Protect Our Constitution is a coalition of groups
In your July 30 issue, an otherwise comprehensive and well-crafted news article mischaracterized Protect Our Constitution as a "gay-rights group." In actuality, it is a broad-based coalition of religious, civic and professional groups that care about maintaining our Bill of Rights.Our coalition includes the Japanese American Citizens League, the League of Women's Voters and the National Association of Social Workers-Hawaii Chapter, to name just a few. We initially came together to oppose the call for a constitutional convention, and later added opposition to the constitutional amendment because we believe that discrimination against one group is discrimination against us all.
Jackie Young
Campaign Coordinator
Protect Our Constitution
Manoa Valley has already been desecrated by many
In her July 28 letter, Kim Leong presumed that Manoa residents do not want Hawaiian Electric's high voltage lines in the valley because we are "self-serving rich people." Most of us who live here are far from rich. As for being self-serving, Leong needs to get some facts straight.Manoa Valley already has power lines strung along its mountains, which have faced so much scarring in recent history. We still live with the scar on Pu'u Luahine that Joe Pao left us in the early 1960s. Because of his bulldozing, we lost an irreplaceable maile lau li'ili'i reserve, native ferns and ohia lehua trees.
The waterfalls in the mountains do not flow anymore, even on rainy days, due to "progress." Queen Kaahumanu's home site is lost forever because of construction, and her sacred bathing pool was filled in and paved over to create a street.
Now Waahila Ridge is expected to be sacrificed. Along this ridge line is a geological feature that is noted in mythology of our valley. This unique area is recounted in the legend of Kahalaopuna. Even King Kalakaua found it important enough to note in his published version of this age-old myth.
Power lines will mar and destroy this site and our sense of place. Another piece of history will be further obliterated.
J. Kimo Alama Keaulana
Burying lines underground is not the ideal solution
In response to Diane Chang's July 31 column, I agree that it is desirable to install utility lines underground. However, if we force Hawaiian Electric Co. to spend the extra millions of dollars required to place the entire proposed Kamoku-Pukele transmission line underground, it will follow a different route and the existing overhead transmission lines on Waahila Ridge will remain just as they are today.If it is worthwhile for each of us to pay a few more dollars a month to place utility lines underground, those limited dollars should not be squandered on one or two costly transmission line projects.
It would be far more cost effective -- and result in a much greater environmental improvement for the neighborhoods where people actually live -- to have the Public Utilities Commission authorize Heco, GTE Hawaiian Tel and Oceanic Cable to initiate an affordable program to bury their existing lower voltage distribution lines, particularly those large black view-obstructing telephone cables.
Alan Lloyd
Engineer
Kailua
Airport situation shows need for Waimano Home
According to your July 16 story, homeless people are being ousted from the airport area, yet state Rep. Cynthia Thielen, R-49th Dist., wrote a letter to the editor about the closing next year of Waimano Home and the displacement of its developmentally disabled residents.The airport homeless story noted that many of these people are mentally handicapped. Their plight originated years ago when politicians got on the "mainstreaming" bandwagon. The argument was that institutionalization was "dehumanizing" and therefore hospitals for the mentally handicapped were to be closed and their residents relocated to halfway houses and other such "humane" places. But what, in fact, happened was that many of these residents found themselves forced to live on the streets.
With that hindsight, can any reasonable person argue that Waimano Home is "dehumanizing" and that its residents should be "mainstreamed" into the community?
Alvin Nakamura
How can Christians back pro-choice Lingle?
Your Aug. 3 article on same-sex marriage highlights the spiritual bankruptcy of many who profess the Christian faith.How can Christians, who adamantly oppose same-sex marriage, even consider voting for a pro-choice candidate like Maui Mayor Linda Lingle? Is the killing of the innocent less offensive than same-sex marriage?
These "pick-and-choose" Christians proclaim to stand for righteousness on certain subjects, while completely ignoring other injustices. Yet, God said that we should abhor all sin.
For these Christians, to hide behind the label of "politically pragmatic" in order to vote for a person who advocates a pro-choice stance is tantamount to spiritual cowardice. It reeks of carnality that is offensive to God.
I can hear the shouts of "hypocrite" echoing throughout Hawaii.
Randy Dela Cruz
Aiea
Stan Koki would be ideal Republican running mate
Stan Koki should be the Republican choice for lieutenant governor because he will best help Linda Lingle become governor.The two main reasons he has my support are:
Stan will broaden the base of the Lingle campaign. At his recent fund-raiser, more than 2,000 people from different walks of life, different cultures and ages were in attendance.
As chairman of Pat Saiki's campaign, I saw first-hand their efforts on her behalf. Stan's supporters will help provide the grass-roots work that will be essential for Lingle's victory in November.
All of you voters considering voting for Linda Lingle should also consider Stan Koki.
Franklin Kometani
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