Will Americans commit to long fight?

The bombing started yesterday. Most of us were infants when the Korean War was going on. My generation, however, fought in Vietnam. We were past our prime during the Gulf War and many are pushing retirement during this new war in Afghanistan. This will be the fourth major military engagement we will have lived through. Will we prevail and if so, how well?

America is the most affluent and influential country in the world. We are proud of this; we have earned it, but it has also cost us. We have gotten fat and lazy. Despite our flag-waving, do we really understand what war is all about?

I'm reminded of Ho Chi Minh (or someone close to him) saying to American officials, "for every 10 of us you kill we may kill only one of you, but in the end, it is you who will tire first."

In retrospect, that was a bold statement, but you've got to give them credit. Not only did they say it, they were willing to stick by it.

Are we Americans committed or will we wimp out as soon as we feel the pain? Will we start pointing fingers, making excuses, calling for a cease fire? Or do we have the fortitude to rally again and again?

I hope so because the bombing started yesterday. We are beyond questioning its wisdom, the military strategy or the politics.

Michael S. Chu
Company G (Ranger)
75th Infantry

It's time for patriots to return to beliefs

What is true patriotism? Is it just waving the American flag and singing "God bless America" in the midst of tragedy?

I think it's more than waving a flag and singing a song. True patriotism is when someone stands up for what a country believes in, takes a stand for what a country is founded upon.

America's founding fathers believed in freedom, happiness, truth, justice and a love for God. It's time for America to get back to these principles. We need to take a stand for these beliefs, to fight for them, to not turn our backs on them. Men and women have died to protect these beliefs. It's time for Americans look deep into our hearts and see if we are true patriots.

Alan Kim
Aiea

Pearl Harbor policy is hurting tourism

Recently I took a visitor to the Arizona Memorial and encountered the new security measures. We were met on the walkway by two almost-nice sailors who told us camera bags and purses were not allowed on the premises. Not just "subject to search," valuables must be left in your vehicle.

While inconvenient and discomforting for us, it was impossible for others who had arrived by shuttle bus.

We met one young couple who had taken a shuttle and had no place to lock up their bags. They had to trust their belongings to strangers and hope the timing of their excursion matched ours. Their shuttle driver had not mentioned the no-bags policy, probably because he didn't have a solution other than to wait while they returned everything to their hotel room, thus disrupting his schedule.

As a state, we are begging visitors to come and trying to assure them that they'll have a wonderful vacation. Pearl Harbor, as one of our main attractions, isn't doing its part. If the National Park Service and military have new restrictions in place, they should have the means to implement and make it easy for people to comply. Surely between the Park Service and the Navy, they can come up with a bank of coin-operated lockers and a couple of MPs to guard the lockers and parking areas -- immediately.

Sally Sorenson

[Quotables] "True Buddhism is not only meditation. We have meditation, but if you sit by yourself, you don't learn anything. Each person needs to be guided to learn about our self ..." Jikyu Rose Bishop of Koganji Temple in Manoa, on the personal counseling and down-to-earth advice she offers the temple's congregation. "Employees are to discuss it and decide whether they want to participate." Stu Glauberman Aloha Airlines spokesman, on the company's proposal to bring back 250 laid-off employees if they agree to give up two days of pay each month. All employees, including the company president, would have their salary reduced.

Airline bail-out fails to benefit Hawaii

United Airlines has made a bundle off Hawaii tourism for years. Now at crunch time for our tourist industry, not to mention most of the rest of Hawaii's businesses, United flies half-empty planes and discounts only business class.

I hope our state government and our visitors bureau are taking due note. How about some aggressive action to impress upon them that while they are being bailed out, Hawaii's businesses are not.

Stan Morketter

Hawaii again leads nation in patriotism

Congratulations to the people of Hawaii for their "Stand Up For America" march. Once again Hawaii leads the nation in a solid demonstration of patriotism and unity.

To top it all off, the parade included members of the Hawaii Muslim Association.

Bravo!

Nolan Ezra
Union City, Calif.

Americans of every color deserve equality

I denounce my fellow Americans who verbally or physically assault either Arabs, people who look like Arabs, or Muslim buildings such as mosques. Both my Jewish heritage and my volunteer work with Holocaust education demand that I speak out.

The Torah (Old Testament) commands "justice, justice you shall pursue." That means that everybody must be treated equally and fairly. That also means that we cannot sit or stand by silently while there is injustice. We must act.

The Holocaust Teacher Resource Center (http://www.Holocaust-trc.org) is com- mitted to learning lessons from the Holocaust and to making this a better world.

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, many Japanese-Americans were assaulted and confined. They were Americans. They were innocent of any wrongdoing. The United States later acknowledged that their treated was wrong.

Hitler and the Nazis assaulted and tried to exterminate the Jewish people because of their heritage. They also targeted the handicapped, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Poles and Gypsies. We must learn from that lesson and stop any generalized assaults on our fellow Americans.

God bless America and all Americans of our diverse backgrounds and heritage.

Mark Nataupsky
Holocaust Teacher Resource Center
Newport News, Va. (University of Hawaii graduate)

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