Support rail if you want affordable homes
The proposed rail system would not only alleviate some of Oahu's traffic problems, but it might just even out the housing market and make homes more affordable.
Right now, the only homes that fit our needs and budget exist in Ewa. With three children we do not wish to live in a condo, so we pay rent to live in a house in town. Even the tiniest of houses in our neighborhood are selling for at least $600,000. But much larger homes, ideal for a family such as ours, sell for $500,000 and even lower in Ewa. If it weren't for the traffic, moving to Ewa might be an attractive option for us. If there were a rail system in place, we would be more willing to look into homes in that area.
On the other hand, I assume that many more families would consider moving out of the metro area, and I suspect this could help to lower the price of homes in town as well. I think anyone holding out for an affordable home in Hawaii should definitely be in support of the rail system.
Jessica Carroll
Honolulu
Akaka deserves praise for offshore drill vote
While some of us were wriggling our toes in beach sand last week, Senate lawmakers were busy figuring out how much of the 25-year-old bipartisan moratorium on offshore drilling they could bring to an end. Sen. Akaka should be commended for his vote to uphold the drilling moratorium and protect our precious beaches and coasts. Senate Bill 3711 is a drilling bill that will produce so little new energy that it can't lower prices in the short or long term.
Instead of continuing to debate drilling proposals, the Senate could actually propose legislation that would make a difference in energy prices and supply. They could deliver energy conservation legislation, better fuel economy for cars or investments in new technologies for clean, renewable sources of energy. Let's hope that Senate leadership will propose these real, long-term solutions to meet our energy demands.
Moira Chapin
Hawaii field organizer
U.S. PIRG
Mayor did not approve bonuses for BWS
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply gave its top two managers hefty bonuses in December 2004, a month before I took office.
As your July 28 story noted, the board was able to grant those bonuses because of a 2003 state law. That bill was passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Lingle, and "authorizes a board of water supply serving a population of 500,000 or more persons, to implement an experimental civil service modernization project without approval from the mayor."
The bill's intent seemed worthwhile: allow the board to grant rank-and-file workers extra compensation as the board overhauled its operations. What troubles me is how the board used its semiautonomous status to lobby the state to gain special-interest legislation.
After I took office, I made it known that I opposed the practice of giving big bonuses to top managers and made that a point of discussion with the people I subsequently appointed to the BWS. In fact, before hiring the new chief engineer, the board ensured that he and the deputy engineer would no longer be eligible for bonuses.
Fiscal accountability to taxpayers is what my administration will always insist upon. That's why the bonus program was shelved.
Mufi Hannemann
Honolulu mayor
Free-speech opponents are at work in Hilo
In the last two weeks, there have been many antagonistic destructions of Senate candidate Ed Case's yard signs and banners throughout Hilo. I believe this is a defilement of our Constitution and disgraceful to the democratic nature of this nation. In 2003, I fought 12 months in Iraq so that we Americans can continue to exercise our First Amendment rights without any grievance. Now, I'm asking the public to please respect and endorse anyone's political freedom.
Jet Heng
Senior airman, U.S. Air Force
Hilo, Hawaii
Something missing from editorial cartoon
Corky's four-panel cartoon Tuesday left out one important panel: the one about the slaughter of innocent women and children (collateral damage), environmental catastrophe (oil slick off the coast) and the destruction of one of the only Western-style democracies in the Middle East (Lebanon).
Penny Guinn
Honolulu
U.S. can do no right in eyes of Arab world
While we watch the world demonstrate against Israel and the United States for the mistaken bombing of civilians, it makes one wonder if the terrorist organizations ever make mistakes. Apparently, from the world's viewpoint, the answer is no.
Where was the world's condemnation of Hezbollah's firing of rockets into civilian cities in Israel? Where were the scenes of widespread demonstrations against al-Qaida after 9/11? Where was the world's outrage over the videotapes of beheadings of hostages by hooded cowards and petty thugs? How many Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian or Iranian flags have you seen burning on the evening news?
The fact is, the United States can do nothing right in the eyes of the Arab world. If we stay neutral in the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, we are accused of not reining in Israel and doing more to pursue peace. If we take Israel's side, then the United States is anti-Islamic and anti-Arabic. Hezbollah's leader said it best when he suggested that Islam will be restored from Spain to the Middle East.
Until Islam achieves that goal, there will be no peace, and if Europe does not stand up and take some action, there might not be a Europe as we know it much longer.
James Roller
Mililani
Israel overreacted to kidnappings
Israel is often referred to as the "Jewish state." This is an unfortunate misnomer. Israel is a state whose vast majority of the population is Jewish. However, a substantial number of its citizens are Muslim, and there are some Christians, as well. Judaism is a religious faith with absolutely no hierarchy running to Israel as Catholicism has with the papal state. As a Jew with many relatives living in Israel, I have a fondness for Israel and generally support it. However, my support for the state of Israel is not limitless. I cannot support any state that violates civilized norms. Israel has clearly crossed that line.
I am appalled by the cruel, disproportionate response of Israel to Hezbollah's kidnaping of two Israeli soldiers. Israel went to war against Lebanon. That response then triggered Hezbollah's shelling of innocent Israelis. Things are now out of control.
The kidnaping of the Israeli soldiers was not the action of Lebanon. Rather, it was the action of the Hezbollah militia, whose actions Lebanon was unable to control. Yes, Israel has a right to defend itself, and I don't pretend to know what should have been Israel's response. But what I do know with certainty is that to respond to the capture of two soldiers by devastating a nation's cities and villages and killing and displacing thousands of innocent civilians with the prospect that Hezbollah fighters will be killed in the process is a crime against humanity. Israel must have had other options.
What Israel is doing is similar to what Saddam Hussein did to the Kurds when a group of Kurds rebelled against Saddam's Baathists. Yes, Saddam had a right to defend himself, but we labeled him a butcher for slaughtering thousands of innocent Kurds in the process.
There is a distinction between the Israeli state and Jews. The Judaism I know rejects Israel's history of collective punishment, which can be tolerated only with a racist dehumanization of a population. We Jews like to think of ourselves as the "chosen people." I believe we are chosen to follow God's ordinances, not chosen to be a master race. We Jews have had a sad experience with dehumanization by a "master race." It is sadly ironic that the oppressed have become an oppressor.
Joseph Gedan
Honolulu