Remember the courage of the 442nd

Fifty-seven years ago this week, in the forests outside Biffontaine France, a bunch of American GIs from Hawaii rescued the Lost Battalion of the 141st Infantry of the U.S. Army. Fighting for four days through mine fields and heavy fire, these troops did what others could not and got through to the surrounded battalion, even though their own casualties exceeded the number of soldiers they rescued.

These same soldiers again and again proved their worth at Casino, Anzio, Belvedere, Volturno, Bruyeres, the Gothic Line, and a hundred other places along their route.

We should remember them for their courage and sacrifice, but mostly for their patriotism. Their own country had doubted their loyalty and had even sent their families to concentration camps. But with aloha towards their friends and quiet determination against their foes, the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regiment proved that being an American is not determined by the color of your skin or your ancestry, but by what is in your heart.

We must remember this lesson as we struggle to make sense of September 11.

David Cameron Duffy

Postcard campaign could lure tourists

While it's nice that the governor and other VIPs went to Japan, what we really need is for Japanese to hear from other Japanese that it's not only safe to come here, but there's never been a better time to do it.

Why not give them postage-paid postcards that say, "Wish you were here!" in Japanese to send back to friends and family? The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau or state could pay for them and have the postcards inserted into visitor publications that are distributed for free throughout Hawaii.

Imagine what a few thousand of these personally sent endorsements from Japanese visitors could do for business, as compared to the less-personal (and more costly) HVCB ads and commercials that are being run in Japan. After all, nothing beats word-of-mouth advertising in terms of effectiveness.

The postcards also could be used to publicize Hawaii's new tourist discount card program in Japan, or tied into other promotions that help spread a little aloha.

Rich Figel
Kailua

[Quotables] "There is a high percentage of families in the community who have never sent anyone to college before. We want to give them information ... to help more students consider college as an educational option." Ed Oshiro Waipahu Intermediate School principal, on the GEAR UP Hawaii Scholars Program that utilizes a comic book to encourage students at an early age to think about going to college. Oshiro, in costume above left, plus WIS students and faculty members, portrayed characters from the comic book in a film about the program. "With this money, we can start purchasing things right now." Virginia Lowell Hawaii state librarian, on a fund-raising campaign aimed at Kapolei-area businesses to buy books and other supplies to speed the opening of the new Kapolei Public Library. During the last session, the Legislature failed to appropriate funds to furnish the library.

Lowering food prices would help jobless

One way to help the 11,000 jobless in Hawaii would be to mandate lowered food prices. The market chains have kept food prices high long enough!

Supermarkets could cut overhead costs in many ways -- by doing away with games, prizes, excessive advertising, lighting and waste. Much produce gets old on the shelf, but still the price remains high. When it begins to look too old, the pigs get it and people have been denied good nutrition. If prices of these products (breads, milk and meat products) were lowered, the products would be bought while still nutritious and fresh. Otherwise, they have to be discarded after the expiration date.

Nutrition is important to health and a good immune system, but people without jobs, the elderly and those who have big families cannot afford artificially high prices and are apt to go without. If something is done about this now, then everybody wins. How about it?

Suzanne Teller

Cutting state workers would hurt economy

I'm sure Robert Lowe's suggestions (Letters to the Editor, Oct. 28) for fixing the economy by cutting government are well intentioned. I can even agree with going to a unicameral legislature and eliminating the food tax.

It is very possible that 40 percent of the state work force is fat, but I doubt it. That would be a sizeable number of people to add to our already bulging unemployment rolls.

And cutting all state workers salaries by 40 percent? Perhaps Lowe is wealthy enough to absorb that kind of income reduction, but most people in Hawaii live paycheck to paycheck. Bankruptcies would skyrocket.

This doesn't sound like a good way to bolster the economy to me.

Gloria Moore

Let 10-year-old finish his charity campaign

I read the Oct. 23 story about the 10-year-old boy with cancer who is selling buttons to help the people in New York. I just wish Child Protective Services, which put an end to his button campaign, could act the same way when it comes to abused children. Here we have someone who is doing something good and not even thinking of himself. It's no wonder that no one wants to do good things anymore because such agencies only put them down.

I say leave that boy alone so he can accomplish his goal.

Lindo Kinney Jr.

HGEA has its own Hawaii Value Pass

Hawaii's tourism industry has the right idea with the Hawaii Value Pass, which is intended to stimulate the economy by circulating money to as many local merchants and vendors as possible.

For years, the Hawaii Government Employees Association has promoted local businesses through our in-house discount program. By obtaining discounts for our 41,275 members who show their union cards, HGEA supports local restaurants, retail outlets, repair shops, travel agencies, hotels, car rental agencies and other island businesses. Our discount program results in members and vendors benefiting from the value and appreciation each has for the other.

The Hawaii Value Pass will produce the same results. Vendors and the public will benefit.

Ann N. Ebesuno
Chairwoman, HGEA Committee on Community Action

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