Lewinsky knew exactly what she was doing

Every so often, someone on TV sympathizes with Monica Lewinsky because of her age and supposed naivete in her sexual relationship with President Clinton.

This is not true. Lewinsky was in her early 20s and had boyfriends. She was star-struck by Clinton, pursued him and should have known that what she did was wrong.

Both are not blameless. Clinton was guilty of infidelity, perjury, obstruction of justice and using the Oval Office for their sexual contacts.

Republicans were intimidated by Clinton's high rating in the polls; as a result, they were defeated in the elections and House Speaker Newt Gingrich was forced to quit. Now the odds are that Clinton will not be impeached.

Meanwhile, Lewinsky has signed a seven-figure deal for a book and interviews. Naivete?

How Tim Chang

Church should help molested children

As an incest survivor and recovering Catholic, I must say that Bishop DiLorenzo and Marc Alexander were the straws that broke my camel's back. They showed the people of Hawaii their true colors along with Mike Gabbard and their Mormon counterparts.

Why is Save Traditional Marriage so condemning of lesbians and gays in their attempt for rights to a civil marriage license? What happened to the separation of church and state? A civil marriage license does not obligate any church to perform same-gender marriage but they made it their politics to promote discrimination and bigotry.

Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Church has allowed child molesters and pedophiles to avoid prosecution by simply shipping them away to hospitals operated by the church. But what is the church doing to help the innocent victims, the boys and girls whose innocence has been ripped away and their lives reduced to an emotional hell?

I should know. I am one of those victims and the emotional damage was severe. It almost cost me my life, twice. I have paid a very high price but I thank God, not the Catholic Church.

I have survived and continue to survive for a reason - to help other victims and to help make the Catholic Church accountable.

Carlos Hernandez
Pearl City

Lawmakers, unions perpetuate high prices

In Cheryl Lee's Nov. 19 letter, "Support local merchants, not big box retailers," she brings out three points: Mainland retailers have brought bargain prices. Mainland retailers have brought jobs. Local stores were forced out of the market.

This process of retailing is called capitalism. Perhaps Lee should direct her comments to Representative Abercrombie, Governor Cayetano and the local shipping unions:

Abercrombie is a ravenous believer in the Jones Act, which adds $1,000 to the budget of every family in Hawaii as shipping costs from the mainland, increasing the price of every product.

Cayetano has become a "born-again" small-business advocate, at least since Election Day.

Local shipping unions have warned their members that, if the Jones Act is repealed, "you will lose your job." Absolute hogwash.

Rich Ernst
Aiea

Brew Moon is new star of restaurant scene

A wonderful new restaurant rose in the sky of Ward Centre about two weeks ago, although that is difficult to discern from Nadine Kam's cynicism (Nov. 19, The Weekly Eater).

The ultimate critics have been joyfully packing Brew Moon since its opening bell.

Among the positive aspects overlooked in Kam's column are the courage of a multimillion-dollar investment in the face of our current economic depression and the exciting stimulus of nearly 170 new jobs.

Kam should return in a month or two, by which time the organization will be more seasoned, rather than attempting to judge it within the first week or so of its opening.

Dick Morris

State shouldn't have settled with big tobacco

Our association is disappointed that Hawaii has settled with the tobacco industry. The deal concedes far too much to big tobacco and provides far too little to protect public health.

Those points were made to Attorney General Margery Bronster by the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii executive committee, which in addition to the Lung Association includes the Hawaii Medical Association, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and state departments of health and education.

The war against disease and death caused by tobacco use is not over. Local ordinances to provide smoke-free environments were only dreams a decade ago, but are becoming the norm. Hawaii is helping to lead the way. These and other successes energize us and our allies as we pursue aggressive action for the benefit of Hawaii's people. We will work to ensure that Medicaid dollars recovered through the settlement are invested in protecting the public health and eliminating tobacco use.

Malcolm Koga
Chairman, Government Relations/
Health Care Committee
American Lung Association of Hawaii

Hawaii and California should become 'sisters'

The economy of Hawaii cannot survive the 21st century with only one major industry, tourism. Despite the valiant efforts of our governor, fledgling industries with future revenue-generating capacity comparable to tourism have not been found. Shuffling the tax structure will not do it.

I recommend that Hawaii extend a hand of friendship to California and propose that we become sister states, with no formal obligations on either side.

California now provides the largest number of mainland tourists, ships most of the goods to Hawaii, has most of those who left Hawaii to find work, and knows how to create industries.

If our governor, department directors and legislators really want to learn, they should make friends with their opposite numbers in California and study their successes. Surely, we are not too proud to do so. Surely, they know more than we do.

E. Alvey Wright
Kailua

---

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.