Holiday reminds us of need to end wars

Long before Nov. 11 became Veterans Day, it was celebrated as Armistice Day -- the day that the horror of World War I was finally over. I am proud to have been born on that day.

Last year, to honor the symbol of peace returning at the end of World War II, I donated my art studio and gallery to the Battleship Missouri, where it has become one of their pier offices.

In 1954, President Eisenhower renamed Armistice Day as Veterans Day, when we honor those who fought our wars. We could do that on any day in the year. In 1968, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday in October, but moved back to Nov. 11 in 1978.

But there is only one true Armistice Day in the year. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, peace returned to the Earth. Remembering that can make you wonder how many times since then, some country, people, gender, religion, ethnicity or tribe has felt that same wonderful sense of release from fear.

Some wars may be necessary, but even as they are being fought we must recognize the goal of ending all war. We need an Armistice Day, now more than ever.

Penny Kaiman-Rayner

[Quotables] "I've decided to run for mayor. I'm really excited about the prospect." Mazie Hirono Lieutenant governor, announcing she has decided to run for Honolulu mayor rather than governor of Hawaii. "She's a real nice lady. I welcome her to the mayor's race. It will provide for more choices for the voters, but it will give me more headaches." Duke Bainum Honolulu City Councilmen and mayoral candidate, on Mazie Hirono joining a crowded field of candidates who want to move into Honolulu Hale

State health officials failed in dengue effort

I am outraged and flabbergasted that Paul Effler, the state epidemiologist, had the nerve to say that there was no public health evidence suggesting that "notifying airline passengers would be an effective way for controlling dengue."

For his information, if the hula halau that had visited Tahiti would have known about dengue, there's a good chance they would have gone to the doctor when they returned to East Maui and informed him of their situation. This would have gotten the ball rolling a lot sooner on stopping the spread of the disease.

Effler also said that it is not the state's job, but rather that of the U.S. Customs and Immigration and Naturalization Service, to inform people. That's just the typical bureaucratic tactic of passing the buck.

If the Health Department wanted to, it could get the airlines and/or federal agencies involved to do the right thing.

Todd Bishop
Kailua

Thanks to Fox for live World Series

Hats off to Fox 2 for bringing in the live telecast of the World Series. It is about time a network has the common sense and guts to allow us to be part of the rest of the world in receiving live telecasting of special events.

I resent being treated as a tape-delayed, second-class citizen in this wonderful country.

Ben Yee

Diners should insist on smokeless cafes

I am sick of dining in so-called nonsmoking sections. Secondhand smoke still drifts in from the smoking section, jeopardizes my health, spoils my meal and makes my clothes and hair reek. I sympathize with employees working in those conditions.

Auwe to City Council members who ignore public health and kowtow to special interests. Auwe to a mayor who waits to see which way the political wind blows before he takes a stand. Is this leadership? If any of them seeks another office, the public will remember their lack of conviction.

There is one simple solution to restaurant smoke: Dine only in restaurants that provide a smoke-free environment, encourage them to advertise the fact, and tell your friends about them. When you make a reservation or walk into a restaurant and are asked, "Smoking or non-smoking?" simply say, "No thank you, I dine only in restaurants that ban smoking. I'll go elsewhere."

Kerry A. Krenzke

City shouldn't meddle in property market

I just saw Richard Chamberlain's house featured on "Hawaiian Moving Company." It's a gorgeous house in which I'd love to live, but the price is more than I can pay. Perhaps Mayor Harris could to condemn that property, buy it for a price I can afford, then turn around and sell it to me for that price.

The City Council should not even consider the proposal to condemn property in Waikiki to facilitate Outrigger Enterprise's planned project, especially while negotiations between Outrigger and the property owners are ongoing. Just considering the proposal reduces the leverage of the property owners, and doing so can effect a transfer of wealth from the property owners to Outrigger based on government action, which sure sounds like an abuse of government power.

That the city should have any role in the possible sale of the properties is questionable, but the city should clearly stay out of it while negotiations are ongoing between buyer and seller.

That this proposal was introduced by the Harris administration is something voters should keep in mind when voting in the next gubernatorial election.

Nobu Nakamoto

Harris walks, talks, spends like candidate

The editorial "Harris need not resign as mayor" (Star-Bulletin, Nov. 8) is off the mark. Let's look at the facts. Article II, Section 7 of the Hawaii State Constitution reads: "Any public officer shall resign from that office before being eligible as a candidate for another public office, if the term of the office sought begins before the end of the term of office held." (The latter phrase differentiates Mazie Hirono's situation from Harris' unlike what your editorial implied.)

The question is really is Mayor Harris a candidate? State law says that he is. HRS 11-191 defines a candidate as one who does any of the following:

>> Files nomination papers;

>> Receives contributions of more than $100 or makes or incurs any expenditures of more than $100 to bring about his nomination or election;

>> Gives consent to any other person to receive contributions of make expenditures to aid the individual's nomination or election;

>> Is certified to be a candidate by the chief election officer or county clerk.

