Aloha LeMahieu | Trask reactions

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Anthrax scare handled with professionalism

I would like to commend the individuals and organizations, city, state and federal, who came to our assistance during our suspicious letter incident on Tuesday. Everyone was calm, professional and communicative, even during the tense time between the first positive reading for anthrax and the final negative clearance from the Navy laboratory.

They prepared swiftly and thoroughly to contain and mitigate any potential threat. We can all feel more secure knowing that our government is prepared and responsive. A big mahalo to everyone.

I also would like to credit Star-Bulletin reporter Tim Ruel for his courtesy and concern when he called during the incident. Of all of the media persons that I spoke to that day, he was the only one who called back to express his relief that it was not an anthrax incident after all. He and your paper scored highly in my book.

Sheryl B. Seaman
President
Group 70 International Inc.

Bio-terrorists may be homegrown

Does anyone really believe that the anthrax is coming from the Middle East? We should look within our own borders. The problem is probably a sick American who has issues with his own country. Hopefully we find him and make him pay for all this hysteria.

Charles W. Santiago Jr.
Wahiawa

Legislature gives up powers to governor

The state Legislature has really screwed up this time. Included in the package of special session bills is one that gives dictatorial powers to Governor Cayetano. If passed, Cayetano could declare a financial emergency, ignore any law on the books and do whatever he wants. He wouldn't need to seek comment from the public, from the minority party, or even from most of the people in his party. All he would have to do is meet in secret with the Senate president and the speaker of the House.

You'd think our legislators would be in an uproar about letting these three would-be despots run roughshod over them, but they are ready to pass this bill with almost no dissent except from the Republicans. Apparently, even rubber-stamping the governor's agenda is proving too irksome a chore for our politicians. They want to remove even the pretense of oversight.

It doesn't have to be this way. Call, write or email your legislators and let them know that if they don't want to do their jobs, you'll be happy to elect someone who does.

Jim Henshaw

Fix the economy by cutting government

It is beyond belief what Governor Cayetano has proposed to the special session of the state Legislature. He wants the power to suspend any rule or law if it regulates or imposes any obligation on a business. There would be no legislative meetings, no discussions, no input by the Republican legislators, no anything!

Cayetano wants to be a little dictator. News of this has already reached the mainland and the chilling effect on new possible economic ventures from mainland corporations will soon be evident.

The only logical solution to Hawaii's depressed economy and survival is to reduce the cost of government:

>> Cut by 40 percent the fat state employment rolls.

>> Cut all state salaries by 40 percent.

>> Eliminate either the state Senate or House, giving Hawaii a unicameral legislature.

>> Eliminate the state excise tax on food.

>> Veto Cayetano's request to become a dictator because this would absolutely destroy Hawaii.

Voters, think it over.

Robert M. Lowe

Protectionist laws hurt cruise business

The bankruptcy of American Classic Voyages and the shutting down of its local subsidiaries was predictable. Eventual failure is the only possible outcome when a company must resort to sucking up to ego-driven, greedy politicians for the passing of protectionist, anti-competitive and, I dare say, anti-American legislation to keep them in business.

Waving, amending or repealing currently restrictive legislation would easily result in the replacement of state revenue and jobs lost because of the demise of American Classic.

Foreign cruise lines should immediately be allowed to operate unrestricted cruises, to include onboard gambling, within U.S. waters in and around the state of Hawaii, subject, of course, to the paying of reasonable fees to the state for these privileges.

This action would make a real difference in the state's economy as opposed to the politically motivated fluff the governor is pursuing.

Jack M. Schmidt Jr.

