San Fran hasn’t suffered
from its ‘gay’ atmosphere

Anyone who thinks that being a gay-friendly place means that tourists will stay away needs to look at a certain mainland city that will always, regardless of what happens in Hawaii, be the gay capital of the world. I am speaking, of course, of San Francisco, the planet's most-visited tourist destination.

Despite the fact that we gays and lesbians have been getting married in our beautiful city for years (in churches and synagogues, even), those pesky hetero-tourists continue to return year after year. They parade around in tacky sweatshirts purchased at Pier 39 and shout, "Look, Harvey. There's a couple of 'em there!" when they see a same-sex couple walking down the street. We ignore them while they fill our cash registers.

Since we only have children when we really want them, we have lots and lots of vacation money to throw around. Therefore my partner of almost three years and I make sure that our vacation money goes to people who are on our side.

We boycott our own former home states of Arizona and Utah for their hate-filled political stances and spend our money instead in places like Northern Europe, New Zealand, Washington state, Massachusetts and, of course, Hawaii.

Please don't make us cross your lovely state off our list.

Chad E. Daniels
San Francisco, Calif.

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Beating of Chicago cop
hurt everyone in Hawaii

I had to give myself some time to digest the outcome of the trial of the young men who viciously beat a Chicago police officer. They dramatically affected not only the life of the victim but Hawaii in general.

The letter from the foreman of the jury indicated that the lesser verdicts were based upon the law. The fact that this victim was beaten to a pulp was not taken into consideration, just the robbery. This is very difficult to believe.

Do our laws need changing? Then get with it. Do we need jurors to cease agreeing that "(the defendants) did not mean to do this" and that "they are good boys"? Good grief - they did his horrendous crime. The punishment does not fit.

We continue to see graphs printed in the newspapers regarding how much money and days visitors spend in Hawaii. Absolutely disgusting. Remember, visitors can read and it is demeaning to view them as dollar signs.

What we should be doing is printing what we are doing to make vacations safe and pleasant. Forget the stupid graphs. Hawaii can entice more visitors from all over the world by getting a handle on the con men and the thugs.

Nancy Jeffs

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Clinton, Cayetano
better not abuse their ‘House’

In Washington, we have President Clinton and crew arrogantly using the White House to raise questionable money for both the Democratic National Committee and his own legal defense fund.

Their offer of access for money has a name, more often heard in the context of nocturnal Waikiki activities. We know that this kind of business is not out of character for him.

In Honolulu, the same kind of activity in Washington Place is defended as occurring within the confines of Governor Cayetano's "residence."

Both of these gentlemen need to be reminded that they are tenants in Houses owned and revered by the people. They asked to live there, and there are conditions for their tenancies.

If they don't like those conditions, they have the option to move out.

Robert R. Kessler

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Teen-aged terror on wheel
better learn vital lesson

Just the other night, a late-model sports vehicle drove into our small cul-de-sac (which many of our neighbors had decorated brightly for Christmas) and, tires screeching, raced several times around our medial area.

Alert neighbors called police. The teen-aged driver and her friends defended themselves: "We only did this once!" and "We were only looking at the Christmas lights!"

Regrettably, our point we were making to that young driver was missed: that when she took into her hands those car keys, she also took a great privilege and a greater responsibility.

The privilege, hopefully, she earned; the responsibility, she was entrusted with. This responsibility includes the safekeeping of herself, her car and, just as important, that of the friends who ride with her.

She is also responsible to those pedestrians around her (there were many young families walking around our cul-de-sac admiring the Christmas lights). While the driver resented having the police officers verbally reprimand her, perhaps she should have been grateful for the "second chance."

Just last year in Mililani, in two separate car accidents, two teen-aged drivers were killed. Probable cause: speeding.

Myra Taketa
Mililani

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