Parents must impart manners to their kids

After reading Steve Lopez's Time magazine article, "The mutant Brady Bunch," and visiting high school campuses on Oahu and on the mainland, I've concluded that our next generation will be more violent than this one.

Imagine parents allowing their sons and daughters to have their bodies pierced and tattooed and their environment polluted by loud "music" that glorifies rape, murder, arson, mayhem and a general gangster anarchy.

Everybody, please wake up. Talk to young children about guns, table manners, wearing a baseball cap indoors. Disrespectful antics in public places cannot be tolerated. Parents must be held liable for the actions of their adolescents, whether they like it or not!

Michael E. Powers

Kansas school board erred on evolution

Evolution is a scientific fact. It is not just one of several competing explanations for the development of life on Earth as creationists contend. The paleontological and geological evidence supports no other logical conclusion.

Evolution, the central organizing principle of modern biology, is as indisputable and solid a scientific concept as there is in the field of science.

Scientists can debate the pace and mechanisms of evolutionary change, gradualism vs. punctuated equilibrium (a theory developed by prominent paleontologists and defenders of evolution Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Elderidge, and totally misrepresented in Jim Drake's Aug. 23 letter), but not the fact that evolution has occurred.

Thus to exclude it from the testable science curriculum, as the Kansas school board has done, is misguided, unethical and a disservice to our young people.

Michael D. Clark

ACLU is undermining Christian faith

The American Civil Liberties Union is attacking Christian beliefs in our government. On July 9, a Missouri judge ruled in favor of the ACLU's motion to remove a Christian fish logo from the city of Republic's official seal.

Either the ACLU is ignorant or it doesn't care that this great country was founded by Christians. The Pilgrims that landed at Plymouth in 1620 were devout Christians. They left the Church of England so they could worship God as they believed the Scriptures taught. In Massachusetts, the Puritans saw an opportunity for Christians to begin a new life in a new land.

Not only did the ACLU win a legal battle in Missouri, but the Support Republic Committee must cover the legal expenses incurred by the city. According to Keith D. Miller of the committee, this also would regrettably include the fees that the ACLU will be awarded by the court for its costs in pursuing this case. This adds financial insult to religious injury.

What can be done? One is to support HR 2057, because it would change the U.S. Code to stop groups like the ACLU from getting attorney fees or damages. People should call their congressional representatives to co-sponsor and vote for HR 2057. For more information, write to Keith D. Miller, Support Republic Committee, P.O. Box 42, Republic, Mo., 65738-0042.

Christians across the country must come together, fight for Jesus and stop attacks upon our faith by the ACLU.

James G. Borden
Hilo, Hawaii

Quotables "He beat me, 11-3, in the Goodwill Games. Since then I've looked at a lot of tape of him. I knew he would be the one to beat." Brian Viloria WAIPAHU LIGHT-FLYWEIGHT BOXER Celebrating his defeat of Cuba's Maikro Romero to win the gold medal in the World Amateur Boxing Championships "What I see is an effort to look to the school like their home." Noboru Yonamine DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE On how Manana Elementary School in Pearl City has improved its buildings and grounds by using volunteer help and keeping up with maintenace, thereby improving its unacceptable rating during the 1991-92 school year to a perfect score this past year

Stadium authority is being punitive

The Aloha Stadium Authority's retaliation against Ed Medeiros of the Aloha Flea Market is a violation of his First Amendment rights. It is also a clear indication that we need an elected attorney general.

Medeiros started and perfected the operation of the Aloha Flea Market, known worldwide as a mecca for shopping. Now the Aloha Stadium Authority, without public input, has decided to cancel Medeiros' contract on Sept. 30 and to take over management of the flea market.

The real story here is that this is retaliation by low-level government bureaucrats because Me-deiros supported Linda Lingle for governor.

Now that Governor Cayetano has appointed Earl Anzai as the new attorney general, will Anzai investigate an obvious case of political retaliation? Or will he turn a blind eye to those who would oppose his boss?

Fred Gartley
Kaneohe

Senator Yamasaki cared about kids in need

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of former state Sen. Mamoru Yamasaki. A tough budget negotiator, he was also the strongest advocate for the children of Hawaii.

Growing up on Maui, Yama saw family challenges first-hand while helping his mother care for children on the plantation. As a legislator and chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, he understood that early childhood abuse and neglect leads to later emotional and behavioral problems.

Yamasaki and Neil Abercrombie found funds for the first Healthy Start program, which supported overburdened parents of newborns. The senator promoted gradual expansion of it to 12 communities across the state.

One of his most cherished visions was that Healthy Start would reach all families of newborns in need of support. Perhaps other leaders will take up that vision and ensure that his dream becomes reality.

Gail Breakey
Director
Hawaii Family Support Center
Kapiolani Medical Center

Danes might like to fund hiking signs

I share the joy that has been brought by the dramatic rescue of the two stranded hikers. I also read that officials will be meeting soon to determine how a system of warning signs might be implemented to properly identify trails for future hikers.

Maybe some Danes might welcome the opportunity to show appreciation for what was done in Hawaii. Perhaps they'd like to fund these signs. If so, each could include wording like, " A gift from the people of Denmark."

Besides recognition, this would serve as a reminder of the dangers in hiking to those who know the story, or raise the curiosity of others to ask about it.

Bob Henninger
Via the Internet

Legislature Directory
Hawaii Revised Statutes
UH student news Ka Leo O Hawaii

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