Judge Ezra should run away in shame

Just maybe -- with all the letters to the media, the legislative investigative committee, and the state willing to go to the U.S. Court of Appeals -- Judge David Ezra is learning U.S. Government 101, and finally agrees that the people have a right to know where and how their taxes are being spent.

It is unfortunate that it took threats to go to a higher court to get him to understand. It is also unfortunate that he has abused his authority by calling the legislative body of the state of Hawaii slanderous names.

Judge Ezra should be impeached and run out of town. Because impeachment would take so much time, he should do the right thing and resign from office.

Hawaii doesn't need judges like Ezra. We have enough problems without his kind. He has disgraced the federal bench in Hawaii.

Mark Trexler

Waialua

Skinny-dippers have few beach options

People who want to go to clothing-only beaches have plenty of choices -- almost everywhere. People who like to skinny-dip have only one little beach in a somewhat out-of-the-way place.

Skinny-dipping apparently offends a small percentage of non-skinny-dippers, the majority seem to believe it's OK. In fact, the beach seems to be a tourist attraction.

For the few objectors, who could go to a wide array of other beaches, to want to take away even that small hidden beach from the skinny-dippers seems short-sighted, selfish and reprehensible.

Fred Ransom
Ventura, Calif.

[Quotables] "We walked into squish, squish." Jenny Bowling Kaimuki Ben Franklin Crafts store manager, on entering the flooded store after Monday night's heavy rains. "They have been telling us for months (that) we should get it by November." Cheryl Connett Pearl Harbor federal employee, on finding out she and about 25,000 other federal workers in Hawaii might have to wait longer for their $90 million settlement from a cost-of-living-allowance dispute. Eligible workers might not receive their checks until after the holidays.

Use tobacco funds for pressing problems

Kudos to the state lawmakers who opposed using tobacco settlement funds to support fluoridation in Lanai. These funds should be used to reduce smoking. What has the state Health Department and its director, Bruce Anderson, done to reduce smoking? How effective are they and how much have the spent? Is Anderson opposed to smoking in restaurants, malls and public buildings?

It costs $21 million to fluoridate the state's drinking water. Much of the water is used for purposes other than drinking, such as agriculture, bathing, toilets and washing dishes. More adults than children drink water.

For a fraction of the cost of $21 million, expanding the public school dental hygienists program is much better than fluoridation. Another area the Health Department can assist with is the Kalihi-Palama Health Center.

There are more pressing problems in our society than fluoridation, such as drug and alcohol abuse. That is where the money should be used.

How Tim Chang

There is no right to smoke in restaurants

Please tell your readers, including Brandon Bosworth (Letters, Nov. 24), that his rights end where mine begin. He has no right to contaminate the air in my workplace.

It is inconsiderate people like this who make it necessary to have smoking bans in the first place.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the existing statewide ban on smoking in the workplace could be extended to include those who work in restaurants and bars? Where are our legislators?

People would flock to Hawaii just to dine in the cleanest, freshest, most fragrant air in the world.

Carmen U'ilani Haugen

No apology from Japan for Pearl attack

This past spring, in what no one considers anything but an accident, a United States submarine collided with and sank a Japanese training ship for fishermen. Unfortunately, nine lives were lost.

The U.S. Navy and our diplomats fell all over themselves apologizing. More than $60 million was spent in raising the small vessel and retrieving most of the victims' remains.

The families of the students want to erect a memorial on our shores so that we will feel the guilt of this accident forever.

Now they are considering suing us so that this loss becomes a monetary gain.

Twelve miles away and 60 years previous to this incident, in what was no accident but a deliberate act of ill will, the Japanese navy attacked our fleet in port. Some thousands of lives were lost and a half-dozen capital ships were destroyed. Our local Air Force and military barracks were deliberately attacked and many civilians were killed.

For 60 years I have been waiting for an apology that will never come. There is no memorial on the shores of Japan. There is no talk of reparations. There are no "thank yous" for rebuilding Japan and protecting it during these 56 post-war years.

The United States has done enough in this recent misadventure. It is time for everyone to go home.

Robert Levy

Let Victoria Ward fix pedestrian problems

The editorial about Victoria Ward (Star-Bulletin, Nov. 23) pointed out that the company's retail success has "created pedestrian safety problems" on the street that runs through the complex and urges Victoria Ward officials to "press" the city to take action.

The proposed solution, top down, entails the force of law to solve a problem created by Victoria Ward's success. What's wrong with solving this circumstance bottom-up, using the organization causing the problem to rectify the situation? How to do that? The city deeds the street to Victoria Ward. It would then have complete control and, consequently, 100 percent authority, responsibility and accountability for everything, including the safety of their shoppers.

Believe you me, the company would solve the problem in some gracious, courteous and unobtrusive, effective manner.

The Star-Bulletin seems to love top-down solutions that generate, all too often, heavy public expense and ham-handed bureaucracy. Bottom-up is often cheaper and better. It certainly would be in this instance.

Richard Rowland

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