With Kerry, U.S. can be be strong and wise
Last week at the Democratic Convention, former President Clinton said it well: "Strength and wisdom are not opposing values."President Bush's policies seem strong, but they are terribly unwise. It was unwise to go to war without a plan to complete the mission, especially since this war was based on false information; it was unwise to alienate our long-term allies and financially unwise to run up our biggest national debt. Remember, Bush started out with a surplus.
We simply can't afford four more years of mistakes under the guise of strength. We need a president who will use both strength and wisdom as guiding principles. John Kerry will be that president.
Kihei, Maui
People, businesses can help military families
While reading your newspaper online the other day, I noted the article "Loose ends daunting for troops' families." I'd like to direct military families to the Web site www.operationhomefront.netThis is a great grass-roots organization of people and businesses in the community who reach out to help military families. If Hawaii doesn't have a chapter, maybe someone could start one.
Chula Vista, Calif.
Despicable marketing uses Kauai to sell cigs
One has to marvel at the successful social marketing campaign to change a once "kool and hip" activity like smoking into a habit that is institutionally recognized as harmful ("Ban flavored cigarettes as lure for youth," Editorial, Star-Bulletin, July 30). The industry is a disgusting reminder of how ignorance can be targeted for profit.Can you imagine them exploiting the association that people have of Kauai -- a place of amazing natural beauty -- with a product that pollutes and an industry that uses science to create deadly addictions?
Unfortunately, pop culture and the like now sell "kool and easy" images of promiscuity and violence to lure those who have not seen positive models of power in their environment. The path of least resistance has won the culture war in pop media.
Cigarettes may be out, but marketing the new "kool and hip" continues in more insidious and dangerous forms by creating minds that cannot distinguish right from wrong, nor even engage in a dialogue about it.
It is a great pity.
Wailuku, Maui
Taekwondo coach had good reputation
It must have been a difficult decision for Dae Sung Lee to claim discrimination in his lawsuit after being removed as coach of the U.S. Olympic taekwondo team (Star-Bulletin, July 29).For someone to do so in this politically correct environment, Lee must feel terribly wronged. If the decision to dismiss him as coach was racially based, then he should be reinstated.
Those who have studied with Lee at his Aina Haina center say he is a great teacher and an honorable man. He deserves his day in court before the start of competition August 26.
Honolulu
Out-of-date quotes gave wrong impression
Contrary to the impressions from Monday's front-page story "Senator skewers Akaka bill as divisive," the Akaka bill remains very much alive in Congress.The Associated Press, which reported the story, did Star-Bulletin readers a disservice by rehashing a letter U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona sent to a constituent regarding his opposition to federal recognition. The letter was written nearly a year ago.
Why did the Associated Press and the Star-Bulletin deem it front-page "news" to use the same quotes from this dated letter as the lead item in an update on the Akaka bill? At the very least, a news outlet should report when the letter was written, to put it in context with the numerous changes to the bill in the past year.
Our governor and Congressional representatives are working together to advance the enactment of this bill.
Misinformation, either deliberately placed or through journalistic sloppiness, only adds to the confusion and controversy surrounding this historic measure.
Chairwoman, Board of Trustees
Office of Hawaiian Affairs
(Editor's note: The fact that the letter was written nearly a year ago was noted in the Corrections listing yesterday.)
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