Ireland tragedy touches everyone

Thank you for your series of stories on Dana Ireland and the unresolved tragedy of her death. Your newspaper has been instrumental in keeping this issue alive and not letting it be ignored, the way so many of the people involved (including the Big Island police) wish.

You remind us all of the unique life that was lost that day. And you remind us of what all of us, not just the Ireland family, have lost. We all lost some of our humanity when we let that girl die, and when we took our sweet "Hawaii time" to get help to her.

We continue to lose that humanity. I heard someone recently say, "Well, why was she riding her bicycle there in the first place?" Is that what we have come to in Hawaii? If visitors dare ride their bikes along our beaches, are they fair game? Is this the aloha spirit we talk so much about?

Elizabeth Thompson
Kaneohe
Via the Internet

Hawaii's economy is based on tourism

Neil Frazer's June 3 letter to the editor and David Frankel's May 28 View Point column both contain choice statements of demagoguery and economic ignorance:

"In Hawaii, we tax all businesses except one -- tourism."
"How greedy can wealthy hotel owners be?"
"The tourism industry took $55 million of our tax money to subsidize (its) marketing efforts."
"The tourism industry demands the state spend our money to expand airports to accelerate tourism."

More than half of everyone's income directly or indirectly comes from tourism. Another big chunk comes from military spending, which "reimburses" all the federal taxes we pay and then some, which once again came from tourism. Every other economic activity comes in a distant third.

Bruce Wong

Quotables "We've sort of evolved from a caterpillar to the butterfly stage." Diane Quitiquit Hawaii Tourism Authority chairwoman On how the HTA is almost through with its groundwork and ready to start implementation of its tourism promotion and development plan. "We're too preoccupied with fighting with the administration, too preoccupied with arguing amongst ourselves, and we did not involve the public until too late in the budget deliberations." Jon Yoshimura Honolulu city council chairman On how the Council dealt with the operating and capital improvement budgets

Kalihi never gets a break from city

It's a shame that Kalihi Valley pool has been closed to the community without advance notice. Something should have been done sooner.

Kalihi is always shortchanged and dumped on. We have the prison, the bus maintenance yard, low-income housing and homeless shelters, yet we don't have sidewalks, curbs or gutters on many of our streets. Now, the only public swimming pool in the Kalihi area has been closed since April.

Since the mayor lives in Kalihi, you would think he would be taking better care of the area. But I understand that the mayor wants to park all the city rubbish trucks in Kalihi under the freeway viaduct.

Not if City Councilwoman Donna Kim has anything to do with it. She is responsible for getting greedy council members to put the money back into the budget to fix the Kalihi Valley pool, and is fighting to get the rubbish trucks parked elsewhere.

Lorna Chang Agcaoili

Mirikitani is acting like a Republican

We are lucky to have Andy Mirikitani on the City Council guarding everyone's personal private morality. As a resident of his district, I can rest easier knowing that this CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN will never give up.

Geesh!

Dave Dengler
Via the Internet

Reviewer underrated Cafe Monsarrat

Nadine Kam missed the mark with her lukewarm June 3 review of Cafe Monsarrat. During my four visits, Cafe Monsarrat served creative but solid fare. I particularly enjoyed the conch chowder, which, contrary to Kam's review, was prepared Caribbean style, not overdone or "pummeled." Cumin curry flavors perfectly complimented the tasty conch.

The garam masala plantains were exquisite and not overly seasoned. With so many other spicy taste textures on hand, the tame chicken sausages provided savory counterpoint. The review also omitted Cafe Monsarrat's extraordinary escargots over polenta with tequila-lime beurre blanc.

The paella was ample, authentic, moist -- redolent of saffron and fresh fish broth. Desserts were extraordinary, reminiscent of Passot's creations at La Folie in San Francisco. The wine list was small but balanced. (I'm told several new wines are on order.) Service was graceful and convivial.

Cafe Monsarrat deserves a follow-up review.

Ken Cribbs
Via the Internet

Regulating guns is also unconstitutional

Your June 2 editorial's opposition to possible regulation of the entertainment industry shows your hypocrisy. Regulating that type of exposure is no different than the regulation of guns, which you favor. Doesn't the Second Amendment demand as much respect as the First?

If we lose the right to defend ourselves, our First Amendment rights are in peril. We should treat the Bill of Rights equally, and protect each and every one of them from the tyranny of an overactive government.

Victor Moss
Makakilo
Via the Internet

Only bows and arrows should be allowed

I have never quite understood the need for anyone other than law enforcement and military personnel to carry firearms. I am positive the founding fathers had no clue that this "right" would evolve to the point where average citizens find need to arm themselves with automatic and semi-automatic weaponry designed for one thing: mass killing.

I propose a ban on all but single-shot flint locks for the private citizen. Gun enthusiasts can retain their feeling of power and excitement, and the general public can rest a bit easier knowing that mass killings, aided by easy access to high-powered weapons, will become a thing of the past.

Better yet, let's define "arms" as bows and arrows. They are hard to hide and their reload time would play havoc with those inclined to commit the horrific crimes we seem plagued with today.

S.L. Stevens
Ewa Beach
Via the Internet

Legislature Directory
Hawaii Revised Statutes

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