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Low age of consent has no redeeming qualities

I am concerned about the issue of age of consent. It upsets me to know that a 35-year-old adult can have sex with a 14-year-old girl and it is fine by the law of Hawaii.

Are we promoting sex between children and adults? It is hard to understand why the age of consent is so low. What and who is this benefitting?

At 14, young people cannot have a job, drive, drink or buy cigarettes, yet it is fine for them to have sex with an adult! Most 14-year-olds are not even in high school yet, and most likely they are not yet mature enough to differentiate love and lust. They are excited about becoming older, and many adults know this and take advantage of it.

This law is shameful. We are not protecting our children.

Justina Welch
Student,
Sacred Hearts Academy

Leash law should be strengthened

I am tired of people who want to unleash their dogs on the rest of society. If anything, the dog leash laws on Oahu should be made more strict.

A few weeks ago, my 53-year-old mother was going for a walk when, out of nowhere, a barking Rott-weiler started chasing her. Terrified, she literally dove face first into a nearby pick-up truck.

Where were the dog's owners? Nowhere to be found. The driver of the pick-up truck had to yell at them, "Hey, get your dog!"

The owners called the dog in but never bothered to come out. This is all documented with the Hawaiian Humane Society. My mom's experience was just one of many; some don't escape in time.

The people at the Humane Society told me that around 200 dog bites are reported to them every year. They said more are probably reported to police and many go unreported. (Hawaii doesn't bother to keep official statistics on these matters.)

It makes me sick to think how selfish people are who want their dogs running loose on the beach.

Brooke Bone
Kunia

Pedestrians need a bill of rights

Kudos to Reps. Joe Souki and Marilyn Lee for introducing the Pedestrian Bill of Rights. Although island drivers are more than kind to fellow motorists, many seem oblivious to a pedestrian waiting on the side of the road.

People simply drive too fast. And when you drive too fast, you don't see the obachan timidly entering the crosswalk, or the little boy heading home from school on his bike.

Many times, I have realized too late that a patient pedestrian is standing on the curb. Driving can be a power trip but it is an enormous responsibility that we take far too lightly.

Of course, unless it is consistently enforced, a law does little good. We must police ourselves. Slow down and look out for pedestrians, not because you might be cited for not doing so, but because looking out for fellow citizens is the right thing to do.

Gina Carnazzo
Kailua

Brazil trip was needed to see BRT in action

In his Feb. 10 letter, Wally Bachman called for the city to use a "scientific approach" to test the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system by coning off lanes that will be used for the in-town BRT. Surely he knows that simply coning the lanes would not take into account the many system-wide changes proposed, and the results would be meaningless.

For example, median transit stops and the complete redesign of current bus routes into a "hub and spoke" network cannot be simulated. Without these and other necessary components, any test would be a sham.

Because it is impossible to simulate here, we made the trip to Curitiba, Brazil, to study its internationally acclaimed BRT system. We examined the physical aspects such as exclusive bus lanes, the layout and design of transit centers, the safety features of median transit stops, wheelchair access, roll-on boarding and other components of the system.

By riding the BRT vehicles, we were able to understand the operational aspect of the system including routing, scheduling and making connections with local buses at the transit centers. A pre-payment system allows multi-door loading of passengers and less time at stops.

Bachman's ridicule of this valuable fact-finding trip indicates that his real agenda is to promote the private automobile at the expense of our environmental and financial well-being.

Taxpayers have consistently rejected the elevated rail systems advocated by people like Bachman because of their negative environmental impacts and extremely high costs. It's time to move on.

International and U.S. transportation experts believe that BRT is a cost-effective, viable alternative to the private automobile. Let's give it a chance.

Duke Bainum
Honolulu City Councilman

Local Republicans learn big-league tactics

Well, here we go again. It seems that local Republicans are emulating the big boys up in D.C. and are trying to shut down the government with their shenanigans. Then they will blame the Democrats.

What's next? Standing on the post office steps shouting for a "Contract with Hawaii"? Get on with the state's business, please.

Norma J. Nicholl

GOP political antics are hurting Hawaii

Our democracy needs to hear the voice of the minority. But last week I heard the state House Republican caucus speak nonsense as its members engaged in endless parliamentary maneuvers.