[Quotables] "As far as I am concerned, this is not the final chapter on this topic." Sen. Dan Inouye Hawaii's senior U.S. senator, on his efforts to revive construction of two new cruise ships for American Classic Voyages Inc. Building was halted after American Classic declared bankruptcy last week. The company is reorganizing, and Inouye said he hopes it will emerge stronger and more viable. "It will have an impact. There's no question about it." David P. Carey Outrigger hotels president and Hawaii Tourism Authority board member, on the ailing tourist industry's response to the upcoming departure of HTA chief Bob Fishman, who has been called to active duty in the Army Reserve

Jones Act impedes cruise business

With the bankruptcy of the American Classic Voyages cruise line and the state's economic problems, I hope elected officials and industry personnel are working on restoring ship passenger service between San Francisco and Hawaii.

My wife is much more afraid of flying (as many of us are) after the terrorist attacks, and the continued lack of substantial airline and luggage security keeps many from flying.

We would like to travel by ship from the mainland and get off in Hawaii, our favorite vacation spot. Inconvenient and expensive cruises through Canada and Mexico are the only ship travel available. We are told the Jones Act is an impediment to travel between United States ports.

Richard Fairclo
Klamath Falls, Ore.

For holidays, send gifts from the islands

The holidays are getting closer. The concept "buy Hawaii" is more important than ever in these tough economic times. Let's keep our money in the Islands as much as possible. It will come back to us and our community.

Send Hawaii-grown coffee, mac nuts, locally made apparel and art by local artists. For your local friends, family and business associates, give a night out, buy restaurant and club gift certificates. Let's not send our money to faceless entities beyond our shores.

Jack Law
Beleaguered business person

Two ways for state to cut costs

I have two suggestions for our legislators that could save the state millions of dollars.

>> One, make the Legislature unicameral, as is Nebraska.

>> Two, simplify our individual income tax returns. Simply have taxpayers submit copies of their federal tax returns with a one-page cover form calculating a straight percentage of their federal amount due as the state obligation.

It would require a lot fewer warm bodies in the tax office to process the simplified returns. At least one other state uses this system.

Chriss Heyd

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Aloha to LeMahieu

LeMahieu quits | Overseer concerned

School standards are a tribute to LeMahieu

The members of the Hawaii Business Roundtable believe that the recent resignation of School Superintendent Paul LeMahieu is a great loss to our community.

A man of enormous energy and intelligence, LeMahieu brought vision, direction and hope to a floundering public school system that had been struggling to improve. We feel that it is a testament to LeMahieu's leadership that the standards-based improvement strategy that he worked so hard to put into place appears to have taken root in our schools and will hopefully grow and flourish under the able stewardship of acting School Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto.

Now more than ever, it is critical that all of us join forces to support and nurture our schools.

Nonie M. Toledo

To Paul LeMahieu, sincere thanks

The sound you hear crackling through the still morning air is that of the Board of Education shooting itself once again in the luau foot.

Thank you, Paul LeMahieu, for what you have and tried to accomplish.

Kent Ross

California standards would work for Hawaii

I was sorry to hear that Paul LeMahieu decided to resign from his post before he could accomplish what he needed to do. I would strongly suggest to the next superintendent that instead of creating standards for Hawaii, the state should adopt, with limited variation, the standards of a larger state like California. Having recently moved from Hawaii to California, I am impressed by the support both in training and literature being offered to teachers using the California standards.

Two reasons for adopting a larger state's standards (for everything except state history) is that the job has already been done and that the buying power of larger states can work to Hawaii's advantage. Publishers eager to sell textbooks in California align their books to the standards. Hawaii, if it adopted California's standards for math, science or English could then get books that were aligned with the standards.

The textbook companies would be able to provide the same services to Hawaii that they offer the larger school districts in California. Oregon has started to use these textbooks and standards for math.

Since these standards and their assessments are already in place, they could be used in the next school year.

Joseph Barnett
Sacramento, Calif.

Legislature, school board mess up again

Was I surprised that a special legislative committee and the Board of Education would mess up things again?

So Paul LeMahieu stepped over the line. Who out there really cares? We have a crisis on our hands over the Felix decree. Just when progress is being made, someone decides that they don't like it.

Do all you all mighty legislators and Board of Education members think you can do a better job? Next time you hire someone, tell them the truth: Education in Hawaii sucks.

