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Hawaii is being mocked over Waimea fiasco

To me, Waimea has always been a place to drive by while admiring the sea and landscape. Until now.

Mainland friends have been emailing me their newspapers' reports of our inane structuring concepts. One TV reporter delicately described the "learning process" of our state engineer on the installation of a supportive embankment made of, ugh, dirt.

I am not an engineer but, for goodness sake, even I know that water melts dirt.

Just chop off the cliff already. Safety overrides historical concerns.

Cil Kim Thresher
Kailua

Porn wasn't blocked on library computers

My dad says state Reps. Eric Hamakawa and Scott Saiki of the House Judiciary Committee had the power to get naughty porn out of children's computers in the public library. So I went to the hearing and asked them myself to keep the bad stuff away from my eyes and my friends' eyes.

Now I find out that they did not do this. I am sad. I gave back the new library card that I just got, and you should, too.

Sharon Holck
Age 9 Kailua

Official gave wrong Social Security info

While I appreciate your coverage of sovereignty, I'd like to point out a major error on the part of John Berry, assistant secretary from the U.S. Department of the Interior, who recently conducted hearings in Honolulu.

Berry said that federal benefits such as Social Security could not be preserved if Hawaii becomes an independent nation. Wrong. Anyone entitled to Social Security benefits can continue to receive them, even if living outside the United States.

The only countries in which you cannot receive your Social Security payments are Cuba, Cambodia, North Korea, Vietnam and some parts of the former Soviet Union.

Regina E. Gregory

Some high school kids have to take on jobs

I'd like to respond to the March 21 Rant & Rave column by Victor Chang of Iolani High School, who believes high school students shouldn't work but should concentrate on their education.

While I agree that parents are responsible for providing the necessities like food, shelter and clothing, some students take it upon themselves to pay for their own brand-name clothing, CDs, gas for the car, fees related to athletics, after-school items, educational trips, prom expenses and future college costs.

These students should be applauded for working while they're in high school, not criticized.

Yes, Victor, education is the key to getting ahead in life, but not everyone has it as good as you do. Furthermore, working through high school taught me to budget my time and money, and to get organized so I could study.

I learned people skills by being around people. I learned economics by being a part of the economy. Did I find my time working to be monotonous, meaningless? Never. Working with my friends was fun, and I am proud to have paid some of my own expenses and not asked my single, divorced mom for everything.

Grace Gagala
Ewa Beach

Quotables "When I found out grandfather had two wives I was in shock. I thought, how horrible! But the more I researched, the more enamored I became, because here was a man who contributed so much to the growth of Kula." Nancy Shim-Au DESCENDANT OF SHIM MOOK Preparing for a big family reunion on Maui -- and looking forward to meeting newly discovered relatives -- after learning that her granddad had two wives, one Chinese and one Hawaiian "I played golf with Mr. Anzai. He's not a great golfer, but he plays the ball where it lays. That shows he has a great deal of integrity." Calvin Kawamoto DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR REPRESENTING PEARL CITY AND WAIPAHU On why Earl Anzai won full Senate confirmation as Hawaii's attorney general

Hold Hawaiian kingdom accountable

Montez Salamasina Ottley was arrested for allegedly scamming as many as 4,000 innocents out of $40 million (Star-Bulletin, March 31). But Ottley says she's not afraid of being prosecuted because she's a citizen of the Hawaiian kingdom and, as such, she doesn't recognize the U.S. courts.

Unfortunately, Ottley is not the first to come out of this so-called Hawaiian kingdom, commit crimes against citizens of the United States, and then claim immunity when she gets caught.

If the kingdom protects her from the consequences of her alleged crimes, the federal government should immediately break off diplomatic relations.

Further, the U.S. government should 1) hold the Hawaiian kingdom accountable for the actions of its subjects, 2) demand immediate reparations for all monies stolen and defrauded from U.S. citizens by her subjects, and 3) impose trade embargoes on the kingdom until it changes its foreign relations policies.

As for those who can "escape" the Hawaiian kingdom and make it to U.S. soil, we should offer them asylum and American citizenship, which is still the most coveted of all the world's nations.

Strangely, in the 19th century, several Hawaiian monarchs sought it too, but the United States denied them asylum. Then came the "revolution."

Madison Clark
Mililani

HGEA should have endorsed Harris

As a member of the Hawaii Government Employees Association, I am ashamed that my union did not endorse Mayor Harris. He has done more for Honolulu residents than any other mayor in my memory, and I've been a voter in this town for 30 years.

Everywhere I look is the stamp of a leader with vision, high standards and a strong work ethic. I go into satellite city halls and see the message on the wall that customer satisfaction is No. 1. I drive down the street and see beautiful new trees and bus shelters, and the absence of graffiti. Crime is down as well as the number of city employees.

I've attended the mayor's visioning meetings, where ordinary citizens have the opportunity to spend city funds to improve the quality of life for generations to come. I attend local community association meetings and see Harris' department heads on week nights, ready to listen and do something about my concerns.

HGEA officials should remember that endorsements by a group are better when they are done from the ground up. Collaborative leadership is important.

Libby Tomar
Kailua

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