Bush administration needs new tools

"If the only tool you have is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail." Our country has a superior hammer in its military, but our national toolbox seems lacking in other equipment. Surely for the price of a single jet fighter, we could come up with some creative, nonviolent alternatives to war.

Maurine King

Use existing forces for homeland security

A quick and inexpensive solution to the problem of "homeland security" is to activate the armed forces reserves and combine them with our police force. Most expenses would come from new equipment and updating these organizations.

This inexpensive solution would give us two trained military groups protecting the public and their interests under their existing budgets. This new, combined group could be easily updated into a formidable force. It would take fewer people and could respond to an area in an organized unit by dispatching from control posts. Surveillance cameras also would be needed.

This solution could be implemented quickly and inexpensively, and our reward would be a safe America.

Beatrix Shishido
Mililani

U.S. foreign policy should include U.N.

The League of Women Voters of Hawaii urges President Bush to continue working with the United Nations to resolve the situation with Iraq. International cooperation is an essential element in guarding against terrorism and protecting all nations from attack.

Working with the U.N. offers many foreign and domestic advantages. It ensures a full debate of a range of alternative policies and actions; it builds unity of purpose by clearly defining the objectives to be fulfilled; it assures the world that the United States is not acting solely for its own benefit while reassuring the American people that it is not acting alone; it provides the legitimacy of international law; and it increases the chances of long-term success through international peacekeeping and nation-building efforts.

For these reasons, the U.N. should be an important component of U.S. foreign policy.

For decades the League of Women Voters has supported the role of the U.N. in developing and maintaining peace. Today, when multilateral action is needed to combat terrorism, to promote development in post-war Afghanistan and to guard against weapons proliferation, the involvement of the United Nations is even more important.

Maile Bay
President
League of Women Voters of Hawaii
Pearl Johnson
President
League of Women Voters of Honolulu

School restrooms are a big issue for kids

I would like to thank Star-Bulletin writer Susan Essoyan for the article she wrote about public school restrooms ("Schools under stress," Star-Bulletin, Jan. 28). This issue also was raised by the youth members of Faith Action For Community Equity.

FACE members have been working hard to get the word out about these important issues. As an ordinary teenage girl, I really think these issues have to be taken more seriously. Thanks to Essoyan and the Star-Bulletin, many other people have been informed about what's really taking place in public schools. Mahalo for your support.

Kristi Oshiro
FACE member
Freshman
Pearl City High School

Aloha spirit abounds in emergency room

As residents of Canada, we sometimes don't fully understand the meaning of the aloha spirit until something unfortunate happens.

A few weeks back, my husband, Alfred, and I and our sons, Ethan, 3, and Avery, 5 months, visited Honolulu for a long-awaited holiday. While at the Waikele outlet mall, the boys and I were suddenly stricken with vomiting, nausea and severe abdominal pains. The scary part was being so sick so far away from home and not having any family or friends there to help us.

We were able to catch a cab back to the city. The driver, whose name unfortunately we didn't get, helped us so much by driving us to Straub hospital, wheeling me into emergency and getting me registered. He also helped my husband and sons with all of our baby gear. He was so helpful, and we would love to extend our biggest thanks to him.

The aloha spirit did not end there. Upon hearing our plight in the emergency ward, a lady approached Alfred and offered to drive him back to our hotel to retrieve any items we needed and drive him back to Straub. A complete stranger! And because we ran out of diapers by the evening, one of the nurses, Aireen, bought some, along with food and baby bottles, with her own money. She refused to accept any money from us.

Nursing supervisor Yuni ensured that we could all stay in my hospital room for the night and booked an appointment for Avery to see a pediatrician.

Although we were far from home, encountering such wonderful people during such a stressful time truly showed us what "aloha" really means.

Anna, Alfred Ethan and Avery Mah
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Activating reserves leaves state helpless

Any military action taken against Iraq will not be a real war. The vast difference in technology and training will make it a slam dunk. However, it does point out a major weakness in our military: It is too small. Members of the National Guard and Reserves are on active duty in normal peace-time missions. A large number have been activated for duty in the Middle East, and we're facing a possible real war in Korea.

When a real war occurs all the reserves will be activated. They are about 60 percent of the total U.S. military strength. When this happens, we also will lose about 10 percent, on average, of our nation's fire and police departments, whose members are also in the reserves. This means they won't be available for home defense.

Governor Lingle should activate the position for a state guard commander who can organize volunteers during a crisis. A state guard would not have to be paid, and would be useful in a crisis.

Myles H. Shinsato

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