Wake up, Hawaii, and make these people accountable for firing the best thing that has happened to Hawaii's education system in decades.

Suzanne Dykeman

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More response to Trask's speech

Trask: U.S. to blame | Cayetano, Hee have words | Trask wants a debate

National debate on war is needed

The September 11 attacks are unparalleled tragedies in American history. The resulting outpouring of public pressure for retaliation is understandable though lamentable.

We are now at war, yet the American people do not actually know who is responsible for these terrible acts. We are told by our president that we were attacked because we are hated for our freedoms, we are hated for our democracy and we are hated for our way of life.

This may be true, but other countries have similar freedoms and ways of life and have not be attacked.

Haunani-Kay Trask says the attacks occurred because of America's foreign policies. She has been vilified in letters to the editor as well as by one of the Star-Bulletin's editors, which makes it clear that a national public debate should be encouraged.

Thanks to Trask and others who are opposing this war for bringing this issue to the fore in Hawaii.

Ed Greevy

Trask should test 'freedom' elsewhere

I am sorely disappointed that the Star-Bulletin printed the incoherent dribble of Haunani-Kay Trask (Star-Bulletin, Oct. 19). Then in the Oct. 21 Sunday Insight section contributing editor John Flanagan mentioned Trask and Jerry Falwell as having the same credibility.

Trask refers to America as having "unleashed a history of terrorism all over the world." I am the son of a slave laborer and was a subject under the king of all terrorists Adolf Hitler. I suggest that Trask try living in Libya, North Korea, China or Afghanistan. She could learn about "freedom" from those societies.

Americans came to "impose" their military power in Europe in 1945 for territorial gain? No! They came to give me freedom and preserve her right to speak, leaving in their wake fields of white crosses in Arnhem, Limburg and Normandy, with inscriptions of young men who paid the ultimate price.

Was September 11 a wake up call for America? Falwell's characterization of the attacks as retribution for American society's decline was more right than Trask. We had dismissed the importance of family, church and community, denied the significance of sacrifice and elevated individual rights and pleasures as the ultimate social value. With no other principles to live by, men and women were suffocating under ever-expending enjoyments.

In such a society, consumerism becomes empty and leaves us full of possessions but drained of ideals and vision. One writer referred to this as totalitarian consumerism. Another called it the one principle of Hell, where "I am my own man." We are no longer responsible for our own actions, blaming cigarettes for lung cancer, poverty for crime, guns for killing and capitalism for hunger. If nothing else, let's rethink our direction as a nation, but not look to fuzzy-headed individuals like Trask for a clear new vision.

Terry Bosgra

Professor's remarks are all her own

My maternal grandmother from Kauai is a Trask girl so I was shocked and ashamed of Haunani-Kay Trask's remarks about the tragedy of September 11. I want to say for the record that her beliefs and comments are her own and do not represent the other Trask descendants' sentiments. We are all grieving for the victims and their families.

Nadyne Orona
Potomac, Md.

Cayetano was wrong about Trask

We are outraged by Governor Cayetano's misrepresentation of Haunani-Kay Trask's remarks (Star-Bulletin, Oct. 19).

Cayetano says that Trask's criticism of U.S. foreign policy is "disrespectful" to the people who died on September 11. Trask, however, was not condoning the attacks. Instead, Trask explains how Americans are the very ones to suffer from U.S. foreign policy, its own violent intervention into the affairs of other countries.

Like Trask, the families of those killed have also criticized American foreign policy. As reported in The New York Times, the parents of Gregory Rodriguez wrote to President Bush: "Your response to the attack does not make us feel better about our son's death. It makes us feel worse. It makes us feel our government is using our son's memory as justification to cause suffering for other sons and parents in other lands... We urge you to think about how our government can develop peaceful, rational solutions to terrorism, solutions that do not sink us to the inhuman level of terrorists."

