Ousting station owner hurts Shell's image

I read with great regret about the closing of Warren Higa's Makiki Shell station on Beretania ("TheBuzz," Oct. 29). Higa provided fast, competent, honest car service and repair, but also was a great neighbor. When an elderly man in my building had his car break down across the street from Warren's station, Warren gave him a ride home. My husband could get a motorcycle safety check from Warren. He knew how to fix every problem I ever brought him, and he was big on maintenance, too. He was always super helpful and you could trust him, which is not that common in the car-repair business.

I agree that Shell should have compromised more to keep a respected guy like this in his successful business, rather than almost tripling his rent. He gave Shell a good name in this community, and now Shell has tarnished its own image. Having bought gas only from Warren for years, I'm sure I won't be the only one driving up to Clyde Marugame's Manoa Service Station in the Manoa Marketplace to see Warren and show my continued appreciation and support.

Claire Wilson
Makiki

Customers will follow Higa to Manoa station

Warren Higa, former operator of Makiki Shell now employed at Manoa Chevron, serviced my car for many years in a most satisfactory manner. My car intends to follow Warren to Manoa Chevron.

I shudder to think what will happen to my car when Warren retires. Heaven help my poor car.

J. Norman Stone
Honolulu

Ruling did right by Kamehameha Schools

My heart is overflowing with gratitude for Monday's court ruling that upholds the Hawaiians-only admission policy of the Kamehameha Schools.

I mua Kamehameha.

Robin Williams Makapagal
Kamehameha School for Girls
Class of 1968

President should have heeded father's words

Describing American policy toward Iraq in 1991, former President George H.W. Bush wrote in his memoir, "A World Transformed," that:

"Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States would conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land."

He was correct. By doing the opposite, the current President Bush has been dead wrong. Now, we daily lose more American lives and damage our economy as "an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land."

Jerome Manis
Honolulu

Hawaii's lax system encourages thieves

My wife and I recently spent a week on Oahu. We had a great time until the last day when our rental car was broken into and the contents removed. With the fast response of the police and two witnesses, the criminal was caught 10 miles down the road and we were able to salvage most of our stuff.

Crime happens, and I am willing to accept the fact that we fell victim. But this criminal had 36 convictions! How can someone get caught breaking the law 36 times and still be running around? This guy has absolutely no motivation to stop this behavior. The arrest procedure was nothing more than routine for him because he knows he'll be back on the streets soon.

I'm sure there are benefits to being a liberal state, but in this case the only ones benefiting are those who have no fear of a tarnished record and a night in the slammer. It must be nice to be a crook in Hawaii.

Todd Quigley
Caledonia, Mich.

Editorials ignored rights of the fetus

The editors of the Star-Bulletin are practically shouting their anti-life stance with two editorials (Oct. 24 and Nov. 10) regarding the ban on "partial-birth" abortions and the column by Barry Raff of Planned Parenthood of Hawaii (Nov. 6).

The editorials and column neglected to mention what happens to the aborted child. What about the endangerment to their lives? What about their constitutional rights? The Star-Bulletin and Planned Parenthood make it sound like an abortion is such an easy, black-and-white decision. They treat the unborn child as if it were a cyst or tumor. Please, don't profess to speak for the many women who are faced with such a difficult decision. The creation of life is truly a miracle, and God's greatest gift. Even turtles and monk seals are afforded more protection than the unborn child. The issues left out of these articles were glaringly obvious.

A.K. Carroll
Kailua