Abercrombie has the right stuff

The tax-relief bill passed by Congress is welcomed by most American taxpayers and our ailing economy. Unfortunately, our three hard-core Democrat representatives in Congress were against the government putting our tax money back into our pockets. They want us not to gain anything as long as they are in office. They'll answer for that next election year.

In contrast, Neil Abercrombie voted correctly. He voted with the Republicans and for what is good for his constituents. I always thought of him as a "hippie" with the hair of 20 men who does not know where the barbershop is. But he's so flexible and brilliant in mind. I predict he'll be a potent candidate for governor or senator.

Bernardo Pascua Benigno
Mililani

Tolerance doesn't mean acceptance

Aren't all crimes about hate? Why should they be punished more than anything else?

Crimes are all about hate whether the criminals shout obscenities or not. When it comes to crimes against certain groups, we must show some kind of understanding of the criminals. While we can enforce tolerance and respect for the gay community, its members must realize that tolerance is not about likability. Sure, they can have basic civil rights, but it does not mean they will be liked. Tolerance has nothing to do with likability.

I am a liberal Democrat and staunch feminist and I support gay rights. But I am increasingly frustrated by their need for publicity and recognition. These hate crimes bills are useless. They just give a false sense of security to the gay community.

Sylvia Marciniak

Attack signals need to revive aloha

As a past resident of Kauai, I was saddened to hear of the anti-gay attacks at Polihale. All of these men were my friends. The attack did not surprise me, because, as a gay-rights activist, I learned long ago that where there are religious and political people willing to ride to office and into the pulpit on the backs of a vulnerable and unpopular minority, there is bound to be violence against that community.

The recent political and religious attacks over same-sex marriages and the more recent attacks on the gay community over Donkey Beach, I believe, have unfortunately set the stage for such horrific attacks on the gay or perceived-gay citizens of Kauai.

The homophobic rhetoric from politicians and the pulpit are an evident and chilling demonstration of right-wing political and religious bigotry that is allowed to flourish in the Aloha State against its gay citizens.

This incident is a wake-up call signaling that it is time for the people of Hawaii to reclaim the aloha spirit from those who hide behind it, and place it back in their hearts where it belongs before someone has to die.

Lee Mentley
Los Angeles

Some kids can afford to just say 'maybe'

Hey kids, hedge your bets a bit. If you are planning a life of relative obscurity without fame, 15 minutes or otherwise, then "Just say no."

If you are planning a life of celebrity, maybe an Emmy award and movie stardom; possibly a life on the baseball diamond or perhaps having relatives in high political office, then substance abuse might be just what the pleasure doctor ordered for you. If you can afford the proper lawyers and political connections and can shed a tear when called to the bar, even past offenses won't matter. These controlled substances might help you get over the daily grind of being bored with your overindulgent life.

At least that is what the papers are telling me.

Arnold Van Fossen

Special-ed students can succeed

My son, Adam Cole Jr., is very special. He has autism and has had to go through a lot to graduate from high school this year. He was one of those children who slipped through the cracks of our educational system for years.

It took the determination of my wife, Alane, and me to find a aggressive attorney, Shelby Floyd, and prominent psychiatrists, Dr. William Bolman and Dr. Maggie Koven, to persuade the Department of Education to realize it had done wrong to my son for years and misplaced him in past education programs.

It took years of court dates, IEP (individual education plan) meetings and also tears of frustration. Only with the blessings of these people on our side were we heard as parents.

I would like to share this story with other parents so I can show them that it is not impossible to get adequate special education for their child. You just have to be smart, aggressive and have good people on your side.

Adam is now almost 20 years old. He will graduate from Pearl City High this weekend. A proud daddy? Yes, I am. But why did it have to take my doctors and my attorney for the DOE to listen to me?