We grieve for those who were killed on September 11, and we oppose this escalation of violence. We stand by Trask's call for us to challenge the U.S. government's foreign policy.

Cynthia Franklin
Candace Fujikane
Laura Lyons
University of Hawaii English Department

Too bad for Trask, she was born too late

Poor Haunani-Kay Trask. She was born 300 years too late. If she were born 300 years ago she would have been pure Hawaiian instead of part Caucasian. She is so beautiful she surely would have been one of King Kamehameha's wives. She would have been so happy. But, alas, that was not to be.

She is involved in the struggle to negate the decision of the Hawaiian people who voted for statehood. How she is going to do that I do not know. I do know that bashing the United States and quoting Malcolm X will not do it.

Alfonso L. Largo

Trask should live under Taliban rule

Haunani-Kay Trask obviously is living in some Vietnam consciousness of the early 1970s. Terrorists are cowards who have not only declared war on our country, but for the first time, have targeted civilians to make their extremist point of view.

How Trask could try and tell us that these children without fathers, these parents without children, these families without wives and mothers, deserved what happened, is a stretch of logic that boggles the mind of the most passionate pacifists anywhere.

I suggest this anti-American, publicity-seeking woman try living a few weeks under Taliban rule and then come back and give us her perspective.

Damian H.T. Bragdon

Who died and made Trask goddess?

Who made Haunani-Kay Trask our spokeswoman?

I am of Hawaiian blood and when my pure-Hawaiian grandparents were alive during the overthrow, they did not rant and rave like Trask is doing.

Who made her our representative and our King Kamehameha? I am proud to be an American.

Luana Pang-Ching

Fight terrorists; don't drive

Since the September 11 terrorist attack, I have seen lots of flags waving on houses and especially on cars and trucks. This action sends two conflicting messages to our Middle Eastern adversaries.

One is that of patriotism that has come as a result of this terrible terrorist act. The second message comes from the Saudi and Iraqi oil we use to drive our cars.

America has accused Iraq of being a terrorist state and Saudi oil money may have provided the initial funding for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Am I calling for a war against these two countries? Of course not, but each one of us can do something here at home that will deprive these regimes of the funds to carry out these monstrous acts. It is very simple: Don't drive.

While difficult to achieve, this is an act that will strike fear in oil-producing countries far more persuasively than American aircraft carriers or helicopter gunships. And think what would happen if we persuaded our allies to also boycott oil from the Middle East. At the very least, we can cut down on our driving and explore the use of alternative fuels.

Paul Briggs

News media mess with our heads

With the current crisis and all the chaos of terrorism, what's with the media? I can tell you one thing for sure, the media are not helping our country.

By broadcasting every suspicious act of terrorism, they are doing exactly what the terrorists want. Their plan is to immobilize America, to make us realize that we are not invulnerable, and to restrict us in the old chains of slavery that Americans fought so hard to break. The only difference will be that this time, instead of being ruled by Britain, we will be bound in chains of fear by those who hate us most, the terrorists.

By allowing the media to influence our daily lives, we are indirectly letting terrorists control us. Sure, knowledge does mean power and it is wise to keep well-informed and aware of current events, but pay attention with an open mind. Let your power of reason help you distinguish fact from fiction, between reality and virtual reality.

Be a rebel, but with a cause. Remember that history is made by those who break the rules.

Michael Dunn
Roosevelt High School

America's object in war on terrorism is clear

For those who question America's decision to bomb terrorist organizations in Afghan- istan, let me explain.

Osama bin Laden, who is a terrorist along with a number of his henchmen, funded and orchestrated an attack on American civilians on Sept. 11. Since this horrible attack, America's restraint and patience has been incredible. We gathered needed intelligence and formed vital coalitions, then began bombing Taliban military sites.

In every defense of this great nation, there will always be the weak among us, people who not only disagree with military action against our enemy, but would flee in the face of any attack on themselves.

Don't worry, there are enough real Americans left to protect your freedoms.

Chris Roth

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