Clay all the way
Bryan Clay, winner of the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon, is undoubtedly, pound-for-pound, the world's greatest athlete.
Although other athletes have garnered more media attention in this year's Olympics, the picture of him surrounded by his smiling fellow decathlon competitors at the end of the 1,500-meter final event tells all. They appreciate what he has done and are celebrating his victory with him!
What a model for us all - especially our youth!
Sid Gurtiza, Wahiawa
Kamehameha Schools isn't breaking the law
The Native Hawaiian Education Council supports the Kamehameha Schools' use of its private trust funds to give priority to the education of students of Hawaiian ancestry.
We believe the law of the land as set forth by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in the previous case against the Kamehameha Schools is correct - namely that this private school's admission preference for Hawaiian students does not constitute impermissible discrimination under federal law.
Education is the most effective way to empower Hawaiians and improve their lives. Imua Kamehameha for continuing to educate Hawaiians in the face of these legal challenges.
Colin Kippen
Executive director
Native Hawaiian Education Council
Uncaring residents turn sidewalks into dumps
Regarding
Lisa Hogg's Aug. 21 letter, I am in full agreement with her and her outrage over discarded household items being left in front of homes in all neighborhoods for days and weeks while awaiting scheduled bulky item pickup.
Do these people take no pride in their yards and neighborhoods? Obviously not. I doubt that the city will ever implement a way to fine abusers of the pickup service, nor will the city ever stop the service, which has gotten totally out of control.
Obviously a lot of residents do not care about neighborhood appearances, so, as a sad consequence, Hawaii will always look like a dumping ground.
Sandra Fujii
Manoa
Bulky items should be everyone's concern
I am in agreement with
Lisa Hogg's letter (Aug. 21) illustrating an islandwide problem with illegal dumpers.
By ordinance, it is the city's responsibility to pick up bulky items. Before 2005, the city collected bulky items outside of the Honolulu district by appointment only. When the Hannemann administration took office, the mayor elevated the frequency to once a month islandwide and, in some high-density neighborhoods, added a second, unscheduled pickup.
Residents should not be setting out bulky items sooner than the night before and should keep in mind our refuse division has three days to pick up the materials from that sector.
The city's refuse division looked into various avenues of enforcing illegal dumping but does not have enforcing powers and cannot be ubiquitous. Witnesses should contact our hotline at 768-3203. Please be prepared to give a detailed description of the action.
Hogg hints that more residential responsibility is needed. Developing Neighborhood Watch programs might be one way to start.
The city will continue to be persistent in seeking a means to curb illegal dumping with everyone's assistance.
Ken Shimizu
Deputy director, Department of Environmental Services
City & County of Honolulu
Police respond slowly after assault
On Monday, Aug. 11, at 3:50 p.m., I was attacked by an unknown assailant on Young Street. I was punched in the face, knocked to the ground. My glasses were destroyed. There was no provocation, no warning. The incident was a pure and simple case of unwarranted aggression, an act of intimidation and force against a fellow human being.
I dialed the Honolulu Police Department. After spending 10 minutes on hold, I finally connected to an operator who told me a cruiser was on the way. Forty minutes after my conversation with the operator, the police arrived. They were too late. The perpetrator had already fled, the street was deserted. I filed my report, gave my description and Honolulu's finest drove away.
I am not naive about my case. The trail was long cold, even frigid, by the time the police finally got there. The criminal will never be caught, and the case will eventually end up in a pile with the other, unfortunate unsolved.
Perhaps, if the police had responded to the initial report at a speed faster than glacial, this criminal could have been captured, brought to court and forced to answer for his crimes. But, there will be silence, no reply to the victim. Nothing.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
Richard G. Galluzzi
Honolulu
Vote for Democrats or it will get even worse
Why I'm voting Democrat this election:
» Our schools are falling apart.
» Our roads are falling apart.
» Our parks are in disrepair.
» Homelessness is rampant.
» Drug use is rampant.
» Our libraries have no money.
» We have some of the highest taxes in the country.
» Our hospitals have no money.
» Business growth is slow or nonexistent.
» Our beloved University of Hawaii is falling apart.
» Our stadium is falling apart.
» Our economy is a one-trick pony with low wages.
This is after Democrats have been in power for only half a century.
Can you imagine how bad it would be if Republicans were in charge?
Mark Middleton
Honolulu
Georgia mess shows Bush's incompetence
Last week President Bush publicly supported Georgia's claim of sovereignty over South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Sen. John McCain made a similar statement, but his foreign policy advice came from a paid Georgian agent. Bush is supposed to represent American interests, not those of a foreign government.
The facts are these: Georgia claims sovereignty over both regions, but its claim is tainted; South Ossetia was an autonomous (self-governing) region in the USSR; neither region has recognized Georgia's sovereignty, before or after the disillusion of the USSR in 1991; and both regions are populated by people ethnically different from Georgians, with longstanding animosities toward Georgians like those that brought such horrific bloodshed in the former Yugoslavia.
For Bush to show such blind ignorance of the situation was - until his election - unimaginable in an American president. Now he is picking a fight with Russia on Russia's doorstep with no diplomatic or military force to back him up. Giving Georgian President Saakashvili tacit support for invading South Ossetia was utterly incompetent. It also made a lie of Bush's claims to support the rights of people everywhere to freedom and self-determination.
If the U.S. had restrained Saakashvili and pushed for peaceful resolution of both regions' status with Russia and Georgia, we would not have this mess. That, however, would have required an adult in the presidency.
Thomas Graham Gans
Honolulu
Lingle speaking to GOP is outrageous insult
It is outrageous and shocking to hear that our own Gov. Linda Lingle is willing to speak at the Republican National Convention on behalf of supporting John McCain when our island state is full of jobless citizens and our parks and beaches are full of homeless people!
What is her next step to hide the homeless roaming beach to beach and park to park, while McCain is confused as to how many houses he owns?
How can Lingle possibly support a presidential candidate who contends that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong"? Where is her conscience? Can our own governor be that beholden to a party rather than to the people she is supposed to govern?
Alysa Kealoha
Honolulu
Change of command will do us all good
In spite of and because of his "biracialism," Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States of America.
Obama might not possess all the qualities and virtues of a presidential candidate (who does?), but, nonetheless, which way would you prefer to go? Go with the possibility of change, or go with the possibility of more of the same?
Tetsuji Ono
Hilo
If we can't trust HPD, whom can we trust?
It is shocking to read about the recent incidents involving the Honolulu Police Department. First on July 25 we heard of a possible cover-up by the HPD of an accident involving a 73-year-old pedestrian and an off-duty officer; on Aug. 17 we heard that a sergeant responding to the Iolani Palace break-in and alleged assault on an employee there did nothing; and now about 100 officers reportedly are under internal investigation of tampering with the overtime special duty assignment schedule.
If we can't believe the police will do their job correctly, who can the taxpayers trust? I hope Chief Boisse Correa will rein in the top brass and bring the rank and file back in order.
Greg Darr
Kailua