Is ticket quota a ploy to hike income?

Many thanks to Honolulu Police Department Detective Alex Garcia, a brave man, indeed, for publicly stating what everyone already knows about traffic enforcement ("Memo required quotas on traffic tickets," Star-Bulletin, July 4). And thanks to Rod Antone for writing this article. But there is so much more to discuss!

How much did the state receive in traffic fines last year and how much money is projected to be taken in this year? Is this revenue vital to the health of our state government? How many tickets were issued last year and so far this year? Can it be shown that high-speed accidents are reduced by writing seat-belt citations and ticketing drivers for 35 in a 25 zone? If the number of citations issued on a particular road are very high and nobody drives at the posted limit, does anyone study whether the posted speed limit is too low? Which "speed traps" generate the most money?

Each police car or motorcycle driven on a freeway or surface street slows down hundreds of cars. If the goal is truly public safety and not income production, why don't the police spend more time patrolling the roads looking for reckless drivers and less time acting like drive-through cash registers.

Gil Riviere
Waialua

It's ironic that ACLU condemns Thomas

When the Hawaii American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) used its First Amendment free speech and labeled conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with all kinds of bad names (anti-Christ, a Hitler and a black Uncle Tom), I was really upset.

I think the ACLU should speak for itself when calling someone an "anti-Christ." In 1956, our Congress adopted "In God We Trust" as the official national motto. This motto appeared on U.S. currency since 1864. Yet the ACLU claims this phrase, when displayed publicly, is unconstitutional.

In 1988, California was considering adopting legislation requiring that whenever sex education was taught in public schools that course material and instruction shall stress that monogamous heterosexual (one man and one women) intercourse within marriage is a traditional American value. The ACLU opposed the bill because teaching that monogamous, heterosexual intercourse within marriage as a traditional American value is an unconstitutional establishment of a religious doctrine in public school.

They are against Nativity scenes of Jesus (God) and now are targeting the Ten Commandments to remove them from public view.

It is clear that the ACLU will do all it can to remove any vestige of religious expression wherever it is displayed.

Melvin Partido
Pearl City

[Quotables] "The major issue is the majority party doesn't want to be in a position to be the only Democratic Legislature to override a Democratic governor's vote." Sam Slom, State Senate Minority leader (R, Kalama Valley), on opposition to a special session of the Legislature to override Gov. Ben Cayetano's veto of a bill that would raise the sexual age of consent from 14 to 16. "We're just smack dab in the middle of brush fire season. We could see this all the way past September with this dry season." Honolulu Fire Capt. Richard Soo, On the third brush fire on Oahu since June 22.

Don't delay Clifton's judicial appointment

It has been suggested by Professor Richard S. Miller of the University of Hawaii Law School that Senators Inouye and Akaka should withhold their approval of Rick Clifton to try to force President Bush to appoint Jim Duffy to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Hawaii has nothing to gain from stalling Clifton's appointment. Duffy's nomination has already been withdrawn and, in his place, President Bush has nominated Clifton.

Senators Inouye and Akaka would only be doing Hawaii a great disservice by trying to force Bush into doing something that he's obviously not going to do and create a political stalemate. This tactic would only serve to further delay the opportunity of getting a highly qualified Hawaii attorney who would serve Hawaii well on the federal judiciary.

But I am equally certain that Clifton is just as qualified and will do an outstanding job in representing Hawaii. Hawaii will not benefit if it has to wait several more years for someone else to be nominated. All that would be accomplished would be the keeping of yet another well-qualified Hawaii attorney from holding this position of honor and indefinitely postpone Hawaii's representation on the Ninth Circuit.

I hope that Senators Inouye and Akaka will put political partisanship aside. If they truly analyze Clifton's credentials, they would likewise concur that he is a skilled lawyer with the highest integrity and that everyone in Hawaii -- Democrats, Republicans and independents --would be proud of his appointment.