Adam B. Cole

Criticism of Lingle is unfounded

Recent letters from Greg Johnson and George Toyama criticizing Linda Lingle make me wish that the Democrat machine was as good at running government as it is at bashing anyone who challenges it. We'd all benefit if the Democrats, who have run Hawaii for more than 40 years, spent as much time solving our education and economic challenges as they do thinking up rumors, barbs and innuendo.

Johnson criticizes Lingle for wanting to select her running mate and campaign as a team in the next election because it doesn't "let the voters decide." When was the last time the Democrats didn't team up? Remember the "Dream Team" campaigns from the last two gubernatorial elections featuring Ben and Mazie?

He criticizes Linda for being "confident." Who wants to support a gubernatorial candidate who isn't confident? Linda's confidence comes from working around the clock for three years to build a viable Republican Party and to get extraordinary people elected. She's done both with help from thousands of people. Yet she is humble enough to know that the race of her life is ahead and it won't be over until the last vote is counted.

Toyama's one lucid point seemed to be that Linda is focused on two areas in 2002: winning the gubernatorial race and getting more Republicans elected to the state House. This is called focus and planning and these are things we need in state government. I hope Linda gets a chance to apply them there.

Kitty Lagareta
Kailua

[QUOTABLES] "I think they should have an avenue for parents (to sue), but I think this is going to open up a Pandora's box...People sometimes sue just because they're mad." Ken Ito, House education chairman, disagreeing with Judge David Ezra's ruling that lets parents of a special-needs student sue the state for out-of-pocket expenses and punitive damages. "Shocking is an understatement. We have been orphaned by this loss." Janardan Sharma, Nepalese vegetable vendor, reacting to the news that Crown Prince Dipendra had killed his parents, the king and queen, and six other family members before shooting himself. The prince, who is in a coma, was nevertheless proclaimed the new king.

'Moosed' gets goosed no matter what

You have to love our government -- it knows how to get you coming and going. So "Moosed," the Hawaii gambler who won a jackpot over the Internet, is ensnared in a classic Catch-22.

Either the Nannyites are going to get him for -- gasp! how dare he!! -- risking his own money, thereby putting society in danger. Or the tax folks are going to get him because, of course, the government is entitled to a cut of every single penny.

Since this is the Socialist Republic of Hawaii, "Moosed" will likely get hit with the double whammy. All of his winnings will be taxed, no doubt at the highest rate, then what's left will pay his criminal penalty for gambling.

James Ko

'Gaming' won't improve some things in Hawaii

I was involved in the legislative battle to permit gaming on Arizona Indian reservations, so I am well aware of the benefits Hawaii's Departments of Education and Transportation could reap from legal gaming in Hawaii.

But there is one big difference between Hawaii and Arizona: In Arizona, when a vehicle enters a crosswalk occupied by a pedestrian, the driver of that vehicle is cited; here, drivers whiz around the pedestrian, accompanied by the laughter of watching Honolulu police officers.

Look at any park or beach where animals are prohibited, and you will see dogs running amok. Look at any sign which prohibits feeding birds and you will see people feeding birds, and find all the stores selling birdseed. You probably won't see the "No Parking" sign behind that parked vehicle, but you will see some athletic youth leap from his or her vehicle parked in a stall designated for disabled parking.

Arizona has law enforcement; Hawaii does not. Gaming can bring many things to Hawaii, but law enforcement isn't one of them.

Rico Leffanta
Waikiki

Tiff with a tenant shouldn't halt the mail

When an inept mail carrier generated complaints in a condo, and even sassed one of the tenants who complained and drove him to distraction, the solution was to stop mail delivery (Star-Bulletin, May 17). That was a simplistic solution to a problem.

Why not change carriers (this is done routinely) and "train" the troublesome carrier, thus continuing with an improved service?

Ted Chernin
Pearl City

AJAs are too quiet about past heroics

I agree with Clayton Ikei of the Japanese American Citizens League that the film "Pearl Harbor" could rekindle hatred against AJA (Star-Bulletin, May 23). However, are meetings to "publicize concern and...(ensure that) children of Japanese ancestry are not taunted" the best way to address the problem?

