Democrats have forgotten the rights of the people
Your July 27 story about Democratic Party support of Ben Cayetano's re-election in the face of increased support for Linda Lingle clearly defined what is wrong with Hawaii.The party that has monopolized power for 40 years sees selfishness as the basis for public opposition to the governor's plans to raise excise taxes. Turk Tokita voices disappointment with small business and says small business should be happy to pay even more taxes to "help government."
This attitude reflects a stunning disregard for what is wrong with Hawaii's economy. The answer to our current problems should not be couched in what more we can do for government, but what an arrogant and bloated government should be doing for our failing economy.
So far, this administration has done nothing except to ask for more of our money. These people have forgotten who works for whom. They need reminding.
Robert R. Kessler
Reading to child is nice, but it's not pertinent
I heard gubernatorial candidate Linda Lingle say the other day that she will be sure to place resources where they belong in our school system and that she knows about this because she has been reading to children at a school over the years.Sorry, Linda, but being a reading tutor doesn't qualify you to make the hard decisions that need to be made to improve our schools. Governor Cayetano may not be good at tooting his own horn, but he is truly committed to improving our schools.
He knows personally how important education is to the future of our community, and his recent funding decisions are strong evidence of his commitment.
Mildred Saito
State was very helpful to magazine publisher
On reading your July 28 editorial on Aloha magazine, I became very concerned that your newspaper is not aware that the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau is not a government agency. HVCB is a private entity that is contracted by the state to provide marketing and promotion services in support of Hawaii's visitor industry.Contrary to your editorial, the state administration did not participate in the decision by HVCB to award publishing rights for HVCB's travel planner, "Islands of Aloha," to an out-of-state firm. This was a decision made by HVCB after a competitive selection process.
My department did assist Aloha publisher Rick Davis. We examined whether a capital loan would be feasible, and asked HVCB leadership to sit down with Davis to discuss what might be possible in terms of business opportunities with HVCB.
Seiji F. Naya
Director, Department of Business,
Economic Development & Tourism
When he puckers up, offer a hand instead of a cheek
Diane Yukihiro Chang may be onto something with her objection to kissy greetings (Aug. 3), but as usual she sees a sexist behind every bush. What in the world does kissing a woman on the cheek have to do with dissing her self worth?I don't like to be kissed as a greeting by strangers or near strangers because it is too familiar a gesture, period, not because it has anything to do with putting me in my "place" as a downtrodden female! But what's the alternative, a bone-crunching handshake like men give each other?
I guess, thanks to the efforts of the Yukihiro Changs of the world, many men are doing exactly as she would wish. They definitely do not see me as a woman with hands very much different than theirs and they shake my fragile fingers with the same gusto as they would some construction worker's burly paws.
So what's a poor '90s kinda guy to do? Here's a suggestion. Gently take my outstretched hand and brush your lips past my fingers -- yeah, just like they used to do in the old days before we were so wonderfully "liberated!"
Annie Burns
Trustees are trying to pull a fast one
First, a group of Bishop Estate trustees usurp President Michael Chun's authority to run Kamehameha Schools and enrage the faculty by their arrogant behavior.Then they spend $40,000 to hand pick a consultant to say Chun is not an effective school leader and that he is the cause of the faculty forming a union. How stupid do they think the people of Hawaii are?
Chun is the kind of outstanding leader and role model our young people deserve. No one with an IQ exceeding their shoe size will buy into this latest charade.
Don Anderson
Alliance for mentally ill has a local affiliate
There was a glaring omission in the otherwise helpful Aug. 1 article, "This way lies madness." NAMI OAHU at 591-1297 is the local affiliate of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. As advocates for the treatment of persons who have serious mental illness, we are an important source of help to those in need of assistance.Marion Poirier
Executive Director, NAMI OAHU
Mortimer was right to show UNLV the door
UNLV football coach Jeff Horton doesn't "know why (UH) president (Ken Mortimer) would want to alienate" the defecting schools? Who's alienating whom?What the defecting WAC schools did and how they did it shows their leaders have the character of belly-crawling reptiles. Mortimer is right to give the defectors an educated man's version of the finger.
C. Watase
U.S. penchant for tearing down leaders is confusing
I was not born in the U.S., but I have lived here for 30 years. The American system of politics and justice has long confused me. When a party or a president is elected by a majority of the voters, instead of permitting them to concentrate on running the country, the losing party starts working to unseat them in the next election by blocking every beneficial improvement they attempt to pass.Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr was chosen to lead such an attack on the basis of some alleged wrongdoings at a place called Whitewater. He was given unlimited taxpayer funds and instructed to "get" the president. When he didn't make too much progress, it was decided to switch the attack to sexual misconduct.
I don't condone the alleged sexual misconduct, but what has that to do with the original investigation on which millions of taxpayer dollars have already been spent?
Apparently the Republicans thought they had a better chance of impeaching the president with sexual misconduct charges. Now the president is facing perjury charges because he didn't boast about an alleged affair with a 21-year-woman.
Ronald Reagan lied under oath several times on a far more serious matter of national security.
The majority of Americans are far more concerned with the present prosperity than with President Clinton's alleged lying under oath, even if it is true.
Eric Harrison
Prosecutor's abuses are weakening presidency
For too long, the Americans have stood by powerless, unable to stop the serious deterioration of our standard of justice. Prosecution is weakening our executive branch, leaving our country's security vulnerable.This cancerous activity is akin to the communist plots of yesterday to overthrow the government of the United States. It must come to a halt.
Prosecutorial discretion is the fair judgment of any matter warranting such an investigation. History will show that Kenneth Starr has chosen to pursue a matter that has no place in our system of justice.
Whether or not the Office of the President is above the law is not the point. This matter should not have been pursued until Clinton's term was finished.
Starr's campaign of smut must be stopped now. Only you and I can do it.
Dennis W. Noe
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