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Time to end Democratic reign in Hawaii

I was at a party recently, enjoying a conversation with some people -- until a couple of men started talking about how long the Democrats have been in power in Hawaii, and how the unions maintain their power over government.

They went on to say that the unions "own" the governor, mayor of Honolulu and the Legislature. They also said, "The people of Hawaii are too dumb. All the unions and government have to do is to not make the people mad in an election year and the Democrats will always stay in power." Then they laughed.

This upset me. I wanted to tell them a thing or two but instead left the party. Is this what we want government to do -- listen to the unions? Am I the only one fed up with this behavior?

Let's show our governor, mayor, Legislature and the unions who really has the power -- the people. Throw out the Democrats and vote in the Republicans. We cannot put up with this kind of behavior any longer.

Kim Alan
Aiea

More drug rehab programs are needed

Your Aug. 10 article, "Ecstasy's allure just illusion," was a good start but did not go far enough. As a social worker with the state Department of Health, I have seen too many youth on waiting lists for rehabilitation programs.

The longer anyone waits for the rehab to start, the harder it is to quit drugs for good.

The best way to approach drugs is prevention. This is where programs like "Preparing for the Drug Free Years" come in. It is facilitated through the departments of Education and Health and is a good example of team effort.

"Preparing for the Drug Free Years" is ground zero in its approach. The schools participate when principals volunteer their facilities, then trainers and facilitators step in. The program does not cost the individual schools because the program is grant-funded.

Education is the best way to fight the deadly effects and consequences of drugs. For more information, contact the Early Childhood and Family Support Services Center at 733-4476.

Carolyn Martinez Golojuch

Quotables "If I had a daughter and she wanted breast enhancements, I would spend the $5,000 on professional counseling for her." Greg Bonann CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF THE SYNDICATED TV SERIES "BAYWATCH HAWAII" An excerpt from his new book, "Baywatch: Rescued from Prime Time" "All I hear is that we're a big question mark. I'm tired of that talk. I know in my heart we can be better than we were last year." Mike Cavanaugh UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH On those who doubt that the UH Warriors can surpass its 9-4 record in 1999, compared to being 0-12 in 1998

'Warriors' sounds too antagonistic for team

As a former Hawaii resident and employee of the University of Hawai at Manoa, I am deeply despondent and huhu that the nickname "Rainbows" will no longer will be used for the football team.

The new nickname, the Warriors, seems angry and warlike. I yearn to the return of tradition and ask that all UH sports teams be called "The UH Rainbow Warriors."

Frankie Kam
Elizabeth City, N.C.

Students should vote on nickname change

I just finished reading Dean Smith's Aug. 12 Other Views column on the reasons the University of Hawaii logo and nickname were changed. It appears as if he is seeking justification, after the fact, and looking for positive reasons why all this happened.

Yet Smith's idea of a "unifying theme" doesn't resonate when he says all that the teams and their cheers will still have the word "Rainbows" in them -- well, at least some of them. This doesn't sound unifying at all. It sounds like a mess of different team names from different schools, instead of from just one school.

What does make sense to me is that a decision to change a school motto or team name should be put to a vote by the student body. This must not be a decision made by marketing gurus or by fiat of the athletic director and department. UH is not a dictatorship.

Kim (Zane) Sugino
Graduate, Class of 1980 University of Hawaii
New York

Mayor Apana is blind to Clinton's flaws

Your Aug. 15 report on the Hawaii delegation to the Democratic National Convention quotes Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana as saying, "Outside of that (Monica Lewinsky) scandal, Clinton doesn't have a down side."

Clinton has promoted policies that have been destructive to the Constitution and Bill of Rights. His administration has sought to curb free speech rights for citizens who oppose his policies.

Abortion protestors have had to go to court to protect their rights to protest. He has tried to censor the Internet and regulate TV programming. Right now, his Department of Justice is seeking to silence, and has threatened to jail, doctors who would prescribe medical marijuana to their patients.

The Clinton Justice Department has energetically violated citizens' right to bear arms and their rights against unlawful seizures of property. It has tried to promote warrantless searches, drug testing and wiretapping, too.

Clinton also claims constitutional authority to order military attacks against other countries whenever he deems it appropriate, which usurps Congress' power to declare war. No down side, Mayor Apana?

Eric Terashima
Hilo

Put Hawaiians-only in voting, property laws

Tony Castanha sees a few non-native radicals like himself at a sovereignty event at Thomas Square and claims the movement is inclusive (Letters, Aug. 4).

Some non-native supporters are spouses or parents of natives, so they are ohana. Some support Hawaiian sovereignty to weaken the U.S. Castanha, for example, wants the U.S. out of his "homeland" of Puerto Rico. At the rally, he was hugging visiting Puerto Rican terrorist Alicia Rodrigues, released by President Clinton after 18 years in prison.

Some leftists support Hawaiian sovereignty as the current "politically correct" cause celebre. Remember Jane Fonda supporting North Vietnam? Some Jews supported Hitler because they thought he would help Germany's economy. Go figure!

Is Hawaiian sovereignty inclusive? Look at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Kamehameha Schools: Hawaiians only. Look at the Hawaii congressional delegation's bill, and proposals from the Native Hawaiian Convention.

Ethnic Hawaiian supremacy would be written into voting and property laws.

Ken Conklin

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