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Everyone can help fight child abuse

As active participants in child abuse prevention, we thank the Legislature for passing and Governor Cayetano for signing HB 2273, which designates funds to the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund for prevention programs.

Needless pain, permanent injury and death affect thousands of Hawaii's children. People often wonder how they can help to prevent abuse and suffering. The coalition is involved in strategic and statewide planning for policies and prevention programs that make children's needs a priority.

HCTF was established by the Legislature to provide a permanent endowment fund that makes grants to nonprofit organizations, which in turn conduct prevention programs statewide.

Kathleen Bryan
Chairwoman
Hawaii Children's Trust Fund

Tod Robertson
HCTF Advisory Committee Chairman

Hanauma won't be 'cash cow' for city

I am greatly disturbed by some of the letters about Hanauma Bay.

I have read the opposition's rhetoric and have seen the architectural model on which one can barely make out where the new facilities will be. Thus, it seems to me that these dissidents are either ignoring the facts or are politically motivated.

Current facilities at Hanauma should be an embarrassment to residents. As the second most visited site in the islands, the bay should have a world-class facility.

We keep seeing the words "cash cow" in these letters. Huh? By current law, all income must remain in the bay area and cannot be used in the general fund. Plus, there are no plans to increase fees or attendance. (Residents don't pay the $3 admission.)

There is no reason to delay this worthwhile, long-overdue project. We'll be proud of the results.

Jessika Fodor

Quotables "Let us not equivocate: A tragedy of unprecedented proportions is unfolding in Africa." Nelson Mandela FORMER PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA Calling for a stepped-up government fight against mother-to-child transmission of the AIDS virus "I can only speculate that it's because Manoa is an affluent area with older residents where culprits are less likely to face resistance." Robert Cravalho HONOLULU ROBBERY DETECTIVE Surmising why usually quiet Manoa Valley has become the recent target of a series of home-invasion robberies and burglaries

Traffic roundabouts not needed in Palolo

I find recent concerns about folks speeding in Palolo, especially on 10th Avenue, to be interesting. But the proposed solution, namely roundabouts, is bizarre.

Instead, the solution to this problem lies with the police enforcing current traffic laws, plus the following:

Reassigning the current speed limit from 25 mph to the "80th percentile." This means that the speed of cars should be measured covertly over a period of a week. Then, a speed limit should be assigned to the 80th percentile, because this has been demonstrated to be the speed that people safely travel over the stretch of road. (I drive up and down 10th Avenue daily; the normal speed of the majority of cars is 30-35 mph.
Painting crosswalks at all intersections and enforcing the crosswalk laws.
Enforcing all other related laws, such as a failure to use turn signals, stopping in the middle of the street and talking to friends, driving 5 mph while talking on cell phones, parking backwards, double parking, parking boats that stick out into the street, and all other violations that the police seem to ignore.

Enforcement of current laws is the answer to Palolo's traffic problems, not artificial speed reduction devices.

James D. Becker

'Bamboo republic' isn't racial reference

Professor Dean Alegado is wrong in his July 7 letter to claim the Wall Street Journal is making a "not-so-subtle racist remark" by calling Hawaii "a bamboo republic." While its editorial is full of hyperbole and, to my mind, draws offensive inferences, there is no discussion of race at all.

Although I agree with Alegado that "bamboo republic" is not a commonly used term, I can't imagine how it could be associated with any particular race. Bamboo is native to the Americas, Africa and Asia, and republicanism is native to these continents, too. Of what race, then, are the people of a bamboo republic?

It's clear that the WSJ editorial intends to suggest that Hawaii has the status of an underdeveloped, corrupt, equatorial state. While those may be fighting words, they are not racial characterizations.

Thomas Webb

Military discriminates against Hawaii

After nine years of loyal service to the Air Force, my husband decided to separate from the military. One year before making this decision, we began thinking about where we wanted to live and decided on the Big Island.

We contacted the appropriate military agency to see if it would pay for this move. The initial response was, "No problem. The Air Force will pay for a move anywhere in your home state."

Two days before the movers were scheduled to arrive, however, a little known regulation was discovered. It stated that a military member may move anywhere in his or her home state "as long as it is not separated by water."

Considering that Hawaii is the only state in which its counties are separated by water, they might as well have written "as long as the home state is not Hawaii."

Think twice before joining the Air Force or any other branch of service that so blatantly treats Hawaii residents as second-rate citizens.

Christina Ellis
Kapolei

Foreigners were wecome in kingdom

In her June 29 letter, Nancy Bey Little defended "our host people" and chastised "arrogant white males" like Harold "Freddy" Rice and his attorney.

Even before 95 percent of the popular vote gave us statehood in 1959, Kamehameha the Great had forged partnerships with newcomers and made them full citizens of the nation of Hawaii.

Following Kaahumanu, other Hawaiian monarchs would solidify these bonds for all of Hawaii's people.

There was no "us vs. them" rationale. "Foreigners" have been an equal and fundamental part of the Hawaiian kingdom since the beginning.

So, just to set the record straight: No one is my "host," Ms. Little. They are my fellow American citizens. Hawaii is an American state. And we voted for it.

Finally, Little's reference to "white male arrogance" succinctly sums up her basic problem.

Kevin Gagan
Mililani

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