ATTACK ON AMERICA

Methodist churches holding services today

The people of the United Methodist churches of Hawaii District (including Guam and Saipan) as well as other churches in the California-Pacific Annual Conference are gathering for prayer in local churches at 4 p.m. Hawaii time, noon Guam/Saipan time, 7 p.m. California time.

Pastors are asked to notify the people in their local churches and communities, and to prepare a service of hope and healing in this time of terrible grief, shock and fear.

This terrible tragedy allows those of us in the United States who have felt "invincible" to realize that life is very fragile and peace something not to be taken for granted. We are reminded again that we cannot put our trust in weapons or even airport security systems. The only true trust we have is in God's love, and in God's desire for peace between God's children.

There will be much panic and fear, especially with so much unknown. Let us pray that those who are our national leaders in determining a response will make decisions based on calm reasoning and facts, rather than reacting in anger and causing more innocent lives to be lost.

Let us pray for the emergency services personnel, the medical and safety persons who are working in the midst of the devastation, and those trying to save lives in overcrowded hospitals. And let us remember in prayer those persons who are traveling.

May the families and friends of those who have died so tragically eventually find comfort and solace, surrounded by God's love and our prayers.

Rev. Barbara Grace Ripple
Hawaii District Superintendent
The United Methodist Church

'Romance' with terror groups must end

Will this end the romance the American left has with terrorist groups like the Palestinian intifada and the Irish Republican Army? This is what the Israelis face every day but on a smaller scale.

Carol R. White

[Quotables] "The U.S. government has been doing its best in response to the surviving families' wishes and the wishes of the Japanese people." Makiko Tanaka Japanese foreign minister, on efforts by the Navy to salvage the Ehime Maru, the Japanese fishing vessel sunk by the USS Greeneville on Feb. 9 south of Diamond Head. "You have to have the passion that will attract a group of people who will stick with you -- even if the ship is going down." Gov. Ben Cayetano On the excitement needed by a gubernatorial candidate to generate enough support to be elected.

Puerto Ricans are welcome to catch frogs

I bet we could work out some decent package deals and room rates in case, say, 10,000 Puerto Ricans want to come to Hawaii to help us with our coqui problem.

They can come gather them up and take them home instead of us wackin' them with caffeine, just so long as they leave for good.

Shall we make reservations for them now, say first and second weeks of October? Will the rooms be ohana or oceanfront?

Robert "Rabbett" Abbett
Kailua

We must protect our own native species

The Puerto Ricans are saying that the coqui is one of their national symbols. Well, in Hawaii the native animals are a state symbol. Are we supposed to choose their native animals over ours? I think not. We need to preserve our own native animals and eliminate the pests from outside lands.

Clifford Wassman
Mililani

Caribbean frogs in Hawaii: pride or pest?

To some, the coqui frog symbolizes Caribbean pride. Others say the coqui is an alien pest species in Hawaii. Which is it, pride or pest? Actually, it is both. And while we value cultural symbols, we cannot afford to let alien pests spread unchecked.

We can admire the coqui frog as a regional symbol of our sister island, Puerto Rico; however, we should not permit regional pride to be the basis for our pest-control decisions in Hawaii. Isn't it obvious that a valued species elsewhere can be a pest in Hawaii?

Isn't it also obvious that residents of Hawaii intend no disrespect, that we simply want to protect Hawaii from alien species that threaten our economic, biologic and cultural resources? We should be able both to respect the symbolic value of the coqui to Puerto Rico and to prevent its invasion in this place where it does not belong.

The rapid spread of coqui frogs threatens Hawaii's tourism and agriculture-based economy, unique biodiversity, property values and quality of life. It is irresponsible to delay protecting Hawaii from alien pest species, regardless of their origins.

Duane Nelson
Chairman
Steve Lohse
Coordinator
Hawaii's Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species

Repatriate frogs at Puerto Rico's expense

Regarding the Puerto Rican protests about eradication in Hawaii of the coquis:

The coqui frogs represent the same kind of threat to the delicate natural balance in Hawaii as miconia does.

This protest cannot be allowed to dilute the eradication plan. If Puerto Ricans care that much about the frogs ... let them pay the bills to round up every last one of them and ship them back to Puerto Rico. They don't have to deal with the economic disaster that can come from this introduced species.

I submit my vote for eradication.

Bill Martin
San Antonio, Texas
Kamaaina expatriate

Democracy doesn't work without voters

Thank you for drawing attention to Hawaii's low voter turnout ("Isles lag in voter turnout," Sept. 1). Voting is the cornerstone of the democratic process; if few people are voting, then the process isn't working.

State election officials are to be commended for the work they've done to improve voter participation. Still, we can do better. Minnesota, which leads the nation in voter participation, allows citizens to register right up until Election Day. Most voters aren't interested in the campaigns until the very end and by then it's usually too late to register.

Improving voter confidence will require making sure that people's votes really matter. The last three presidential elections have been won by a candidate receiving less than a majority of votes. In Hawaii, none of the OHA candidates won office with a majority of votes in 2000. Only one of eight Board of Education candidates received a majority of votes.

When candidates can win office with a minority of voters, the majority can rightly ask whether voting really matters. Instant Runoff Voting ensures that candidates win office with the support of a majority.

Larry Meacham
Spokesperson
Common Cause Hawaii
Blair Bobier
Center for Voting & Democracy

Profit shouldn't be clinic's mission

I was saddened to read about the closure of the Queen's Dental Clinic. Queen Emma saw the need for the Queen's Dental Clinic back in 1854 when she saw that the people of Hawaii were not getting the level of health care they dearly needed.

Her vision was a blessing to the thousands of Hawaii residents who could not be treated in any other facility in Hawaii. When Queen Emma humbled herself to get funding for the hospital in 1854, it was a noble act that resulted in the Queen's Medical Center, a monument to her aloha for the people of Hawaii.

Even now the mission is clear: "The Queen's Medical Center is an ohana committed to leadership in preserving, protecting and perpetuating the health of all people of Hawaii, recognizing the special health needs of native Hawaiians." Now we are told that the Queen's Dental Clinic is losing too much money. When did Queen's change its mission statement to include making a profit?

The dental clinic provides too valuable a service to the public to be summarily closed. It provides care to patients of all races, ages and economic levels. The poor decision to close the dental clinic will result in insignificant savings to Queen's, but the loss to the people of Hawaii will be much more substantial. I'm sure Queen Emma would have been extremely disappointed.

Kevin K.L. Ching DDS
Dental Staff Queen's Medical Center

---

Letter guidelines The Star-Bulletin welcomes letters that are crisp and to the point on issues of public interest. The Star-Bulletin reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Please direct comments to the issues; personal attacks will not be published. Letters must be signed, must include a mailing address and daytime telephone number. Letter form: Online form, click here E-mail: letters@starbulletin.com Fax: (808) 529-4750 Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Bulletin 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813