments on violators so they think twice before starting a fight again. There needs to be more security. You would think that they could anticipate a fight if one happens every week.

-- Jack Talsma, Moanalua High School, 10th grade

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I don't really feel safe in school because of all the violence, hatred and jealousy. Some teen-agers in our school walk through the hallways with a lot of posturing. They look as if they feel they can do whatever they want in school.

I always feel I have to watch my actions because others are watching the way I act. Other students may pick a fight for small things. They may simply not like the way you act, dress, walk or look at them.

-- Lea Ramos, Ilima Intermediate, 8th grade

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I want to believe that I feel safe in school, but the truth is, I don't. Anyone could bring a knife or gun to school without anyone else knowing. We have no metal detectors, or bag checks.

Plus, there are no gates or solid boundaries around the school. People can just walk onto campus from every direction and bring all kinds of weapons.

I really think our school could be safer by being better prepared for any hostile action.

-- Christian Luke, Pearl City High, 11th grade

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YES: I feel safe at school because I know how to avoid situations where I could get into trouble.

Even though there are fights at my school, I know that my safety will not be compromised if I just do not provoke anyone's anger.

We have security guards, helpful teachers and many students who would lend a helping hand in any harmful situation.

-- Stacy Takekawa, Kailua Intermediate, 8th grade

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I do feel safe in school because we have security, teachers, staff and responsible adults present at all times. We also have friends to watch out for us, and if we do feel threatened, we always have someone to tell.

If someone gets picked on, a friend can help by telling a teacher what's going on. If we do get into trouble, someone is always around to listen to the problem and deal with it.

Teachers and staff are there to guide students to a successful future and not to threaten them if they are bad.

-- Julian Ramirez, Pearl City High, 11th grade

Submitted by Donovan Lim, Punahou School, 6th grade

Euthanasia troubling
for families

QUESTION: : Should a doctor be able to assist a terminally ill patient in taking his/her own life?

NO: Euthanasia is the practice of assisting a terminally ill person in taking his or her life. As a Roman Catholic, my morals tell me that this is wrong and that this should be illegal. I strongly believe that doctors do not have the right to end a life.

It is bad enough that we are slaughtering our unborn babies through abortion, and now we want to help take the lives of the terminally ill. What is going on? The next people to go will probably be the physically handicapped or the mentally challenged. What if we believe that they are good for nothing, which we know is false?

Euthanasia brings up many questions for the families of the terminally ill. What if the ill person doesn't want to die and is not well enough to discuss the matter at hand? Does the family then have the obligation of choosing this person's destiny?

Euthanasia is such a confusing subject to discuss with loved ones. No one should have the right to legally assist in someone else's suicide. The guilt that I would have if I helped in someone's death would swallow me whole.

-- Charlene Fajardo, Pearl City High, 11th grade

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I don't think doctors should be allowed to take lives. We have doctors to save lives instead.

I think people should live out their lives, not cut it short. There is always the chance that someone will find a cure for the disease that they may be suffering from. If they take their life too soon, it would be really sad.

I understand that it's hard for the ill person and their family, but there is a time and place for everything and no doctor should change that.

-- Jaclyn Sawada, Kailua Intermediate, 8th grade

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Assisted suicide merciful

YES: A doctor should be able to assist a terminally ill patient if the patient is in extreme pain. It's not worth the money spent on keeping patients in the hospital if they would be "better off dead."

Although relatives might feel guilty for allowing them to die, it's really for the best if dying puts an end to their suffering.

I think people should specify in their wills whether or not they want to die in such a situation. This way, they would spare their relatives, who would be relieved of guilt, in a way similar to letting people know you want to donate your organs in case of an emergency.

In fact, this information should be placed on each driver's license for those who do not have time to write a will.

-- Angela Lee, Moanalua High, 10th grade

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Voting is only
a week away

KIDS VOTING MESSAGE

By Lyla Berg

ALOHA Kids! Some of you have already registered to vote, while others have not. Even if you don't have an official KIDS VOTING HAWAII registration card, get ready and cast your ballots at an official voting place on Nov. 3!

The KIDS VOTING HAWAII experience at all polling sites is different from adult voting. If you are a school-age youth in public, private or homeschooling locations, you can experience the process -- even if your parents are not registered or if they are not voting themselves! If your parents are not American citizens, or if they vote in another state, you are still allowed to participate as a youth of Hawaii.

Young people who are military dependents can vote too. After all, you are practicing an American privilege that exists within our country, the United States of America. And who knows? Maybe at your next location, there will also be a KIDS VOTING USA project there.

Unlike adult voting, the ONLY criterion to participate in the KIDS VOTING experience Nov. 3 is that you are a school-age person in grades K through 12, between ages 5 to 18. You will be asked to sign in as you enter the voting area before you can receive a ballot. Then, the choices are yours to make.

KIDS VOTING is possible thanks to the State of Hawaii Office of Elections, American Savings Bank, Rotary Clubs and hundreds of volunteers.

You have one week to read, prepare and decide who you will choose to represent us in Hawaii!

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Lyla Berg, Ph.D., is the executive director for
Kids Voting Hawaii. For more information about Kids Voting,
call 523-VOTE (8683), or on neighbor islands call 1-(877)-543-VOTE.
Or access the Kids Voting Hawaii Web site at kidsvotinghawaii.org.

Days until the General Election: 7 One vote counts How important is one vote? 1695: One vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England. 1649: One vote allowed Charles I of England to be executed. 1776: One vote gave American the English language instead of German. 1845: One vote brought Texas into the United States. 1868: One vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment. 1876: One vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic. 1923: One vote gave Adolph Hitler leadership of the Nazi party.

Election Night at
Restaurant Row

Hear the KIDS VOTING HAWAII results live at Restaurant Row from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 3. There will be two big-screen televisions with results and children may get a free balloon. Here is the schedule:

5 p.m. -- Aloha and welcome, featuring Lyla Berg and Linda Coble. Festivities begin with MC and Billy V from the FM 100 Morning Jam.

5:30 p.m. -- Entertainment by Mike Cote, Jesse Brown and a special guest
6 p.m. -- Brado
6:30 p.m. -- Alea
7 p.m. -- Roy Sakuma's Joy
7:30 p.m. -- Kulia
8 p.m. -- Closing remarks