Our delegates should help chef Chai as well

So President Bush wants an exception to legalize 3 million illegal immigrants while this same "inflexible law" is being used to deport chef Chai Chaowasaree. Shouldn't our congressional delegation use its full power to see a similar exception for chef Chai?

Russell Stephen Pang

Dobelle can raise morale at university

After reading your July 19 editorial, 'Dobelle aims high with the university," I felt moved and motivated by Evan Dobelle's all-inclusive statements. I am a nontraditional student (a thirtysomething freshman) And a proud member of Phi Theta Kappa. This year our honors topic is "Preserving and Honoring Diversity: The Human Drive for Community." It appears Dobelle's mission is just that.

My faith in the University of Hawaii system has been renewed. My desire to contribute to the community has grown. And my goal to attain academic excellence has strengthened. Sincere enthusiasm can go a long way -- bring on the Nobel for Dobelle!

Never underestimate the power of positive reinforcement. This is what Dobelle is offering us; why not offer the same reinforcement to him? What have we got to lose?

Christina Simpkins

[Quotables] "It's been a joke. And 'Pearl Harbor' still continues with that joke, to be perfectly honest. It's not true; it's not accurate." Steven Fredrick, Film historian, on the romanticized image of Hawaii portrayed in Hollywood movies. Fredrick's extensive collection of Hawaii-themed films are occasionally shown at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel. "Somebody has to do something before someone dies." Debra Guillaume, Mother of boy who rolled his van on the too-slick hairpin turn on Pali highway. The turn has been the scene of 12 accidents this month.

Congress can cash in on Social Security

Richard Rowland's concerns about the future of Social Security are certain to be part of the intensifying debate about the program's future (Letters, July 22). However, his letter is incorrect in stating that "our congressmen do not participate in Social Security."

Until 1984 neither federal civil service workers nor members of Congress paid into Social Security, nor were they eligible for benefits. That changed with the 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act (Public Law 98-21). This law requires all federal employees hired after 1983 to participate in Social Security. It also requires all members of Congress to participate, no matter when they were first elected.

Rowland also stated that members of Congress have a "special [retirement] program for which they pay nothing." Members of Congress participate in the same retirement plans as other federal employees (the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System, depending on when they entered federal service). These are conventional retirement programs, and both require contributions from participants, including members of Congress.

Social Security is an important and complex issue. It deserves the attention it is receiving from policy experts, lawmakers and the public. The best way to ensure that that discussion is constructive is to keep it focused on the facts.

Michael Slackman
Communications director for U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie

Council members should hide heads

If we must stomach Rene Mansho and Andy Mirikitani sitting every day at the City Council meetings until she is voted out and he finally goes to prison, then the least they can do is to sit there with brown paper bags over their heads.

Donald G. Micco
Wailuku

Fox News stacks deck with right-wing guests

Cal Thomas' column stated, "Fox looks conservative only because the rest are so far to the left."

Perhaps the paid analyst for Fox should realize the reality of the situation.

Fox, a news channel, lies to viewers when it claims it is fair and balanced.

While CNN airs the viewpoints of both sides, Fox bases its programming on smashing liberal viewpoints with its slate of conservative guests. According to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, from Jan. 1 to May 1 of this year on "Special Report with Brit Hume," only six out of 56 partisan guests were Democrats.

Even the supposedly nonpartisan anchors have conservative leanings. Brit Hume contributes to several conservative journals. Bill O'Reilly, who claims to be independent, was a registered Republican until the Washington Post exposed him. And Tony Snow spoke at a Republican Youth Caucus, even though he was there as a reporter, and also wrote a conservative weekly newspaper column that bashed Democrats.

What's wrong with Fox is that they're lying to the public when they say, "We report, you decide."

The reality is that high-powered conservatives Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes have already decided: They want you to hear the right-wing talking points.

That's certainly not fair and balanced news, as Thomas contends.

Eric Hananoki

Traffic jams cause all of us aggravation

We are from the Moanalua Middle School summer school program and are in a class called Community, which deals with selecting an issue and trying to persuade others to help us.

Our group picked traffic jams and how they affect everyone's daily life. They make us late for appointments, our jobs, and school.

We tell you what we stand for. We suggest making road improvements at a later time when there are not so many cars on the road. Consider mass transportation by building subways, high-speed rail, or monorails. We think about not raising fares for buses because that would tax the poor who don't have enough money to buy a car. They also help by not having cars that clog up the roads.

If you have comments, concerns, or want to know more about our traffic jam project, please go to our Web site at: http://ecell2.k12.hi.us/2001/projects/mms2/index.html

John-Patrick Whitaker, Melissa Cadelina and Brandi Melchor

Condit should undergo more tests, hypnosis

California congressman Gary Condit has reluctantly released information of his sexual relationship with Chandra Levy. He passed a polygraph test that he paid for, provided a DNA sample now awaiting analysis, that has been labeled useless by the police department.

To clear the air, he should take another polygraph and DNA test supervised by the police. In addition it would be helpful if he voluntarily agreed to be hypnotized.

This would be a positive step in revealing what happened to Levy.

How Tim Chang

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