Gabbard doesn't understand Democrats
So Sen. Mike Gabbard
might switch parties and become a Democrat.
Gabbard will never get "what the party is about" so long as he devotes his life to the persecution of other people, in this case, gay people.
How is it that Gabbard can be so absolutely certain that homosexuality is pure evil yet so uncertain of where his political values lie?
I am a heterosexual man with a wife and two children. I cannot understand why Gabbard would spent so much of his life in a fight against homosexuality.
Michael Lauck
Honolulu
Gabbard's supporters might abandon him
Although there might be no rule against Sen. Mike Gabbard
switching party allegiances, doesn't he realize this shows contempt for the voters who supported him because he was running as a Republican and not a Democrat?
I suspect he will find it a bit more difficult during the next election if he does make the switch.
Jim Fromm
Waipahu
Editorial focused on people, not issues
Your editorial
on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Aug. 22) raises more questions than it answers.
Should readers understand that you favor appointees to the commission who agree with our congressional delegation and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' chairwoman, or should they simply note that you are only concerned about appointees when they appear to disagree with the views of Hawaii's existing political structure?
Your editorial would have done a better service to the public if it had discussed the issues presented at the Tuesday hearing. Instead, you elected to focus on personalities.
It is sad that our print media play the game of pulling down personal reputations instead of building up the information base upon which individuals of reason can consider the implications of the Akaka Bill or any other matter that the commission might discuss in the future.
Paul E. Smith
Honolulu
$3 million small price for pedestrian safety
I'm appealing to Gov. Linda Lingle to put aside her conditioning as the daughter and niece of men who made great fortunes selling cars in Hawaii and Southern California.
I appeal to her as a 21st century leader, to recognize the realities happening as a result of adverse human impacts on our planet and environment and to take every step in her power to help wean us off our dependence on the automobile.
In order to do that, people need to be able to walk and move about our communities safely on foot. Otherwise, we are not only adding to humans' carbon footprint, but we're treating nonriders as second-class citizens.
There is disagreement between Lingle's administration and legislators over the federal matching funds for the $3 million the Legislature approved for improving pedestrian traffic at state intersections. Unfortunately, $3 million is small potatoes when it comes to government spending -- in fact, it's totally minuscule when compared with the millions spent to support automotive traffic.
Please, governor, show us some 21st-century leadership on this issue and release the $3 million pedestrian safety funds.
If your administration is correct that the way the law is written will prevent federal funding, it will still be $3 million long overdue spent in support of those who are trying to reduce their use of automobiles and fossil fuels.
Frances K. Stapleton
Pahoa, Hawaii
To our fallen soldiers
You are fallen
But you stand tall.
You are gone
But within our hearts.
You are mourned
But you are reborn.
You are missed
And you are loved.
Will Espero
Ewa Beach
Wartime assurances still ring hollow
These quotes were published in Bernard B. Fall's book "Street Without Joy."
» Jan. 30, 1963: "South Vietnamese should achieve victory in three years." -- Adm. H.D. Felt
» March 5, 1963 : "S. Vietnamese armed forces have now attained the experience, training and equipment for victory." -- Gen. P.D. Harkins
» Sept, 12, 1963: One "can categorically say we're winning the war in the Mekong Delta." -- Gen. Harkins
» Oct. 2, 1963: "By the end of the year, the U.S. program for training Vietnamese should have progressed to the point where U.S. military can be withdrawn." -- Gen. Maxwell Taylor
» Feb. 18, 1965: "The 'bulk' of U.S. forces can be expected to leave by the end of 1965." -- Secretary of State Robert McNamara
» March 5, 1965: " S. Vietnamese had been trained to perform and were entirely competent to perform and therefore we can withdraw our units." -- McNamara
We can believe the generals in Iraq and U.S. officials in Washington because they have the same spiel as their alumni from the Vietnam debacle.
Ed Corl
Honolulu