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Longline debate continues
Extinction of species should be of concern
In his July 12 letter, Bruce Wong commented that paying his bills is a priority matter over the survival of any endangered species.The longline issue certainly has an impact on our lives and economy, just as the snail darter issue had a direct impact with my business in Tennessee.
However, I survived the "inconvenience" and have thrived -- and so has the snail darter. It's win/win.
I'm confident that the local fishing industry and the National Marine Fisheries Service will eventually resolve this issue. The pressures of life shouldn't cause us to forget that extinction is forever, and forever is a lot longer than Wong and I will be around.
Grant Wise
Don't be so quick to regulate industry
Before we do anything to jeopardize or close down our longline fishing industry, which provides 2,000 jobs and $165 million of revenues, we must analyze the steps which are necessary and available to protect the fishing industry, while taking into account the need to protect the endangered sea turtle population.We need hearings on whether the same activity that is being curtailed will then take place through the use of foreign vessels, whose activity we are incapable of controlling.
The due process of law should not force our impacted citizens to stage protest demonstrations. They deserve greater respect. The economic survival of thousands of family members is at stake.
Cec Heftel
Propaganda swayed judge in longline case
Federal Judge David Ezra went for the wrong bait put out by environmental extremists and swallowed it hook, line and sinker. Why did he do it?I don't think he fully informed himself as to the possible consequences of his decision, but rather relied on the advice of wacky environmentalists.
If he had taken the time to inform himself, Judge Ezra would have learned that his decision would do absolutely nothing to protect endangered turtles or any other species.
He would also realize that his decision carries the potential of destroying the local longline fishing industry, and of causing economic hardship for the 2,000 people employed in that industry.
Tom Hansen
Lahaina, Maui
Ala Wai boat owners let pets run amok
Governor Cayetano's remarks about Rep. Galen Fox were too kind (July 8, "Hawaii remains on right path"). Fox is quite adept at promoting benefits for his freeloading friends at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor, but totally ignores the rank and file in Waikiki.It isn't enough that taxpayers subsidize the rent, utilities and parking for mariners. Fox also wants taxpayers to provide these freeloaders with facilities for their pets!
Hundreds of animals live on boats moored at the Ala Wai, which is daft by any standard when one considers the lack of any land within walking distance of where animals are permitted.
But instead of prohibiting animals at the harbor, Fox apparently believes mariners should just dump the ton or so of animal excrement every day into the Ala Wai or onto Waikiki beaches (where animals are prohibited), and let taxpayers clean up the mess.
If Galen Fox represents Republican government, no one should be surprised when Hawaii votes Democratic.
Rico Leffanta
Cayetano pathetically defends Democrats
Would someone please take away Governor Cayetano's box of crayons?First, he writes a defensive letter to the Wall Street Journal explaining that Democrats dominate Hawaii because "Republicans just don't get it." Then, in a July 8 Insight article, he again feels it necessary to defend the Democratic Party that he says is now "fixing Hawaii."
How does Cayetano defend the fact that Hawaii's Democrats created the mess in the first place? And why did it take them 10 years to figure it out?
While the mainland economy boomed, Hawaii missed out. During this time, the islands lost 100,000 people, presumably our best and brightest, and was the only state to show a decline in population.
Our home values have dropped almost in half, leaving many home buyers with more money owed to the mortgage company than their homes are now worth.
Because Cayetano thought he could buy our way to prosperity, we now have a state debt per capita rate that is second highest in the country. Meanwhile, the Employees Retirement System was plundered by the state to avoid making necessary cuts in personnel expenses.
For someone who won his 1998 re-election race by less than 1 percent of votes cast, Cayetano talks like the Democrats have retained their dominance in local politics. I guess when you are going to retire soon with a big fat state pension, you can start exaggerating your success.
Garry P. Smith
Ewa Beach
Don't dare disarm our police office
Regarding Loi P. Le's July 10 letter about disarming our police: If this is a request, it should be denied. Only in our dreams is this a possible solution to our crime problems.We need to keep our law enforcement personnel armed. People who believe otherwise should go outside and play, and leave the heavy thinking to those who understand the world.
Craig Watanabe
Tourists are too smart to swim in Natatorium
The fact that Mayor Jeremy Harris wants to restore the Natatorium's war memorial pool at Kaimana Beach makes me mad. Where would you rather swim -- in a pool full of salt water or at a salt-water beach? I don't think tourists are dumb enough to choose the pool.Mayor Harris admits the project has its downside. It cost us more than $4 million just to restore the monument, but now he wants to spend even more millions to restore the pool. The government just wastes our money.
The Natatorium monument restoration is done. We have honored our war veterans. Let's use any more money for other needs.
Sam Roeca
Age 10
Quotables
"The plan was eventually
to sell it, but the difficulty is it's in
a flood zone, and until we correct
the flooding, we can't
sell the property." Malcolm Tom
HONOLULU DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR
Testifying on the city's plans for Ewa Villages
during the theft and money-laundering
trial of fired housing official
Michael Kahapea
"He curled up in a
fetal position on the floor.
He kept saying he
was sorry." Marvin Rivera
KAUAI POLICE DETECTIVE
Describing what 21-year-old Matthew Blankswade
did when he admitted fatally shooting
48-year-old Jeffrey Brisebois,
his girlfriend's father
Racism charge is weak response to criticism
The last refuge of a racist is to accuse his opponents of racism.A July 7 letter from University of Hawaii Ethnic Studies Professor Dean Alegado accused the Wall Street Journal and Forbes magazine of racism for their criticism of the Hawaii political culture and its unfortunate effect on the local economy. Al Sharpton would be proud.
In fact, there are striking parallels between the Hawaii Democratic Party and the long-entrenched Liberal Democrats in Japan, both of which have run once productive economies into the ground.
