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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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HFD strings holiday lights downtown
Question: My friend and I noticed a fire truck on the grounds of Kawaiahao Church last Thursday. At first, we thought the firefighters were rescuing a cat, but they were stringing lights. Why is a government agency stringing Christmas lights on church property? What about separation of church and state?
Answer: The city doesn't consider this as a matter of government getting involved with religion, while the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii sees "no inherent violation in the Fire Department assisting (the church) with hanging lights."
The ACLU views Honolulu City Lights as a nondenominational event, but does track it every year "for church/state issues."
It points out that Kawaiahao Church is a state landmark, located across the street from Honolulu Hale and "at the heart of the City Lights district."
If the fire department helped one church as a community service, then refused to help string lights at another church "similarly situated in the City Lights district, we would certainly be concerned with discrimination," said Lois Perrin, ACLU of Hawaii's legal director. But, "As long as government does not favor one religion over another, and treats all equally, there is no immediate civil liberties issue."
The Honolulu Fire Department has been helping to string the holiday lights for years, said Chief Ken Silva.
Kawaiahao Church's trees are among "the many trees that get attention" along the route of the lights, he said.
HFD also "often helps churches and other nonprofit organizations when we can," such as helping to change halyards on flagpoles, light bulbs in hard-to-reach areas, etc., he said.
But Silva assures the public that firefighters are ready to respond to an emergency "and are not compromising the safety of the community" when doing so.
Q: Can you find out if the following story I was sent by e-mail is true? When Pearl Harbor was attacked, the largest transport/trucking firm on the island was Y. Higa. He volunteered his whole fleet of trucks to help with the holocaust. His trucks were used but he was not allowed on base as he was Japanese, so he directed operations from outside the main gate at Pearl Harbor. I think he was later honored in some way.
A: According to an Aug. 3, 2000, Star-Bulletin obituary on Yetsuo Higa, who had built Y. Higa Enterprises into Oahu's largest trucking and storage company with worldwide connections, the gist of that story is true.
After the Pearl Harbor attack, Higa sent his trucks to Hickam Field to help haul away the debris. But he was denied entry.
Higa said he told them, "I was born on the Big Island, and I was an American, but it didn't do any good. You can't argue with a bayonet." Higa said he never sent a bill because he felt it was his duty to help his country.
We don't know if he ever was honored in any way, but Higa, who died July 30, 2000, at age 84, eventually obtained contracts from all the military branches.
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
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