The legislative intent behind that definition is found in House Standing Committee Report No. 188, 1973: "The definition of candidate was expanded to include persons who make substantial effort toward amassing financial resources for a campaign prior to filing necessary papers. Under present law, a candidate can claim that he is technically not a candidate simply because he has not filed nomination papers, while for all practical purposes he is in fact making the most elaborate efforts toward ultimate election."

Sound like anyone we know?

Quoting a press release from the City & County, April 23, 2001: "Harris intends to run for governor as a Democrat..."

When you walk like a candidate, talk like a candidate, spend like a candidate and collect money like a candidate, you are a candidate. The mayor should resign -- now.

James V. Hall

Put the focus on courage We, the undersigned, are sophomores at Kealakehe High School, Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, writing from our citizenship class in room J303 to make a request. Much has been made in both print and image media of the dangers of anthrax which may or may not have been mailed by terrorists to carefully selected targets. In fact, it is possible to turn on the TV news and gain the impression that the programming decision has been made to go to a format of full-time anthrax, 24-7. Some might disagree, but it seems to us that these mailings of "powder" were not sent out at random, but to achieve a desired result. The fact that so many of these envelopes have gone to print and image media organizations does not seem to us to be a coincidence. We believe that whoever is sending these materials through the mail is not seeking to promote anthrax, but fear. Our citizenship teacher has told us the current campaign against worldwide terror is likely to last a long time, that our generation may bear the greatest burdens of maintaining this effort. He has also said, that while our armed forces will do all that is expected of them on foreign soil, the real battle will be won or lost here in America. Finally, he told us the enemy is not some network of hateful individuals so much as it is fear. Fear is what must be conquered. And now we come to our request. We think in endlessly repeating the details of the anthrax scare, you are missing the real story. We ask that you take your reporters down to your own mail room and to the other working spaces of your most junior, least-paid employees and do a story on how courageous and reliable they are day after day in doing the essential work that allows your company to gather and report the news. After you do a number of stories of YOUR ordinary employees who display extraordinary courage in the workplace, we would ask you to visit the schools and places of business of other ordinary Americans to find out and report what truly courageous people they are. In other words, we are asking you to change the focus of your news format from fear to courage. That is the real story. That will be the history that we Americans will write together in defeating this threat to our Freedom. Citizenship Class Students Kealakehe High School Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Editor's note; This letter was signed by Derrick Lament, Russell L. Bayer, Randon M. Beaudet, Conrad Bent Mikela, P.L. Carter, Vanessa K. Faisca, Joshua M. Hill, Russell K. Hunt. Wendellyn L. Kaiawe, Morgan K. Leleiwi, Jameson I. Mahiai, Kahealani Richard, Kalani d. Scott, Celia K. Supnet, Shonn N. Takiue, Misty Tanabe, Cynthia A. Tanka, Tiffany A. Taniguchi, Floyd K. Winkler, Erica. L Wissmer and Nakita Malupo.

Anger at Americans caused by past sins

American could be defined as the country that fought oppression of a world power and won freedom in 1776. That is something to be proud of, cause to be patriotic and wave the American flag. But since then the U.S.A. has reached out across the globe and taken away the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of many foreigners.

A recent letter to the editor of a local newspaper asked why, during his recent travels across the continental United States, many American flags were on display while flags were waved to a lesser degree in neighborhoods in Hawaii.

Could it be that descendants of the Hawaiians were resentful after having their country overthrown and taken away by the United States? Hawaii did not attack, nor was it a threat to the U.S. Is that hypocritical or what? Hawaiians are owed retribution.

The United States has developed financial relationships with once-archenemies Japan, Germany, Russia and China. Do we have to wait until 50,000 body bags are filled before we come to terms with those in the Middle East?

Ron Rhetrik
Mililani

This is not the time to turn other cheek

It's a good thing that President Bush is not a sit-down and do-nothing guy, as the Rev. Jane A. Harwill (Letters, Nov. 5) would wish him to be.

No leader of the greatest nation on Earth would fail to retaliate in light of the Sept. 11 attack on America and all of it's people. Do nothing, as the reverend would like, and America would be anything but free.

Thank God America fights back so that the pacifists can speak their nonsense.

Danny McMonigle
Kaneohe

We all must take sides in terrorist conflict

In response to the Rev. Jane A. Harvill's Nov. 5 letter to the editor: Unfortunately, attitudes such as hers have led to this country's excessive permissiveness and over-tolerance in all walks of society.

Too many people will not step up and take responsibility for their own actions or have the fortitude to say "no." We have evolved to the point of, "If it doesn't bother me" or, "As long as they are not harming anyone."

We, as a country, united by a cause, can no longer afford to allow people to do anything they want, anywhere they want, anytime they want. Controls must be in place and enforced, or our freedom to function as a country will be taken from us by a bunch of thugs. The events of Sept. 11 affect everyone in the world and people should have solid opinions about which side they are on.

The terrorists sure do. Do you think they are sitting around debating about which side to be on? No, they are too busy planning horrendous and brutal ways to kill innocent people, like the cowards that they are.

