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Volleyball coach didn't deserve slamming

What's up with Henry Kim's Jan. 17 letter blasting University of Hawaii men's volleyball Coach Mike Wilton? Kim needs to get his facts straight before condemning Wilton and his son Aaron.

The 12 tickets that a coach receives are part of his compensation. Don't forget that, two years ago, TV station K-5 eliminated the bonuses that UH coaches received to appear on weekly shows, which amounted to a lot more than the value of 12 free season tickets.

Wilton was criticized for not giving the tickets to possible recruits. Huh? Recruits already get to sit in a special section, plus the Warriors don't have a budget like football, basketball or Wahine volleyball to bring in recruits from the mainland.

Comparing the resources of UH football Coach June Jones to Wilton's is absurd. Jones makes almost $400,000 a year with bonuses (which I think he deserves) while Wilton makes about $65,000 a year.

As for the matter of nepotism, does Kim really think that, with all the bureaucratic mess and red tape at UH, Wilton could get his son a job without him being qualified? Aaron was an All-American. I think that shows that he's qualified to be an assistant coach.

As for dwindling fan attendance, what UH sport increased attendance this year? Does that mean all fans are unhappy with all the respective coaches? Probably not. Some of the attendance drop may be due to the increase in fees for season tickets.

Although I may not always agree with Coach Wilton, I support the boys and the program regardless. Isn't that what the whole thing is about: getting a top-notch education and playing in front of the best and most knowledgeable volleyball fans in the world?

Radford Nakamura
Kailua

Quotables "When you're closing in on 60, life becomes a crapshoot. You have to gather those you love around you, and tell them that you love them." Kathy "Gidget" Zuckerman THE INSPIRATION FOR THE 1960S SURFER GIRL MADE FAMOUS IN BOOKS AND MOVIES BY ZUCKERMAN'S FATHER, MARVIN KOHNER Celebrating her 60th birthday with a reunion of friends at the Kahala Mandarin Hotel "We get the occasional nasty gesture, but it's been 100-to-1 in favor of supporting us, with some indifference." Noran Siegel ORGANIZER OF A 110-MILE, EIGHT-DAY GROUP MARCH AROUND OAHU IN OPPOSITION OF DISCRIMINATION On reaction to the civil-rights protesters

Drug rehab program brings second chance

The Victory Ohana program is an inmate's answer to freedom, even though it is not a Certified Substance Abuse Treatment Center due to not having a certified psychologist.

This program has teachers who have knowledge of drug treatment.

An inmate's biggest problem is getting a job.

An inmate should be able to at least be given a chance to work and be able to do his drug-awareness program.

I thank the Lord for this chance to redeem my soul with society.

Isaiah Kini

People mover was actually legislator's idea

Your Jan. 3 article, "Island rancher going full speed with monorail projects," stated that five years ago, Ron Watson proposed "connecting Waikiki with Aloha Tower and the Hawaii Convention Center."

Five years ago, I introduced legislation titled "People Mover," for which Watson provided supporting testimony.

The "people mover" system proposed to establish a privately funded system for a modern, safe, efficient and effective means of moving large numbers of people within Waikiki.

It would also move people between hotels in Waikiki and other areas of Honolulu that would be of interest to visitors and residents, including Aloha Tower Marketplace, Ala Moana Center, Ward Centre, Ward Warehouse and downtown Honolulu.

The system would use vehicles or short trains that operate within an exclusive right-of-way that is separated from other traffic. The system would also tie in with proposals for operation of a ferry between Leeward Oahu and downtown Honolulu.

I firmly believe that the "people mover" concept would complement the proposed Bus Rapid Transit system.

To further alleviate Honolulu's traffic problem, I hope that the state or city will investigate the feasibility of a "people mover" operating between Waikiki and Aloha Tower, and a ferry operating between Aloha Tower and Leeward Oahu.

Romy M. Cachola
Honolulu City Councilman

Conservative victory is cause for concern

Thanks to the Bush hijacking of American democracy, conservatives have gained the upper hand. A historical perspective will give us a good idea of what to expect:

Conservatives fought the creation of Social Security, tooth and nail.

The development of the great American middle class was caused by an economic boom following World War II, fueled by the GI Bill, which created the most educated work force in world history. Conservatives fought the GI Bill.

Through the 1950s and '60s, conservatives mounted a powerful campaign to retain segregation in the South and to keep blacks locked into second-class citizenship.

Conservatives fought to defeat the 1964 Voting Rights Act, which swept away local practices in the South that prevented blacks from being able to vote.

They fought the creation of Medicare and Medicaid, which combined with Social Security have rescued untold millions of seniors from abject poverty.

It's estimated that at least a million American women since Rowe vs. Wade would have died in amateur backroom abortions had conservatives had their way.

Conservatives fought funding for AIDS research.

They fought the 1993 tax increase on the rich. This tax increase lowered the deficit, greatly reduced government borrowing making huge sums available for private loans and causing interest rates to plummet, thus setting off and sustaining the most prosperous and longest lasting economic expansion in our history. We'd still be locked into huge deficits and plunging toward bankruptcy if conservatives had had their way.

This is just a brief skim of conservative behavior over the last 70 years. And the conservatives of today are really no different from those of the past. Only the issues have changed.

Should we be concerned about Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, Helms, DeLay? You'd better believe we should!

Rick Lloyd

Army should leave Makua Valley

The people of Waianae should not give in to the Army and its quest to continue military training at Makua.

The Army's threats of leaving would be the best thing that could happen if they do. I grew up on the Waianae Coast and have seen the abuse of land, disregard for human life, desecration of culture and habitat, etc.

Using Makua Valley for training is a convenience, not a must.

Thanks to Sen. Daniel Inouye, the people in the military are about to receive millions to spruce up themselves.

Maybe they should pocket some of that cash for tickets to travel elsewhere and train.

Also, Inouye should stick his nose where it matters most to him (his pocketbook) and leave a district -- in which he has never lived -- to judge for itself when enough is enough.

Nathan K. Kane Sr.

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