Call for police chief to resign is premature

The message from Alex Garcia of the police officers' union that Chief Lee Donohue resign because of the alleged misappropriation of food money by high-ranking officers makes me wonder what world Garcia is living in.

When was the last time you went to a party and asked who purchased the food or where the food came from? If you don't know where the food came from, Garcia suggests, you're naive and shouldn't be in command, or shouldn't be the chairman.

Hey, Mom, are you sure you didn't shoplift the Thanksgiving turkey?

If Garcia believes that other top brass were involved, we have guilty people who have not yet been accused, indicted, found guilty or whatever. Is the evidence there or not? Garcia should make no allegation unless he has the evidence.

What kind of business administration school advises firing the most experienced key people just because -- no reason -- just because?

Herm Salz

[Quotables] "You see all these people crashing. You not only hurt yourself, you hurt the people around you." Brian De Borja, 20-year-old car enthusiast, on a fatal accident Sunday that may have been caused by cars racing along H-1 Freeway. De Borja's 1996 custom-made BMW was displayed at the Hawaii Street Car Show Off over the weekend. "The federal Endangered Species Act supersedes all other laws, so, of course, Big Brother took over." Don Heacock, Biologist with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, on strained relations between local and federal agencies and their volunteer seal-watch teams charged with protecting the monk seal and seal pup that have taken up residence on the sand at Poipu County Beach Park on Kauai. The National Marine Fisheries Service has closed both beaches at the park.

President's tax cut will hurt the nation

Does anyone believe President Bush's foolish claim that the sharp drop in the federal surplus is "incredibly positive news?"

Bush's tax cut for the very rich prevents reduction in the enormous Reagan deficits. The tax cut and lost surplus will endanger Social Security and Medicare. They will worsen infant mortality, life expectancy and all health indicators -- where we already have dropped to below 20th among the industrial countries. Part of those ills are because more than 40 million people, largely children, are without any form of health insurance.

The United States is the only modern nation that lacks any national health insurance. The unfair tax cuts will bring us down to the very bottom in health and other human needs.

Jerome G. Manis

Hats, sunglasses hide suspect faces

The public is constantly being asked for help in identifying bank robbery suspects whose faces are obscured by hats and sunglasses.

Banks should enforce their "no hats, no dark glasses" rules. If bank personnel are reluctant to approach a customer, a public address announcement should ask that all customers please remove hats and dark glasses while in the building.

Catherine M. Caldwell

People in Hawaii are too fat

Hawaii is overweight.

The Star-Bulletin promotes the show "Local Kine Grindz," which pictures the hosts who are dangerously obese. In our drugstores, I'm met by a giant cardboard cutout of Sam Choy, who definitely overeats his cooking. Our local heroes, Bruddah Iz was morbidly obese and Konishiki's career was shorten because of excessive weight.

This trend is not just at home. National reports show that 105 million American are overweight.

The wrong message is sent to youngsters during their early years when they should be forming smart dietary decisions. The health costs of diabetes and heart disease caused by obesity are increasing, just like the waistlines of kids too out of shape to touch their toes.

Before you supersize your order, weigh the consequences.

D.S. Ross

OHA's mission at odds with aiding Hawaiians

In seeking ceded land revenues, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is trying to squeeze more money from Hawaii's taxpayers. I wouldn't mind so much if these funds were really going directly to needy Hawaiians, but they're not.

OHA has altered its original mission from aiding poor Hawaiians to becoming a political action and lobbying organization, using money provided by taxpayers. OHA has hired lawyers, lobbyists, public relations people and ad agencies at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars that could be spent on health, education and housing needs.

OHA's mission now is to focus on the sovereignty issue and getting Washington to designate Hawaiians as "Native Americans." If successful, this could be an enormous cash cow for the milking. And, guess who would do the milking? OHA, of course, because it already has been created and ordained by the state to collect revenue for Hawaiians.

OHA's rationale is that this strategy may work out best for the sovereignty power brokers, but what about those desperately needing help now?

We may lose thousands of strapped seniors and a whole generation of youth at risk while OHA is spending gobs going after that pot of gold in Washington.

Art Todd

OHA Special

Rice vs. Cayetano arguments

Rice vs. Cayetano decision

Holo I Mua: Sovereignty Roundtable

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Fluoridation negates freedom of choice

It is baffling and frightening to know that government officials who make crucial decisions about the health of Hawaii's people can be so blind to facts about the hazards of fluoridation.

To say fluoride is safe and effective without scientific proof reduces credibility of government to a sham. Disinformation from both Dr. Bruce Anderson and Dr. Mark Greer represents intentional misguidance by the state Department of Health to fluoridate the water supply of Lanai and other islands.

Despite controversy which remains after 45 years of experimentation upon the people of America, the media, the American Dental Association and state agencies continue to advocate the addition of this pollutant and waste product to water, which is already a scarce commodity in many communities.

To deny mounting scientific research with evidence indicating long-term deterioration of bones and teeth and damage to the environment means that money received from the tobacco industry settlement and federal funds will be squandered on yet another state project that will jeopardize the health of Lanai residents.

There are many like me who oppose fluoridating our water, which takes away freedom of choice and has nothing to do with reduction of tooth decay.

Ruth Nakasone

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