Cruelty to animals means feral cats, too

Bradford Morriseau's Feb. 11 letter openly condones the breaking of Hawaii's cruelty-to-animals law. His letter suggests that poisoning cats is justified. There is no excuse for the behavior of Stan Sakai, who was found guilty of poisoning feral cats.

We are grateful that the majority of people in Hawaii understand that the inhumane treatment of animals is against the law, because it has no place in a civilized society.

Pamela Burns
President, Hawaiian Humane Society

Appointing school board would be unfair to voters

It is true, as the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committees stated in approving the two bills granting the governor the power to appoint the school board, that the responsibility for public education in Hawaii is ambiguous. The board, the governor and the Legislature are all trying to run the Department of Education. I just can't figure out how appointing the school board will change this.

Appointing the school board only eliminates one group that wants a say in how the DOE is run: the voters. If the citizens of Hawaii cannot be trusted to elect the members of the Board of Education, they surely cannot be trusted to elect legislators and the governor.

I suppose the governor could appoint the legislators, but who could appoint the governor?

If the Legislature and governor really want to clarify who is responsible for education, the change is simple. The Legislature and governor should bow out and leave the board members to do what we elected them to do -- run the DOE.

No new bills would be necessary and it would free up a lot of time for the Legislature and governor to do what we elected them to do.

Marilyn Harris
Pearl City
(Via the Internet)

Yadao should tell all about all five trustees

Although no longer a Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate employee, it took courage for Elisa Yadao to speak out about trustee Lokelani Lindsey's behavior. Let's hope Yadao will testify and be as forthcoming concerning the removal of the other trustees.

Dan Madden

Bishop Estate Archive

If you don't like smoke, move to the mainland

It was just bad luck that there were no winds on New Year's Eve to disperse the smoke resulting from the celebrations. Those complaining should move to the mainland and celebrate with confetti, find a support group or both.

Neil Kanemoto
(Via the Internet)

Constitution doesn't include right to use fireworks

I just finished looking over the U.S. Constitution and still can't find the amendment that gives people the right to light fireworks. I guess I must have missed it.

Dennis Shotwell
(Via the Internet)

Don't leave the fate of fireworks to Legislature

According to your Feb. 24 poll, Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research Inc. of columbia, Md., interviewed 428 registered voters by phone. A total of 48 percent supported a total ban, 47 percent said "no" to a total ban and 5 percent weren't sure.

Fireworks have been a way of life in Hawaii for generations. This is one issue that should be decided by each person in Hawaii and not by our representatives.

If you want to get a better vote count have the telephone company include in the monthly bill envelope a machine-readable ballot card. Customers could return the ballot with their payment.

I believe you would have a better sampling than just 428 voters.

I still believe there should be a special island-wide vote on the issue. Which is more important: The fate of fireworks in Hawaii or the money needed for the fate of the elephants at the Honolulu Zoo?

Lester Forrest

Firecrackers are part of Chinese heritage

If those calling for a complete ban on fireworks have their way, fireworks would not be allowed for cultural purposes and the vocal minority will have won. Thus, at my wedding and at the weddings of my children, firecrackers will no longer be allowed to go along with the lion dance to wish me and future generations luck on our new endeavors.

No longer will we see firecrackers at the opening of restaurants, or during Chinese New Year. A part of Chinese culture, of island culture, will be destroyed.

The opponents of fireworks say that the numbers are on their side. Well, I have just returned from Ala Moana, where I witnessed hundreds of people enjoying an immense Chinese lion dance to ring in the Year of the Rabbit. Oh yes, and there was a string of 70,000 firecrackers, with all the smoke, noise and red paper to go along with it. The people enjoyed it, especially the firecrackers.

James Go
(Via the Internet)

View Point Fireworks Scientific Poll Results Fireworks Online Survey Results Hawaii Revised Statutes on Fireworks

Recounting phony votes doesn't make any sense

The recount of election ballots may help. But it is not enough. We need to be sure that the votes were properly cast by qualified voters.

I am told that votes were cast by people who had moved away and by people who died. To recount phony votes is not enough.

We need to re-examine the entire voting process; to correct the voting process to prevent fraud; to have voter rolls checked by the parties prior to elections; have better ballot security, and prosecute fraudulent voters.

Mark Terry

Workfare program would give recipients pride

Would it not be better to instill pride in our people with a workfare program than teaching generations to expect a handout at every turn? Welfare has turned whole generations into virtual beggars.

By instituting a workfare program we can have the cleanest streets in the nation, and this may even cut down on tourist crime. At least the people will be able to take pride in accomplishing something. The media should be a leader in workfare. The idea might even be popular with most voters and taxpayers.

Ed Harper
Waianae

QUOTABLE "This result holds a dictator accountable and finally fulfills the goal we sought in 1986 when Ferdinand Marcos fled to Honolulu from the Philippines." -- Sherry Broder, a Honolulu attorney for human rights victims, on a $150 million settlement with the Marcos family. "This will be an incredible way to end the millennium. To have the opportunity to win $5 million in a single day is staggering." -- Andrew Craig, chairman and chief executive of CART, sponsor of the richest auto race in history, to be run Nov. 13 at Barbers Point. "The question of whether one parent has actually murdered the other is about as relevant as it is possible to imagine." -- California Supreme Court Justice David Sills, ordering a new trial on whether O.J. Simpson should have custody of his children and that the trial include evidence about the murder of their mother, Nicole Brown Simpson.

Two UH athletes got different treatment

I attended the final home game for the UH women's basketball team. I was very happy to see many UH fans recognize senior B.J. Itoman's overall intelligence, genuine warmth and phenomenal athletic ability. She is truly a remarkable person. After playing her usual fantastic game against San Diego State, she stayed to the very end signing autographs and posing for pictures.

What was disappointing, however, was that there was another senior point guard, Maj Forsberg, who also played in her last home game. But Maj was never mentioned on the TV news or in the newspaper. She was given two leis and signed a couple of autographs that night, then left abruptly.

I'm sure this was not the type of ending that she expected. She came all the way from Denmark and gave all she had to the team, but was not recognized in the end.

Was this a major oversight or was there another reason? It showed very poor class and an apology should be made to her. She probably could have given her talent and trust to another team but chose UH.

Colin Kau
(Via the Internet)

Clinton made Americans ashamed of their country

We have just seen the conclusion of an impeachment process that has occupied our federal government, as well as the attention of the media and most of the public, for over a year. At this point in all these proceedings, and in my life, I am completely ashamed of the American public. I am also ashamed of:

The American press. Can you imagine the frenzy if this had been a Republican president?

Democrats in the Senate, who voted as a bloc while simultaneously accusing the Republicans of partisanship.

Female members of Congress, who are supposedly against the exploitation of women but who support one of the worst female exploiters I can remember.

Senate Republicans who backed down in their final votes for political reasons.

Those in Congress who, time after time, stated that the president's conduct was reprehensible, or unforgivable, or atrocious, but supported him anyway.

Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought I'd say this: I am ashamed of having to say that I'm an American.

R.W. Parkinson
(Via the Internet)

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