Hawaii is going to miss five exemplary citizens
Monsignor Charles Kekumano, Rell Sunn, Hannibal Tavares, Tom Gentry and Jack Lord -- all are gone on the road from which there is no return. Hawaii is so much the poorer for having lost them. But we are also richer, for their considerable contributions to the quality of our lives.I feel blessed for having known them and would like to share a few lines from "Rell's Song," written more than five years ago by Guy Tseu, an outstanding Hawaiian musician and composer who also died recently, at age 41.
Guy described Rell, who was fighting cancer, as "a beacon...an inspiration to keep the faith. Your spirit's true, and your heart is the same. Children love you, you taught them well."
He could have been writing about any one or all five of these fine citizens of Hawaii nei. They will all be missed, but remembered.
Keith Haugen
(Via the Internet)
Politicians had better clean up their acts, or else
Attention, lawmakers at all levels. The American people have contracted with you to represent us in the areas of health, job security, taxes, education, public safety and national security. We are not paying you to pursue sex scandals, no matter how entertaining.If we dissected your private lives before choosing you as a representative, guess what? Most of you would not be where you are today.
To make this simpler, perhaps we could institute this system: Everyone should wear letters representing their approach to life, for example: A -- Adulterer, K -- Kinky, PH -- Power Hungry, PM -- Power Mad, L -- Lazy, P -- Pompous, H -- Hypocrite, and the the general application of S -- Stupid.
We could then dispense with wasting taxpayer dollars. Let me suggest that you actually start working for improved social conditions or you may find yourselves all wearing the insignia "OOO" -- Out Of Office!
Gina Maria Lay
Only now are the media being critical of Clinton
The sorry state of American journalism has been clearly illustrated, yet again, by the media frenzy over Bill Clinton's most recent sex scandal.The very same reporters who subtly downplayed much more serious issues like Whitewater, the misuse of FBI files, the suspicious death of Vince Foster and the subsequent disappearance -- and mysterious reappearance -- of his personal files are now falling over themselves to get juicy tidbits about Clinton's sexual escapades.
Apparently, all the president's previous misdeeds just weren't newsworthy enough. No, he can lie about illegal campaign funds, abuse his office for personal gain and demonstrate indifference to the Constitution he swore to uphold, and the media merely mention it in passing.
We have come to expect so little from our rulers in the way of personal integrity that only their sleaziest crimes catch the public's attention.
Scott Maruoka
Media overkill of scandal makes mockery of system
Everywhere I turn, it's the presidential sex scandal with former intern Monica Lewinsky. Give me a break from this overblown overkill.If it's just about his alleged affairs, big deal. He's not God, he's human. Who the hell are we to sit in moralistic judgment? His philandering has nothing to do with how effectively he runs the country.
And by the way, he still does have to run the country. The media and the public are interfering with his presidential obligations and making a tabloid mockery out of our government for the whole world to see.
If, however, it's about his ordering others to lie under oath, then that's against the law and should be addressed -- when the matter comes up and not beforehand with endless gossipy speculation.
You'd think O.J. was on trial again...
Carol Banks Weber
(Via the Internet)
Travel guide publisher does excellent work
I applaud the efforts of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, particularly its travel guide, "The Islands of Aloha," and more to the point the efforts of the guide's publisher, Plan B. The Canadian company is trying to ensure that any Hawaiian words used within the guide are written in their correct context, including diacritical markings.As a Hawaiian language teacher, I think Plan B is doing a great job. Unfortunately, it has come under unwarranted criticism for use of certain words in its guide, particularly the use of ma uka (toward the mountains) and ma kai (toward the ocean) as two separate words in each case.
Most commonly seen as one word, makai and mauka, these words most definitely can be written separately -- "ma" being a preposition and uka meaning inland, kai meaning sea. In their most "correct" usage, they are two separate words.
Those businesses and companies in the forefront of using the Hawaiian language correctly, especially in its written form, often open themselves up to sharp criticism. Companies such as Plan B and the HVCB should be applauded for their efforts.
Liana K. Iaea Honda
(Via the Internet)
Hawaii must raise age of sexual consent
The age of consent in Hawaii regarding statutory rape is nothing less than scandalous. As of two years ago, only one other state was foolish enough to have it at age 14, as does our state.Fourteen states have the good sense to set it at 18. A 17-year-old person cannot legally buy cigarettes, but someone three years younger can consent to sex -- and the often much-older perpetrator need not fear the law.
The people of Hawaii should demand a new law which would protect much better our young people from human predators.
Stanley W. Philbrick
Kaneohe
Bishop Estate Archive
Want to write a letter to the editor? Let all Star-Bulletin readers know what you think. Please keep your letter to about 200 words. You can send it by e-mail to letters@starbulletin.com or you can fill in the online form for a faster response. Or print it and mail it to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or fax it to: 523-8509. Always be sure to include your daytime phone number.