Members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team fought for the rights of Japanese Americans. They took action when racism was prevalent throughout America. Why are we talking about the possible effects of a movie?

This time, the battle against ignorance will be fought in the media. Hollywood unintentionally fired first with "Pearl Harbor." We need to counter. Why aren't most Americans aware of the sacrifices of the 442nd? We've been too quiet for too long about the achievements of AJAs, only speaking up when our right to citizenship is challenged.

We need to educate others about the Japanese-American experience. We need to fight ignorance with fact and make a statement so compelling that even the most prejudiced cannot ignore it. Japanese Americans, it's up to us now, individually and as a community, to "Go For Broke."

D. Miki Lee

High-tech industry isn't so healthy

I was pleased to see the recent coverage the Star-Bulletin gave to the local high-tech community ("Isles' tech potential high," May 27). The success of any new industry ultimately depends on whether the businesses in that market can be profitable. In addition to happy customers and happy employees, a viable business must have money in the bank. The bottom line is the bottom line.

Over the last few months, Hawaii has made significant gains in creating a business environment conducive to high-tech startups. As an entrepreneur, I would like to see:

>> More tax incentives to encourage start-ups that base their operations in Hawaii. These incentives should apply to companies in Hawaii as well as those considering moving here.

>> Privatizing more of the state's and city's high tech's needs. Make the bidding process more open and available to the public.

>> Find ways to help businesses keep their running costs as low as possible. This includes making cheaper office space available, reducing state and federal payroll liabilities, and minimizing employee-related insurance charges.

>> Promoting more sources of cheap capital.

>> Evangelizing about the islands' high-tech start-ups. This should happen on all levels, especially politically. Don't forget the smaller firms.

Hawaii cannot expect to have a vibrant high-tech business within the next few years, nor can Hawaii ever expect to rival communities like the Silicon Valley. If we can create a business environment that fosters high-tech growth, then we will eventually enjoy revenue that supports well-paying careers.

Kimo Kerr
President, KimosList.com

Anti-aloha campaign hurts Hawaii

I am outraged by Michael Golojuch's comments in his May 25 letter. He talks about the destructiveness of religion and how we should be placing our faith in science.

Has he considered the destructiveness of homosexual behavior? According to the Hawaii Department of Health (2000), there are 2,384 cases of AIDS in Hawaii and 83 percent of those cases are men having sex with men. It is also true that it goes against basic human anatomy and biology (science) to engage in the homosexual practices.

I am certain that gays and atheists who are causing all the controversy over the church crosses, are just a tiny minority of the Hawaii population.

However, their anti-aloha crusades are certainly making big waves.

Chris Connoley
Pahoa, Hawaii

Humane society needs lesson in humanity

A while back, I received a request for contributions to the Hawaiian Humane Society. The request stated that the HHS is "committed to helping abandoned animals that so desperately need our help."

The HHS, however, is not doing what it promised. A friend recently caught some feral kittens (4-5 weeks old) and did not have a home for one of them. I urged her to bring it to the HHS where I was sure it would be adopted.

When she got to the HHS, they told her the kitten "was not adoptable" and would be destroyed. She was devastated and did not want to leave the kitten. There was another lady there who had lost her cat and was checking to see if HHS had found it yet. She was told that they had thrown out her lost cat report! They weren't even looking for her pet.

My friend was crying and the lady who had lost her cat was also quite upset, but offered to take the little feral kitten home with her. There were two tragedies that afternoon: the HHS destroys innocent, young kittens because they're feral and the HHS couldn't care less about searching for reported lost cats.

We are contributors to the HHS but that is being reconsidered. I have already cancelled my payroll deduction to them. There are other, more deserving agencies that would be happy to receive our donations.

Nora M. Ahonen

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