Candy cane symbolizes life and death of Christ
During this busy holiday season, it is easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas. However, the candy cane was invented for the express purpose of remembering Christ's story.An Indiana candy-maker started with a stick of pure, white candy to symbolize the virgin birth and sinless life of Jesus. The candy cane's hardness represents the firmness of God's promises.
It is in a "J" shape to stand for the name "Jesus" and to symbolize the staff of the Good Shepherd, who rescues those who have gone astray.
The blood of Christ, that was shed on the cross for us, is symbolized by the red stripes along the cane. Through his blood, we have the promise of eternal life; by these stripes, we are healed.
The candy cane is not a meaningless decoration but a reminder of the love of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year.
Paula Maeda
Wedding chapel precedent threatens neighborhoods
Having been defeated by residents from building a Las Vegas-type wedding chapel at Diamond Head, the same developer has turned to the Walker Estate in Nuuanu for his project.In this residential zoning, he proposes to use the historic structure clause of the conditional use law but illegally wants to use commercial activity to do so. He is asking the City Council to bypass the law to accommodate the operation.
To use this permit to allow the buyer to operate a purely for-profit commercial operation is in violation of the land use ordinance. We look to the Council to uphold the law.
There will be an open meeting on this topic on Monday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m. at Maemae Elementary School. If a precedent is set for manipulating the land-use law, other neighborhoods could be next.
Christine Abedor
Fired actress should just get another job
Your Dec. 26 editorial on pregnant actress Hunter Tylo, who was fired from "Melrose Place" when she became pregnant, is right on the mark regarding one point: The callous remark allegedly made about her having an abortion.But you overlook the fact that Tylo is in a profession that depends heavily on appearance.
If she hadn't met the requisite physical criteria for portraying a "vixen," she would not have been given the part, regardless of her acting ability.
Tylo is entitled to her desire to be a mother, but she should also accept the fact that many things in life require choices be made. She chose motherhood and the producers chose to find another actress.
Being denied this role does not mean the end of her career. At age 34, very attractive and presumably a capable actress, Tylo certainly will be able to obtain many more acting roles -- and probably have more children.
George Lapnow
Cliffside Park, N.J.
(Via the Internet)
Aloha Bowl got hype help from cooperative media
I know that the media try their best to support the Aloha Bowl, but they should stick to the facts rather than be part of the hype.Two days before the game, Perry and Price reported that there were only 6,000 tickets left and that Mariah Carey would sing at halftime.
Most of the TV sportscasters (Channel 2's sports director being one of the exceptions) reported that the game was 5,000-6,000 short of being a sellout.
One newspaper noted an anticipated crowd of 40,000. The person I phoned at the stadium's box office said that there wasn't an official ticket count but that, according to a radio station, there were only 5,000 tickets left.
It was announced at the game that the crowd count was 34,419. From my end-zone perch, it looked more like 25,000.
The next day, the newspapers reported the 34,419 turnstile count. A reporter did qualify the number by writing "an announced turnstile count of..."
One newspaper even noted the number of tickets that were reportedly "distributed."
The point is that the media played along with the highly suspicious numbers fed to them.
Who knows, in the Christmas spirit, the turnstiles may have been clicking in the ghosts of Aloha Bowl crowds past and maybe even the image of Mariah Carey.
Richard Y. Will
Kanno has some explaining to do on work comp reform
I distinctly recall that, at the end of the 1997 legislative session, State Sen. Brian Kanno clearly promised that he would hold hearings to discuss the workers compensation reform that he had previously bottled up as committee chairman.Either I missed the announcement of the public hearings that were held or Senator Kanno held them privately with UPW head Gary Rodrigues and came to the conclusion that no changes were necessary.
In either case, Senator Kanno owes the public an explanation as to what his intentions are with regard to finally bringing this issue forward for public scrutiny rather than for him to continue hiding behind closed doors and hoping that the public will forget his promises.
Garry P. Smith
Ewa Beach
1998 is year for Hawaii to determine its destiny
Hawaii politics is totally screwed up. All we have are greedy politicians who care only about themselves. I'm tired of their empty promises about how they're going to turn the economy around.They also say that they are getting Hawaii ready for the 21st century! How can they be doing that when they are cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from education? Aren't the children our future?
I say that, in this coming election year, we take back our state and bring Hawaii back to its glory. We must stop listening to lies and vote for the ones who actually did good for the people. We must look at their track records and not listen to their hoopla!
I'm only 21 years old and see how bad Hawaii is. I voted when I turned 18 and urge all other young voters to come out and vote in 1998!
Let this be the year in which we decide Hawaii's future and not leave it in the hands of the careless and ungrateful who now run the state.
Not all of them are like that, but we know the ones who are. So they better start packing because their days are numbered!
