Monica has spoiled namesake for others

There are names in this ever-expanding world of commercialization that conjure up instantaneous reactions. For instance, doesn't "Barbara" automatically suggest Streisand?

Now comes Monica! Is my name now relinquished to infamy?

Saint Monica (The Adviser) of North Africa was the quintessential wife and mother. How ironic that a woman like Monica Lewinsky exemplifies the opposite qualities for which Saint Monica reached sainthood.

Now I am astounded by the almost profane connotation of my name. Perhaps reciting the Litany of the Saints would be in order.

Monika Soroka

Reubyne shouldn't have been returned to Pada

In recent letters to the editor about Mackey Feary, people have written that addiction is a disease and that someone who is addicted can't quit and needs special care to recover.

If addiction is a disease, then why did Child Protective Services continually return Reubyne Buentipo Jr. to his mother, Kimberly Pada? She beat her child regularly and even more so when she was on drugs. So why give Reubyne back to her?

I know that the state's philosophy is to do what is in "the best interest of the child" and to return him or her to a biological parent. But is it really in their best interests when their parents are addicted to drugs, have been incarcerated numerous times and have a history of physical abuse?

Leah Taylor
Mililani

Refusing to incriminate yourself is protected

Syndicated columnist Jeff Jacoby's March 10 column defending Elia Kazan's willingness to name names before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1952 makes a critical error that mustn't pass unnoticed.

True, the American Communist Party was an arm of Stalin's foreign policy. But Jacoby misses the point when he says that refusing to testify before the committee amounted to "cooperating with the Communist Party and the Soviet Union."

What does Jacoby think the Fifth Amendment meant, if not to protect us against congressional inquisitions? If I had been summoned by the committee, I would have honored the Constitution myself and asserted my right to keep silent.

Russell Fraser

Quotables "We don't want to be known as a do-nothing Senate." David Matsuura Democratic state Senator from Hilo One of five Senate freshmen who nearly staged a leadership coup last week "A lot of people have been bashing Liberty House, but they've done a lot more good than bad. Every business goes through bad times." Leighton Lam Jeweler with Leighton Lam Design Inc. On the future of the Liberty House department store chain, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a year ago

Holt should lose his Bishop Estate job

How can Bishop Estate continue to keep disgraced ex-state Sen. Milton Holt on its payroll? The man is a convicted spouse abuser, an admitted drug addict, is awaiting trial for allegedly stealing from his campaign, and was ordered to enter a drug treatment program for repeatedly testing positive for illegal drug use while out on bond awaiting trial.

The money set aside for Holt's salary should be used to educate Hawaiian children instead of lining the pocket of someone who has clearly disgraced the good name of the late Bernice Pauahi Bishop.

What message is KS/BE sending? That character doesn't count?

Mary Command
Captain Cook, Hawaii
Via the Internet

Bus fare increase defies reason

They want to increase the bus fare to solve other problems. I would say that the majority of people who ride TheBus do so because they cannot afford a car.

Therefore, how reasonable is it that the people who can least afford it should be the ones to help solve the City & County of Honolulu's financial problems?

Caroline Dunn
Via the Internet

Give St. Louis a break from constant criticism

I find it interesting, as well as sickening, how people are so quick to judge St. Louis School. First, St. Louis is nothing near the perfect school filled with Ivy League-quality students. Nor is my alma mater a training ground for future NFL players.

St. Louis is Hawaii personified. There are mixtures of creeds, ethnic groups and even financial backgrounds. Those who attend St. Louis are not robots who march to a "pigskin ethic." Granted, there should have been a much better response by Father Pariante with respect to the discipline of a student threatening a teacher, but I find it disgusting that people would criticize the school for one lousy incident.

Noah Pekelo
Henderson, Nev.
Via the Internet

Great Aloha Run is race to be proud of

Contrary to what Star-Bulletin sports columnist Pat Bigold might believe, the Great Aloha Run (GAR) is not about winning and losing, the number of participants or the offering of prize money.

Now in its 15th year, GAR is a mega-event involving more than 20,000 participants annually. It promotes a healthy, nutritional and physically fit lifestyle. Concurrently, it raises needed funds for scholarship programs and special projects of selected charitable organizations.

GAR, a charitable event, is recognized nationally as one of the "100 Great Road Races." This has given the event the earned notoriety of a volunteer-based but professionally organized run.

From the elite runner to the physically challenged, young child to adult, teen to senior citizen, their reward is the feeling of accomplishment in a well-orchestrated event and the personal pride of doing it for a worthy cause.

They come together to make the Great Aloha Run what it really is: an event for everyone.

Carole Kai
Race Promoter
Great Aloha Run
Editor's note: This letter was also signed by members of the Carole Kai Charities Inc. board of directors, whose members are, in addition to Kai, Doc Buyers, Jean K. Hagi, Rene Mansho, Mike McCartney, Lawrence Okinaga, H. Howard Stephenson, J. Hans Strasser, and Alan Y. Sunio.

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