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It's easy to complain, hard to do something

Hear, hear to Alan Kim's letter to the editor, "Unions have made a mess of Hawaii," Star-Bulletin, May 3. We, the people, do need to effect the change.

When I was a city manager, however, constituents were always telling me their opinions and said that I should address these thoughts at City Council meetings. My reply to them was standard: "Will you be at the next scheduled City Council meeting to share these concerns yourself?"

Invariably, the reply was always, "I don't want to get involved."

The people of Hawaii must start becoming involved, making a stand, being counted and talking to neighbors and friends, so they can count, too. Instead most of us remain behind closed curtains and doors, merely expressing our indignation over what happens.

Frank McCafferty

Library computers shouldn't be censored

Let's set the record straight on Internet use at the public library. The library has rules regarding obscene materials and prohibits viewing of such material on any of its computers. If you are caught perusing pornography, your computer session is terminated.

If parents do not want their children to view obscene material on the Internet, they should monitor what their children do. The library isn't a babysitting service.

No filtering software is 100 percent perfect. It can edit specific sites, but it's impossible to find every site with objectionable material. Or it can look for specific words, but it will also block access to Web sites referring to breast cancer, the Oregon State Beavers, the blue-footed booby and others, in addition to those with obscene content.

To impose such censorship restrictions on public libraries would remove the effectiveness of the Internet, cost taxpayers time and money to manage this burdensome and unnecessary system, and cut library patrons off from the tools they need to succeed.

The Hawaii State Library is an excellent institution. Let's keep it that way.

Sean Kelly
Aiea

Quotables "Although 37 years have passed since the enactment of the Equal Pay Act, wage discrimination still exists today." Iris Ikeda Catalani DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE, WINDWARD OAHU On how women in Hawaii earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men "You don't need a maternal instinct to tell you something is very wrong in this country when you look at how many people become victims of gun violence." Frank Kuhl WHOSE 20-YEAR-OLD SON WAS FATALLY SHOT LAST YEAR One of about 50 people who attended a Mother's Day rally at the state Capitol to support tougher firearms laws

To feel aloha spirit, practice it yourself

I'd like to respond to Leon Maynor's letter, " 'Live Aloha' isn't practiced in Hawaii," Star-Bulletin, May 12. I have seen many people come from different parts of the world to Hawaii, and they have brought with them attitudes that local people were beneath them. There are also many who move to the islands who learn to appreciate and adapt to our way of life.

I live in California now and constantly deal with bad attitudes and rude people. I choose to respect people and, hopefully, they will do the same for me.

No, Mr. Maynor, maybe not everyone in Hawaii "lives aloha," but most do. If you open yourself up a little, you'll be surprised at what you find.

Alan Hanohano Vierra
San Francisco

Don't cite anti-gun misinformation

Your April 29 editorial on the Miami raid repeated the rhetoric of anti-gun advocates, who said protesters outside the Gonzalez house might have been carrying guns, and that as many as 25 persons, many of them with criminal records but holding permits to carry concealed weapons, were outside the home

This is the direct opposite of what our president and our elected congressional representatives have been saying. They believe that because of the Brady bill, 470,000 people (the term felons was used) were turned away and were not able to purchase guns.

The truth is most of this number were the result of clerical errors (flagging people with the same name as a felon, filling the form wrong, etc.).

Furthermore, a number of bona fide felons did try to buy guns but were turned down. These were possibly a few hundred, but the most interesting statistic is that only 10 of them were convicted. What about the others?

Let's get real. Do you think this type of anti-gun misinformation by the government should be cited in your editorial as gospel? Check and you'll see that you are wrong.

Henry Pundyke
Kaneohe

Seating will be provided at bandstand

Mahalo to Barbara Hanson for her May 12 letter about audience seating at the new Royal Hawaiian Bandstand in Kapiolani Park. I am happy to report that, although a lack of seating originally was a concern, Mayor Harris has assured us that provisions have been made for ample seating during Royal Hawaiian Band concerts and other events at the facility.

Present plans call for 97 semi-permanent benches providing seating for approximately 400 people. In addition, fixtures are being installed at the top of the berm or grass viewing mound to which benches for an additional 200 people can be attached during periods of peak audience attendance.

There also will be storage in the basement of the building for 400 chairs, which, if needed, can be set up in the orchestra area in front of the fixed benches. The facility will have a total seating potential of 1,000. In addition many more people can be accommodated on the grass viewing mound.

City officials say the bandstand should be completed and ready for use in June.

The lack of nearby restroom facilities also has been addressed. A separate comfort station is being erected within easy walking distance of the bandstand

Ed Michelman
President
Friends of the Royal Hawaiian Band

Just catch those wild fowl and cook them

Wild chickens in Hawaii? How come?

In the good old days, those chickens would have been destined for chicken hekka, chicken luau and chicken long rice. But, alas, this was in the old days, when we knew how to catch them and have some ono kau kau.

Oh well, if all else fails, get some mongoose from the Big Island and let them go.

Don Serrao
Stockton, Calif.

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