Hawaii’s beauty is its own public relations
Bravo Frank Luke! I can't believe Hawaii needs a little PR
("Let's all pitch in and do PR for Hawaii," Letters, June 14). To most people (myself included) Hawaii is the most beautiful state in the entire world, so Mr. Luke's call for more public relations sounds a little redundant but I mean that in a praiseworthy way. Where else does the word "aloha" mean hello and farewell at the same time? Hawaii's got us coming and going!
Herb Stark
Massapequa, N.Y
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Don’t waste money on morbid indulgence
Gary Chun's story on the exhibition at Ala Moana Center of plastinated human beings
("Bodies' builder puts learning first," Star-Bulletin, June 13) graphically illustrated the scintillating attraction, but provided little critical analysis of its hideous controversy.
We know Hawaii's people have a reverence for a decedent's remains, whether ancient or new, but this ghoulish exhibition of real human flesh, camouflaged as infotainment, is simply morbid voyeuristic indulgence. Nothing but a cheap $25 fix for our lifeless lives and desensitized souls. Before you go, ask yourself: Will you buy a ticket and allow your cavalier rationalization to prostitute your own humanity or will you forsake this blood money exploitation of human beings? What if that was your mother, father, sister or brother on display? When one appreciates that the Chinese men and woman did not consent to have their naked and skinless bodies on display or, even worse, are disabled, tortured or executed prisoners, the answer is obvious. Just say no and sleep better at night. Caveat emptor.
Lauzanne Oshiro
and Rep. Marcus Oshiro
Wahiawa
Health care change sounds like bad deal
Lillian Koller and the Department of Human Services say that conversion of fee-for-service Hawaii Medicaid to for-profit mainland managed care companies will mean "improved care for these vulnerable clients,"
(Star-Bulletin, June 18). These plans are under contract to pay doctors the same rates as Medicaid, and they have to cover the added administrative overhead of managing care and profits. The only way I can see they can possibly make any money is to find new and more creative ways to set up managed care hurdles for doctors, deny care, and in general make it more difficult for patients to get care. I suspect that whether or not doctors feel they have to sign on with these plans, they won't take many new patients from them, and more and more of the Medicaid population will be pushed onto the community health centers and emergency rooms, both of which are already severely strained by Medicaid patients who can't find care elsewhere. I seriously doubt this will mean improved care.
Stephen Kemble, M.D.
Honolulu
Expose students to anti-war views
Concerning Sunday's story
"Navy recruiter's false promises allegedly snare Kapolei students": These boys put their trust in a uniformed man promising them free college education. This story had a happy ending; suspicious parents protected their boys.
Not every child has the benefit of an involved parent. Even the most well-informed young person might not resist a highly aggressive sales pitch. Recruiting on school campuses violates the trust of youth because it becomes associated with education. Children are taught to associate uniformed people with security.
The story illustrates the need for a Department of Education policy of balanced education about the military, the real obligations of enlistment and the morality of war.
We applaud the wise practice of the Kapolei principal insisting that adults be present during recruiter visits. Schools should allow advocacy groups to offer literature guiding students toward critical thinking about enlistment. They should allocate classroom time to soldiers with a different military experience. We ask that schools permit the presence of advocacy groups to ensure that our island youth make informed choices about their futures.
Jim Albertini
Malu Aina Center For Nonviolent Education & Action, Big Island
Catherine Kennedy
Truth 2 Youth, Big Island
Ann Pitcaithly
Careers in Peacemaking, Maui
Darlene Rodrigues
CHOICES-AFSC Hawaii, Oahu
Katy Rose
Kauai Alliance for Peace
and Justice
Send next Superferry to the Big Island
A funny thing happen in the Legislature.
Kauai might never get the Superferry, it seems they shot themselves in the foot. The next Superferry should service the Big Island first. Kauai's legislators have only themselves to thank. Sorry Kauai, you sow what you reap!
Bill Littell
Honolulu