Book provides other side of 'overthrow' issue

After reading Thurston Twigg-Smith's book, "Hawaiian Sovereignty: Do the Facts Matter?" I now realize the importance of familiarizing myself with both sides of the "overthrow," as sovereignty activists call it.

The author presents a journalist's view of events leading up to the revolution and the confrontations that took place in 1893, often contradicting many of the claims of the pro-sovereignty movement.

Through research, Twigg-Smith's findings contradict many of these allegations and offer the reader an opportunity to see both sides of the issue.

Do the facts matter? They must!

Paul S. Izawa

Don't assume military overlooks war crimes

I can't say yet whether the alleged Korean War massacre did or didn't happen. I need more information.

But no one should be quick to believe that the American military overlooks war crimes as a blanket policy. However, if anyone wants a feel for those times I recommend they visit the public libraries.

American and South Korean soldiers were being horribly over-run and, within the first weeks of the war, all elements were beaten back to the "Pusan Perimeter" of that famous port city.

Photographic records will also show American soldiers and South Korean civilians, on the ground where they fell, with their hands tied behind their backs with barbed wire and ropes, murdered by North Korean soldiers and infiltrators.

Scenes like those were commonplace. Fifty years later, I daresay it's hard for us to imagine the terror that soldiers and civilians alike had to endure.

Kevin Gagan
U.S. Army, JAG Corps, Retired
Via the internet

Hawaii has own version of 'American dream'

In your recent article about microenterprise in the United States, I found it very revealing and interesting to find how low-income immigrants to the mainland attempt to live the "American dream" of owning a business.

My only concern is that it focused on the mainland. I work in the field of economic development in Hawaii, and we have our own microenterprise programs.

I work in the Economic Development Center of Parents and Children Together, a respected community service agency serving Hawaii for more than 30 years.

Our center has been in existance since 1994. Since then, we have trained, assisted and provided micro-loans to more than 40 low-income individuals. We were also the first organization in Hawaii to implement Individual Development Accounts (IDA) into our program.

IDAs are special savings accounts for low-income individuals and families. They provides a vehicle for asset accumulation and saving habits. We are proud of our accomplishments in microenterprise development and IDAs.

Why would your newspaper focus on the mainland when we've got many success stories here? Please consider doing a Hawaii version of that subject.

Glen Hayase
Parents and Children Together
Via the internet

Quotables "I learned a lot about the different hitters. It's mostly in my head. I'm not saying that I won't throw the same pitch the next time, but I might throw it in a different spot." Onan Masaoka PITCHER FOR THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS On how the 21-year-old Hilo native is making the transition to professional baseball "The thing that made it so bad was the bus driver's attitude. I understand the idea of safety, but he kept bragging about taking it slow, safety first. He was being real arrogant." Lucille Mohika HONOLULU BUS RIDER Complaining about a safety slowdown staged last week by drivers of TheBus

Brain drain will leave isles to very rich, poor

What price paradise? (Star-Bulletin, Sept. 1-2)

Obviously enough to keep many of us who were born, raised or worked in Hawaii from returning to live. So our tax dollars go abroad or to other states. We consider Hawaii home but live in Asia or the mainland or elsewhere.

We never, ever buy anything in Hawaii, should we pass through on our way to visit family on the mainland. Consider that American toothpaste, even Hawaii-produced products, cosmetics, clothing, etc., are far cheaper here in Southeast Asia than in Hawaii, in spite of the additional shipping costs, duties and taxes.

Japan would be a notable exception but the price gap is narrowing even there.

In fact, few of our friends in Bali, Malaysia, Singapore or Hong Kong even visit Hawaii anymore. Most international airlines now overfly Hawaii on the Asia- mainland routes. Sad but true. I am happy that some American carriers and a few Asian ones still fly to Hawaii from Asia.

Until Hawaii's citizens elect a new state government that understands how terribly Hawaii has deteriorated commercially and socially and vote all the entrenched incumbents out, more long-term residents of Hawaii will continue to leave for opportunities on other shores, leaving our beloved state with nothing but welfare recipients and millionaires.

Kimo Johnson
Sanur Beach, Bali
Via the internet

What Price Paradise?

Use tax breaks to help local stores compete

I agree that "big box" stores might create more problems than benefits, as suggested in your Sept. 23 article about California's attempt to limit such stores.

Although they initially lower prices for consumers, they can also kill off local competitors and their support businesses -- possibly resulting in a net loss of jobs -- and then raise their prices. Locally, more business profits might then leave Hawaii. But is restricting them the answer? I think not.

Instead, we could enhance existing tax incentives based on sharing ownership with employees.

Most family-owned firms don't survive beyond the first or second generation, so these incentives could really help Hawaii's large number of small business owners who have no succession plan at retirement. Research also shows sharing ownership can improve business performance.

As a result, if only local businesses share ownership, it could make them more competitive with non-local firms.

If both local and non-local firms do so, the non-local still might win. However, they would then be partly owned locally, meaning more profits would stay in Hawaii. We might get the best of both with minimal interference in the free market.

Indeed, tax incentives like these might paradoxically make Hawaii more globally competitive and more locally self-reliant.

Tom Brandt

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