Library book-buying scheme
needs to be terminated now

Would Liberty House ever tell their vendors "just send us whatever dresses you think we'd like"? Would the Air Force tell McDonnell-Douglas, "just send jets"? Would you walk into an ice-cream store and have the servers pick whatever flavor they like for you?

Well, this is exactly what Bart Kane is allowing his book supplier Baker & Taylor to do for the public libraries. Also, Baker & Taylor is charging $20 per book, which is outrageous considering that most book suppliers give discounts from 10 percent to 42 percent per book. The average cost of a new book in my school library is approximately $11 - supplied by Baker & Taylor!

Librarians are required to take courses in bibliography and book selection as a part of their master's degree. It's a librarian's job to know the wants of his or her clientele and the needs of the library so that the right books end up on the shelves, not just for borrowing, but for good reference services (which Kane says he wants to "free" librarians to do).

It's a bookseller's job to sell the most books for the most money. These two interests will never coincide.

It's time for Kane to start allowing the librarians to resume their rightful jobs in selecting books for the public libraries. He should terminate this contract with Baker & Taylor immediately.

Beverly J. Katz
Master of Library Service
Kailua

Voters must decide length
of quarantine for animals

The quarantine issue - shortening the time animals must stay in the quarantine station when coming to Hawaii - seems to be such a politically motivated issue. Ben Cayetano stated a long time ago that he would do everything in his power to shorten or do away with this system that we are fortunate to have.

He has done what he set out to do with the help of state veterinarian Dr. Cal Lum, who I'm sure has some other motive for going against all the other veterinarians to help get this fiasco pushed through.

Less than 1 percent of this island's population utilizes that quarantine station. Why are we jeopardizing the future safety of Hawaii because of temporary citizens and breeders, who have their own selfish motives for shortening the length of the quarantine?

Let the voters decide this issue.

Adrienne Wilson-Yamasaki
Wahiawa
(Via the Internet)

God is not panicking
over same-sex marriage

"If this state legalizes same-sex marriage, I'm moving to the mainland."

"Remember what happened to Sodom? That's what will happen to Hawaii."

"Traditional marriage will never be the same if homosexuals are allowed to wed."

This is some of the gloom and doom coming from the lips of concerned conservative Christians. I'm not in favor of same-sex marriage myself, but neither am I about to push the panic button.

I can't believe for one second that if Hawaii legalizes same-sex marriage, society is going to hell in a hand-basket.

What will make a difference is our attitude. God is not some cosmic energy to be programmed whenever an event doesn't turn out the way we want.

The Bible teaches that "all things work together for good to those who love God." God is not in heaven experiencing anxiety attacks over the issue of same-sex marriage. Why then are we?

Rich Wilbur

Gay marriage supporters
were screaming obscenities

Carolyn Golojuch's Jan. 24 letter was replete with the buzz words of an ultra-liberal attempt to vilify any person or group who does not meekly knuckle under to vociferous intimidation tactics, including a carload of females who circled the state Capitol on Jan. 24, screaming obscenities at an assembly of voters exercising their freedom of speech.

Representatives are elected by the majority of voters, and serve at the pleasure of and for the majority. In a democracy the majority rules.

Members of minorities (and I belong to several) usually learn how to cope with being in a minority without resorting to distasteful methods to get their points recognized.

When representatives propose and vote on proposed legislations, they will never please everybody. Just because they don't please Golojuch is no reason to accuse them of being a kangaroo court full of discrimination and oppression.

Edward Novak
Mililani

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Same-sex archive