James Roller

Waving flags stir warm feelings

How heart warming it is to drive through Waimanalo and see American and Hawaiian flags flying together. The people of Waimanalo are proud patriots.

Sen. Fred Hemmings
R, 25th District Kailua-Waimanalo

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Debate over Trask
remarks goes on

Coalition must be built on democratic ideas

Several prominent columnists and politicians have attacked Haunani-Kay Trask's assertions that "chickens have come home to roost" in the terrorist attacks. While many will shoot the messenger because of her virulently anti-American sentiments, they must not dismiss her message.

In a 1997 essay discussing mutually assured destruction, Air Force Col. Alan Parrington says, "It is the flawed strategy behind the (nuclear) weapons that justifies noncombatants as targets, and in so doing makes all weapons of mass destruction so speciously attractive that is the greatest threat to national security. Many Americans may be surprised to learn that it was a fundamental shift in U.S. military strategy 60 years ago that has led to the current dilemma."

What Parrington is referring to is the strategic groundwork that led to the massive firebombing raids on Germany and Japan. These raids indiscriminately killed, terrorized and maimed noncombatants and razed entire cities.

More recent international events, such as U.S. participation in assassinations and violent revolution (i.e., Allende in Chile, Mossadegh in Iran, the Contras in Nicaragua) and our support of corrupt, violent leaders (i.e., Pinochet, the Shah of Iran, Somoza) did little to gain sympathy or admiration for us in many parts of the world.

In order to secure our long-term security as a free people and to put the bin Ladens of the world out of business, we must build an international coalition that defends democracy and human rights across the globe. This is a difficult task, but one which is far nobler in its mission than the building of walls between fellow human beings.

Khalil J. Spencer

Oppose those who hate America

For all the American flags flying all over Oahu, you will find that the more native Hawaiian the neighborhood, the more American flags there are.

It is clear to me that the Hawaiian sovereignty movement does harbor a small core of people like Haunani-Kay Trask who genuinely hate the United States. But these people are a minority and should be ignored.

However, when this element voices its destructive sentiments, or when it seeks political power, it should be vigorously opposed by all Americans, and most especially by the vast majority of the Hawaiian people who are proud Americans.

Mike Keolomkapu'u Pettingill

U.S. has helped liberate the world

Haunani-Kay Trask complains that the United States has a history of imperialism and terrorism.

These allegations are absurd. No other country has done so much to encourage and facilitate the independence and freedom of not only its own citizens but also the people of those countries that have provoked us into war, and then come under our protection as territories or protectorates or as defeated enemies.

Prime examples are the Philippines, Germany and Japan. All were conquered, rehabilitated and restored to full independence under democratic governments. The citizens of the Territory of Hawaii voted overwhelmingly for statehood.

Trask calls herself a leader of the Hawaiian nationalist movement, which holds up the Hawaiian kings as heroes. But surely she must know the truth contained in the song written by John Noble:

"King Kamehameha, the conqueror of the islands
Became a famous hero one day
He fought a native army
And pushed it over the pali
And crowned himself King of Hawaii nei."

Just who was the imperialist here?

R.M. Hinrichs

Trask keeps beating a dead horse

Playing the blame game with regard to the events of Sept. 11 has given us some mind-bending interpretations.

To the duo of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, it was God's punishment for ignoring the message on abortion and other issues of the Christian right. For Haunani-Kay Trask, it was an inevitable consequence of "the terrorism that the United States unleashes against native people all over the world."

Two points of response come to mind. There is no point to be served in beating a dead horse. Most of the people in our world live on land that was taken from the original or subsequent inhabitants by outside peoples. We should accept this and move forward.

Second, if people like Trask and the UH Professors Opposed to War, who sponsored the forum at which she spoke, are sincere in their belief that "non-violent, globally responsible, lasting solutions to end violence" are an option, they should be talking directly to those who rule Afghanistan, reject that assumption and believe that if hatred is strong enough, it justifies any behavior.

Robert Harris

Her remarks didn't sound that smart

I found Haunani-Kay Trask's speech at the University of Hawaii so incomprehensible and asinine as to make it laughable. Send her to Afghanistan as a roommate to Bin Laden. They have much in common.

To make it more unbelievable, her audience seemed enraptured. These are higher educated people?

I'm glad I wasn't there, I would have been kicked out.

You know, grade-school education level and no class! Oh well.

Leilani A. Kamahele
Kailua

Trask hit the mark, 'Talk Story' didn't

As a professor of logic and critical thinking, I was very disappointed by John Flanagan's "Talk Story" column (Star-Bulletin, Oct. 21).

Although I am no fan of Haunani-Kay Trask's -- she has called me a racist on two occasions -- his piece was full of ad hominem attacks and a very questionable analogy fallacy.

From the point of view of many of my students, he was responding to the "rising flood of email" and apparently taking the opportunity to sell some newspapers in your battle with the Honolulu Advertiser.

In essence, Trask makes the same point that Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times makes in the column above Flanagan's. We can't build important coalitions and win while there are "rotten, repressive regimes tacitly supported by the United States."

Ronald C. Pine
University of Hawaii

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