The Republicans' pointless "points of order" serve only to slow the pace of our government.

Pending in the House are important bills that will protect the environment, help our children and make Hawaii a safer place.

The Republicans apparently hope to hold legislation hostage until some price is paid by the majority. This is not leadership.

Statesmen should make laws with care and compassion, not games and grandstanding. The minority's stalling tactics are harming the public, democracy and the Republicans themselves.

Gary Gill
Former Chairman
Honolulu City Council

Quotables "If we could, we'd give everybody a lei." Boisse Correa ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF ON OAHU Jokingly referring to how law enforcement would like to treat protesters at the upcoming May meeting of the Asian Development Bank in Honolulu, but adding that the peace must be maintained "We've gotta cut in and out of traffic and chase speeders. The BMWs execute and maneuver a lot quicker." Niall Silva HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT MOTORCYCLE OFFICER On why the HPD's motorcycle officers have switched from riding the traditional Harley-Davidsons to BMW R 1100 RT-P motorcycles

Teaching is misunderstood and underappreciated

It's not just about a pay raise and that educators' salaries have not kept up with inflation. It's also about respect, regard and appreciation.

People "on the outside" assume they know what teachers do on a daily basis and the kind of privileges and special considerations they are given. Truthfully, most people haven't a clue.

Teaching is a complex and demanding profession. Teachers practice heroism on a daily basis yet rarely are their voices heard.

Danger is, indeed, an issue. For instance, special education laws have weakened the school's ability to deal with some disruptive youth.

The wholesale thrust to mainstream and provide a "least-restrictive environment" has failed to serve many of the youngsters it was designed to support.

We are all different, and wholesale "anything" is unenlightened. We need a multitude of therapeutic facilities in which to place those youth who refuse to comply with basic social mores.

Each setting may have a different emphasis aimed at assisting its charges to move toward becoming an educated, responsible, contributing member of one's community. Right now, most kids are aware of their rights but haven't a clue about their responsibilities.

We continue to enable them and, by so doing, create an environment that appears to nurture anarchy. Advocates and lawyers are having a field day at the expense of the vast majority of the rest of us.

I would challenge our governor, legislators, Department of Education administrators and others who may have strong opinions regarding the teaching profession to read the book, "The Death of Common Sense," by Philip K. Howard.

Then, I suggest they roll up their sleeves and join us in the trenches for a month or more to see what's really going on and to learn who's really holding the schools together. Sorry, no cookies or punch will be provided.

Debbie Boltz
Kaneohe

UH tuition should be free for children of teachers

What is needed with respect to the pay dilemma involving public school teachers and the state is more out-of-the-box thinking. How can the state give teachers what they deserve without breaking the budget and, at the same time, attract new teachers into the profession?

How about sweetening the pot by providing free college tuition at the University of Hawaii for every teacher's child? What better incentive than working to directly help your own child get ahead?

Teachers who wish to continue their education or just take classes would also receive free tuition, thus giving them incentive to further improve their own skills.

The argument against the governor's proposal of free UH tuition to all high school students with a B average was that it siphoned off too much money from the Hurricane Relief Fund. This idea offers a less costly compromise. It's a win-win solution, enhancing the teachers' bottom line while maintaining the state's bottom line.

Tyler Dang

Stop underpaying new school teachers

Three years ago my bride and I retired on the mainland and moved to Molokai to enjoy a stress-free life. Within a year, I was substitute teaching at elementary and high schools on the island.

Now I am employed full-time as a seventh-grade math instructor. Within a year, I will finish the requirements to be a certified teacher. Without the monthly income from my retirement, though, I would not be able to do what I am doing.

Therefore, each pay day when I look at my pay stub, it is readily evident that other new teachers, especially the younger ones without additional income like my retirement pay, must be having a hard time making ends meet.

Everyone says, "If I were in it for the money, I would not be teaching." But that does not mean teacher salaries have to be the lowest possible.

To keep new teachers around, they must be paid wages comparable to other states.

Weldon Wichman
Teacher,
Molokai High and Intermediate
Hoolehua, Molokai

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