Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Foley protest exposes hatred in land of aloha

The Senate Judicial Committee did the right thing by confirming Dan Foley as an Intermediate Court of Appeals judge, despite such strong opposition from a group of self-righteous protesters.

There is so much hatred in our land of aloha it is frightening. Nevertheless, congratulations Judge Foley!

Joe Chen

Thefts may have begun during Fasi regime

City housing official Michael Kahapea has been found guilty of 43 counts of theft, money-laundering and forgery in a scandal related to the Ewa Villages project. In comments aimed at Mayor Jeremy Harris and former City Councilman Mufi Hannemann, Frank Fasi pontificates: "It was inexcusable for the mayor and the people who were responsible to allow this kind of corruption to happen."

City prosecutors now think Kahapea should stand trial on charges that he bilked relocation money from another city project, TheBus garage and headquarters on Middle Street, where more than $700,000 in city funds was funneled to fictitious moving companies. This alleged scam took place before 1992, according to an Aug. 3 Star-Bulletin story.

Prosecutors may also go after Kahapea on charges tied to the theft of relocation money from the city's West Loch Estates project in the same era, indicative of a consistent pattern of unchecked larcenous behavior while a municipal employee going back many years.

And who was mayor in the period leading up to 1992? He was present mayoral candidate Frank Fasi.

Go figgah!

Richard Berry

Donors and families should be remembered

Regarding your moving July 27 article on the young man who is getting reconstructive eye surgery, we'd like to mention the "silent partner" in this process: the family who donated their loved one's sclera, the white part of the eye. There is no synthetic substitute for this precious gift.

A Hawaii family who lost a loved one to sudden and unexpected death agreed to think beyond their loss to donate. Transplantation of live-saving and life-enhancing organs, tissue and eyes would not be possible without these families. We thank them, and your newspaper for your ongoing support of organ, tissue and eye donation.

Fred Safi
Executive Director
Hawaii Lions Eye Bank and
Makana Foundation
Robyn Kaufman
Executive Director
Organ Donor Center of Hawaii

Let Hawaii see live football broadcasts

The people of Hawaii are being treated like second-class citizens by KITV4. Everyone in the U.S. gets to watch "Monday Night Football" live, except for residents of Hawaii.

I remember in the old days when all football games were televised a week later. Then it was same-day delayed. Now everything except "Monday Night Football" is live.

KITV wants us to believe that the public would rather have games broadcast-delayed rather than live because they are at work when games are being played. Yet I believe its real motivation is that it wants to shove in more commercials and earn more revenues.

If this isn't true, let's see what happens on Monday, Sept. 4, during the first regular season game: St. Louis vs. Denver. It is Labor Day, and a holiday for most, but I'll bet that KITV shows the game on its usual tape-delayed basis.

Ron Nakano

Quotables "You have emotions, and one of the worst feelings I've ever had was when I cut open that bag." Joe Self Jr. HONOLULU POLICE OFFICER KNOWN AS "THE BIG KAHUNA" OF HPD'S MISSING PERSONS DETAIL Describing the day in 1993 when police found the body of 20-month-old Shari Lynn Funk encased in a duffel bag and floating in Pearl Harbor "If you hear the phone ring, let us know." Sen. Joseph Lieberman DEMOCRATIC VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE Joshing with reporters outside his home yesterday about the expected phone call from Al Gore asking Lieberman to join him on the Democratic presidential ticket

How will UH band cope with name change?

The removal of the rainbow from the UH football team logo was an ill-advised decision.

But what about the Rainbow marching band? Its members' green-and-white uniforms with rainbow logo are pretty neat.

Now who's going to decide what uniform the members of the band will wear? The athletic department? The music department? Or maybe the student musicians will have a say.

T. Higashida

---

Hannemann stirs trouble for publicity

Once again former City Councilman Mufi Hannemann has distorted the facts.

In a July 26 Star-Bulletin View Point column, Hannemann accused the city administration of lacking "cultural sensitivity" in regard to the Hawaiian ancestral remains that have been uncovered during construction activities in Waikiki. He charges that a "furor" ensued over the discovery of these iwi kupuna.

He is wrong. There was no furor over the discovery. And there is no furor over the city's handling of these remains.

In trying to sensationalize this situation for his own political purposes, Hannemann is showing his own cultural insensitivity, hubris and lack of understanding of the true feelings of Hawaiian people. However, people are not buying it. Indeed, when Hannemann tried to create a media event by calling for public hearings on the issue, few showed up.

Meanwhile, the families representing na iwi kupuna (ancestral remains), the state Historic Preservation Office, Hui Malama, the Oahu Burial Council, the Board of Water Supply and several other city departments have been working quietly, effectively and with great respect for na iwi kupuna.

What has emerged from their discussions is an agreement on a mitigation process for the remainder of the Kuhio Beach project. And, following the lead of the families, work has begun on a reinternment plan.

This process has been open to Hannemann and his staff. However, instead of observing protocol on the sensitivity of the discoveries and participating in the collaborative process, he has chosen to exploit, politicize and sensationalize the issue by setting up his own process apart from the families, state and city agencies, Hui Malama and the Oahu Burial Council.

Tell me, who's being insensitive?

Peter Apo
Executive Director
Office of Waikiki Development

---

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.