Anzai isn't a worthy substitute for Bronster

So why was former Attorney General Margery Bronster not reconfirmed? Perhaps a breeze was rattling the skeletons in the political closets. We got our money's worth with Bronster. She was definitely underpaid and overworked.

Earl Anzai as the new attorney general will prove to be a waste of public funds. So what else is new?

Jeff Kugele
Makakilo
Via the Internet

Bronster's ouster shamed Hawaii

Your July 2 article on Margery Bronster's Kelley-Wyman Award from the nation's attorneys general association quotes Governor Cayetano as saying he is proud of Bronster "and the honor she has brought to Hawaii." He is mistaken in his assessment.

Bronster brought honor to herself and her former position as attorney general. What happened to her -- the Senate not reconfirming her -- brought shame to Hawaii. And shame on the electorate for electing these officials and not ousting them.

G. Young
Makakilo
Via the Internet

Ethnic pride can lead to intolerance for others

The July 3 article by Yeh Ling-Ling about the potential for Balkanization of America was timely and unfortunately so true.

Having been born and raised in Hawaii until 1957, and growing up with the attitude of the islands being the melting pot of different ethnic groups, I am saddened by what I consider a worsening in the attitude about acceptance of others because of race. Ethnic pride frequently leads to more hatred among the different ethnic groups, not less.

Frankly, I loved living and growing up with people of different ethnic groups and my life was enriched by them. Unfortunately, some people have lost sight of the fact that we all belong to the human race, and that the various sub-racial groups that may categorize us do not define each of us as human beings.

Clayton Ching, M.D.
Pasadena, Calif.
Via the Internet

Traffic congestion hurts visitor industry

I moved here seven years ago from Atlanta. I have lived in Philadelphia, Boston, San Juan and Vancouver. All of these cities are commuter nightmares. Add Honolulu to this list.

The traffic and transportation network here is abysmal and gets worse by the day. Nobody wants to visit "paradise" to get caught in gridlock traffic or to get stranded at a bus stop. When this is combined with road rage, urban sprawl, dirty beaches, increased crime and outrageous hidden fees, it is no wonder tourists don't want to come here.

There needs to be a real attempt to solve these most basic problems. Glib editorials, expensive and idiotic consultants and political bafflegab have not worked. If we can't deal with these issues, tourism will spiral downward and we'll only have our brain-numb, complacent selves to blame.

David T. Webb
Mililani
Via the Internet

Quotables "I really didn't think I would be able to come home and work in my field. I didn't expect to be able to come home at all." Keiki-Pua Dancil HEAD CHEMIST WITH THE TREX ENTERPRISES RESEARCH LAB ON KAUAI After the 26-year-old Maui native and high-tech whiz kid bucked Hawaii's brain drain of college graduates and returned to the islands from the mainland "If I wasn't a lawyer, I wouldn't be appointed. Doesn't it help that I know government? Doesn't it help that I had a private practice?" Earl Anzai FORMER STATE BUDGET DIRECTOR AND INTERIM ATTORNEY GENERAL Countering criticism over whether he is fit to be attorney general after being voted down earlier this year by the Senate for another term as head of the state budget department

Burning the flag is an act of vandalism

Richard Miller's July 1 letter shows a very confused person when it comes to flag-burning and freedom of speech and expression. Our flag, as a symbol of the United States of America and the republic for which it stands, must be respected.

Flag-burning is pure vandalism. Since it has nothing to do with speech or expression, Congress is right to prohibit it.

Suzanne Teller

Cross-burning is intended as a threat

In the spirit of democracy, I could agree to disagree with Diane Chang's point of view on flag-burning (Changing Hawaii, July 5). But when she equated the spirit of flag-burning with the spirit of cross-burning, I must disagree.

A burning cross has nothing to do with free speech and expression. It is hate embodied in the tangible world.

There are several states that have anti-cross burning statutes, mainly because cross-burning is viewed as a threat or intimidating action.

Again, I can agree to disagree on the issue of flag-burning. But saying flag-burning and cross-burning are both acts of free speech is sort of like saying brown tree snakes and diamondback rattlers are both snakes.

Al Coleman
Waipahu
Via the Internet

Democrats, GOP are both hawks on war

Finally, the cat is out of the bag! President Clinton has echoed Republican Trent Lott's brazenly hawkish remark that the U.S. should "not pay a penny" to help reconstruct Yugoslavia.

This exposes the illusion that there is a two-party system in America. In reality, when it comes to the world's No. 1 bully, its two political parties are the same.

Stripped of its euphemism, the neo-Cold War Clinton/Lott doctrine is simply that the U.S. will carry out indiscriminate bombings and killings; but when it comes to reconstruction, it's other people's business.

Just ask the hundreds if not thousands of innocent Sudanese and Iraqi civilians who have come to appreciate the wonders of America's high-tech cruise missiles. They'll tell you that terrorist bombs dropped from airplanes are just as deadly as those from trucks or suitcases.

Danny Li
Via the Internet

UH can't tolerate much more of Mortimer

I would really like there to be a University of Hawaii by the time my daughter reaches her senior year in high school.

Under Kenneth Mortimer's careful guidance, the University of Hawaii has lost good teachers, facilities, research scientists, the UH School of Public Health and respect.

Please add one more item to that list as soon as possible: the president of the university.

Mortimer should perform one final act of closure -- closing the door of the taxi cab on his way to the airport for the last time.

Robert "Rabbett" Abbett
Kailua
Via the Internet

Ka Leo O Hawaii: Accreditation not threatened
Ka Leo O Hawaii: Fight for future of Public Health

Legislature Directory
Hawaii Revised Statutes

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