Their credo: Take care of favored constituents at all costs, irrespective of the public interest; bury your opponents with money and manpower provided by the favored constituents, then punish them with all the power of the government; and, finally, appease (or appear to appease) every interest group with votes.
And, of course, in Hawaii, there is always the race card.
W.B. Thompson
Kailua
Stolen videotapes meant to console ailing parents
We have been to Hawaii many times, and love its people and culture. This time, though, we had a disturbing experience.We always stay in Waimanalo, and were at Kenecke's for lunch on July 8. In the 10 minutes we were gone, someone jimmied the lock on our car and stole our cameras and binoculars. More important, they stole our pictures and videotapes.
We know thieves usually don't read letters to the editor, but a brazen theft in broad daylight at a busy place means the perpetrator felt comfortable and at home; he believed that the community would tolerate it. I hope he was wrong
My parents are in their 80s and live 2,500 miles away. Dad is fighting cancer, and Mom is partially blind and crippled. They always wanted to visit Hawaii so we were making a video record for them --not of tourist places, but of the people and real Hawaii we love so much.
Yes, we can replace the cameras. But not the videotapes. We can't afford to come back until next year, which may be too late for my parents.
This thief stole more than the camera equipment. He stole this experience from my family and, in doing so, hurt the name of the good people of Waimanalo.
Darrell Puls
Kennewick, Wash.
Boston Ti Party was a travesty
On July 4, a fake Boston Ti Party mocked both the real Boston Tea Party and the loving spirit of lei-giving. The real Boston Tea Party demanded, "No taxation without representation." The fake ti party demanded representation and benefits without taxation.Some kanaka maoli demand control of Hawaii, along with a trillion dollars from U.S. taxpayers. Some want total independence in which only Hawaiians would have full voting and property rights. Some want federal recognition of political status to save racial entitlements threatened by Rice vs. Cayetano.
These supremacists' version of history is as fake as their ti party, and their aloha spirit is as polluted as the waters of Boston Harbor. For the full story about Hawaiian sovereignty, visit http://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty.
Kenneth R. Conklin
Kaneohe
Movie may foul one's taste for chicken
I can't imagine anyone chewing on a drumstick again after watching the animated movie, "Chicken Run," which opened recently to great critical acclaim. It's comparable to the 1995 screening of "Babe," a movie about a talking pig that led a number of people to drop pork from their diets."Chicken Run" is a delightful British film about a group of brave hens plotting to escape from a factory farm. The story is both poignant and funny, and the characters quickly earn our empathy.
I was impressed at how these animals that we view as food share our quest for life and liberty as well as feelings of joy, affection, frustration, sadness and pain.
Thankfully, my local supermarket carries a delicious selection of "mock chicken" foods, which -- unlike dead chicken flesh -- are free of saturated fat, cholesterol and salmonella.
I look forward to exploring the many cruelty-free, healthful dietary options that are available.
Richard F. Gartner, M.D.
Haiku, Maui
BOE proposal is needed
to protect studentsProposed rule change strengthens protections for all
Several recent letter writers are complaining about the Board of Education and Department of Education's proposed rules to better protect all students from bullying and harassment.They primarily oppose the BOE giving students specific protection against harassment relating to sexual orientation, claiming other students aren't given the same protection.
Not true.
The proposed rule change strengthens protection for all students to ensure a safe educational environment conducive to learning on all of our public school campuses.
DOE policy does not allow emotional or physical harm to any student. No student should be deprived of educational opportunities because of fear, intimidation or physical abuse.
Since sexual orientation is a leading target of discrimination and harassment, it merits inclusion in the specific list of protected categories.
Greg Knudsen
Communications Director
Department of Education
Board of Education isn't endorsing any lifestyle
Mark Lee's July 6 letter is comical. He says that, by the state Board of Education protecting any student from special violation because of sexual orientation, it's an endorsement of the homosexual lifestyle.The BOE is also including religion in the protections. Using Lee's logic, then, is the BOE endorsing a fanatical, Hare Krishna renegade cult?
Seriously, the BOE is not endorsing any religion, just as it is not endorsing any sexual orientation. Perhaps the real question is why ANY type of violence against children should be OK.
Lance Collins
Chairperson,
X Student Initiative
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Amendment to policy will help gay youths
In his July 8 View Point column, Jason Scott Jones says it is superfluous to add language to current policies protecting Hawaii's children from harassment at school based on their sexuality.How well would his self-esteem survive if, as a teen, he were called "faggot" every day? How safe would Jones feel if he were being shoved around on campus because someone thought he might be gay, and his school system had just turned down a small addition to its harassment policy that would have helped to protect him?
As a former board director of one of the country's largest centers for at-risk youth, to this I can attest: Kids suffering this kind of harassment rarely feel they can turn to a family member or school official.
So where do they turn? Too often to drugs, the streets, prostitution and sometimes suicide. Gay, lesbian and bisexual youth are nearly five times more likely to attempt suicide by age 21. One of every four homeless youths is gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Think that is "propaganda," Mr. Jones? I challenge you to find statistics that prove otherwise.
Justin Leach
BOE policies on gays can make a real difference
I must respectfully disagree with those who contend that gay students are already protected from harassment by existing rules.In "Raising Cain," Michael Thompson calls homophobia a force that is "stronger than gravity in the lives of adolescent boys." Any boy will tell you that the worst thing he can be called is a "fag."
We would be shocked to hear a word such as "nigger," yet derogatory insults about sexual orientation are met with, at best, passive indifference on the part of many authority figures at schools.
The connection between this "acceptable" hatred, and the assaults and murders of gays, is not a stretch. Stories of horrific treatment of students perceived to be homosexual have come from students attending Hawaii schools.
Barbara Tavares
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