Thomas Palpallatoc
Nanakuli
(Via the Internet)Justices' decision doesn't inspire public confidence
The appearance of the justices backing away from their selection of Bishop Estate trustees does little to inspire confidence in their proclaimed impartiality and ability to isolate their own political selection from their function as judges.If they made their trustee selections in good faith, determined them to be the best available, were unanimous in their decision, and consequently four of the five trustees are ultimately removed, perhaps the justices should reflect on their motivation in making the selections.
I would expect at least that from the highest court in the state.
D. Komuro
(Via the Internet)
Bishop Estate Archive
Rainbow was fitting tribute to beloved, belated pet cat
This morning, at 8:50 a.m., I sighted the most beautiful rainbow over the horizon, beyond my home office and directly above the backyard grave of Puddle, our beloved 12-year-old smoky turquoise Persian cat.She passed away around 5 p.m. on Dec. 22. Earlier, I had her beside me in my office and finally in my bedroom, crying and telling her how much I loved her.
The sun came through the window and strangely covered only her listless body.
The rainbow lasted five minutes because rain clouds covered half of it the rest of the time. There were five distinct colors in this order: orange, yellow, green, blue and lavender.
I hope the University of Hawaii will take note and add lavender to its Rainbow logo.
Jane Watanabe
Pearl City
DiLorenzo's real motive was obvious at rally
Hawaii has already witnessed the type of political action that Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo espouses (View Point, Dec. 19) in the form of the "hatefest" at the state Capitol last Jan. 24. It was orchestrated and supported, by among others, DiLorenzo.School children and college students were bused in under duress from Laie and elsewhere under the guise of protecting marriage, but that rally had an overtly hostile tone and intent.
Just ask any of the people who witnessed those antics on that day.
If this is the type of political leadership that we can expect from Bishop DiLorenzo, i.e. hate and fear-mongering, I suggest that he, his church and his religious allies be allowed to participate in the political process -- but only if they pay their full fair share in the form of taxes on church property, on perks such as free housing, free travel, free food, free clothing, free education, income taxes and taxes on the offerings from collection plates, like the rest of us are expected to do.
Then, and only then, should we welcome him to the table.
Martin Rice
Kapaa, Kauai
(Via the Internet)
More care must be taken to preserve the heiau
When I was young, I learned Hawaiian values and traditions. I heard many stories about heiau. Then one day I got to see a very important one on the Big Island. When I got back here, though, I found many Oahu heiau are being destroyed.When a heiau is demolished, children lose the opportunity to learn about old Hawaiian traditions.
Why is that a problem? Three reasons. If heiau are torn down, kids can't learn about worshipping. We also lose important artifacts that can enhance knowledge.The heiau may be sacred and, if demolished, could mean bad luck. Finally, once a heiau is protected, the community should hold a clean-up every month to maintain and keep it presentable for the public.
This way, the students of Hawaii will learn more about Hawaiian traditions.
Dariel Hoapili
Waianae
Let's take pride in our unique ethnic backgrounds
The Dec. 20 View Point by James I. Kuroiwa recycled the old "melting pot" argument -- that somehow "American" means an amalgam of all who have come to this country, overrunning my ancestors who were here first. "American" means different things to various folk, to be sure!Kuroiwa's adult life has largely been since statehood in 1959, a year before I came here. Statehood gave Hawaii more of a voice in shaping its future than previous paternalistic governments had afforded.
The age of hypenated-Americans is upon us, and no amount of verbal naysaying will alter this fact. Some may be content to "be good old Americans." Others believe the word really means "good old white, European-descended-values Americans."
We wish to celebrate the native peoples of this land and their lives and contributions, and the contributions of those "Americans" whose ancestors came from Africa, Asia and the Hispanic world.
There is nothing wrong with calling oneself simply "American." But neither is it bad to emphasize those parts of us that refer to antecedents other than Europe!
Willis H.A. Moore
Economic plan penalizes Hawaii's senior citizens
In discussion of the proposed economic stimulus package, mention has been made of the "inevitable" economic boost to our state by a 5.25 percent increase of our excise tax, coupled with the reduction in the state income tax rate.What about the residents of this state who pay no income tax? These are not just the very poor. There is a sizable group, many of whom are senior citizens, who currently pay no income tax.
For them, a 30 percent increase in the excise tax is very significant. They will reap no benefit from an income tax reduction. These citizens, myself included, have retired and receive income solely from pension plans and Social Security!
Hawaii is one of a few states that does not subject pension income to the state income tax. Thus, with the proposed economic incentive plan, these citizens have no offsetting income tax rate reduction.
It may well be that retirees should not get a complete break from state income tax. But, in a democratic society, let this proposal be brought out into the open, debated and decided.
John Pearson
Kailua
Bishop Estate Archive
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