Shelton G.W. Jim On
Attorney

Hawaiians never gave up sovereignty

Neither the Akaka Bill nor the Patrick Barrett case do justice to the Hawaiian people. Both forget the criminal violations that occurred beginning with the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy to annexation without a treaty, to statehood plebiscite that left out the option for independence.

Both forget the taking of 1.8 million acres of ceded lands "without the consent of or compensation to the Hawaiian people. Both forget that the provisional government that was formed by the traitors of the Kingdom of Hawaii was created without the consent of the Hawaiian people or the lawful government of Hawaii and in violation of treaties between the two nations and of international law.

Most of all, they forget that the indigenous Hawaiian people never directly relinquished their claims to their inherent sovereignty as a people or over their national lands to the United States, either through their monarchy or through a plebiscite or referendum. Fortunately, all these forgotten violations are recorded in U.S. Public Law 103-150. The injustices continue.

Steven Tayama
Waimanalo

Let common sense determine the truth

I found your editorial on John Ashcroft quite interesting ("Ashcroft aligns himself with NRA in slashing FBI's ability to track guns," Star-Bulletin, July 2). Who are we most likely to believe is committing fraud here, those who seek to preserve our civil rights or those who seek to destroy them?

I think common sense tells us who is most likely to be telling the truth and who are the extremists.

David Parrish

What did Fourth event cost taxpayers?

Why doesn't Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris and his administration know what the Kapiolani Park Fourth of July event cost taxpayers?

Why would you engage in something if you didn't know what it is going to cost you? Is this the way his administration approaches all of its projects?

Also why was it that only certain people were invited? An explanation to the public is needed on who was invited and how he came to that conclusion. Was it only people who gave to the Jeremy Harris campaign?

Randy L. Prothero
Mililani

Veto of quarantine bill hurt military families

Serving as the Hawaii representative for the Non-Commissioned Officers Association I am totally dismayed that Gov. Ben Cayetano vetoed the pet quarantine bill, which would have enabled continuation of quarantine fee discounts to military families who own pets.

SB204 was the culmination of extensive efforts by the Military Affairs Council, the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, service associations and the Hawaii Business Roundtable, which together diligently worked the issue through Hawaii's legislative processes and with Hawaii's Department of Agriculture. Intelligent and compassionate men and women applied their wisdom and found a solution for relieving a significant financial burden on military families.

The NCOA -- a federally chartered nonprofit organization -- has served to protect and enhance the quality-of-life interests of our total force since 1960. Our dedicated service members -- 1.4 million active-duty soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guardsmen -- stand trained and ready to pay the ultimate price, to preserve our nation's liberty and way of life.

By vetoing SB204, Governor Cayetano demonstrated his insensitivity to the struggles of Hawaii-based military families. Regrettably, he also chose to ignore the big picture.

Mark R. Despault

Pet Quarantine Archive

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Mississippi originates in Minnesota

I will neither mourn nor am glad about the passing of Liberty House. I have shopped many great values in those stores over the years.

However, regarding the June 27 letter from Beverly Kai ("Don't mourn passing of Liberty House"), the Mississippi River is a 2,552-mile waterway that flows from Lake Itasca, Minn., to the Gulf of Mexico --not from Chicago. Sorry.

Robert Zimmer

Volunteers helped repair health clinic

Child and Family Service (CFS) thanks 55 service-minded individuals and four community-based organizations who contributed two weekends of their time and hundreds of dollars in materials to renovate Hale Holopono, one of our homes for adolescents.

Hale Holopono, which means "House of Success" in Hawaiian, is a residential treatment facility that provides clinical behavioral health counseling to male teens. It is one of seven homes and shelters statewide managed by CFS that offer a variety of services to more than 1,000 children, adolescents and adults every year.

The individuals and organizations who generously gave their time and support to this effort include: Mason Williams, Brad Oliver and volunteers from Marsh USA, Inc., Jack DeTour and volunteers from the Air Force Association, Chapter 138, Trudy Williams and volunteers from the CFS Guild, City Mill and CFS staff.

Geri Marullo, R.N. M.S.
President and CEO Child & Family Services

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