Homeless people deserve compassion

It is disturbing to read about the city's campaign to push the homeless out of Aala Park and downtown Honolulu. What really has me boiling is the removal of the benches in Fort Street Mall. Many kupuna of all ethnicities use them, including bus-riding veterans. Where can people eat their lunch while enjoying the sunshine and fresh air?

The homeless are a social problem that needs to be handled with compassion and understanding. Their smell may offend, but part of life is accepting those who are different, and in this case many are ill. Where is the aloha, the caring for these unfortunate people?

The homeless are still citizens. They have a right to enjoy our public areas. Instead of pushing them away, provide areas where they will feel comfortable.

Will our city officials next remove the seating at the bus stops because the homeless also sit and sleep there?

Lela M. Hubbard

City wastes money on homeless sweep

With the $400,000 appropriation to study the impact of gambling and $100,000 to sweep the homeless out of the Fort Street Mall certainly shows us where the priorities of city Managing Director Ben Lee's and state Sen. Donna Kim's priorities are.

Lee seems appalled that the homeless want to use Aala Park. Why shouldn't they? That is their neighborhood. You have problems with some groups wanting to feed the homeless in the park? Are picnics only for the rich?

Kim seems to think that gambling in the islands will be different, so mainland studies don't apply. The state does not have to spend $400,000 for a study. The fact is there will be a lot more poor and homeless for Lee to sweep around if legislators bring gambling over here.

Pat Meyers

[Quotables] "I didn't feel a thing. It was an effortless race. It was one of those races where you don't really think of anything, just float." Chris Witty U.S. speedskater, after winning the gold medal and setting a world-record time of 1 minute, 13.83 seconds in the 1,000-meter event at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. Her teammate Jennifer Rodriguez skated away with the bronze. -- "My two boys, one is so healthy and the other one is so handicapped. If he's found guilty, I don't know how I'm going to take it." Aiko Arakawa Mother of Clyde Arakawa, who is on trial for manslaughter in the death of Dana Ambrose in a car wreck on Oct. 7, 2000. Aiko and Hideo Arakawa take care of their other son, 45-year-old Eric, who has cerebral palsy. Clyde Arakawa is accused of drunken driving, speeding and running a red light, causing the fatal collision with Ambrose's car. Arakawa says he was not drunk or speeding and that he had the green light at the time of the accident.

Republican lawmakers are out of touch

The plan by Republican legislators to amend the state law on excise tax shows they are clearly out of touch with reality.

In an ideal world, we would reduce taxes on food and rent, but we cannot afford to do that right now and still maintain basic government services like education, public health, public safety, environmental protection and, above all, the social safety net.

The reality is that the terrorist attacks hit Hawaii like an economic hurricane, robbing us of $315 million. If the Legislature can't redirect resources, taxpayers will be faced with increased taxes or severely reduced services. A 1 percent cut to the Department of Education budget alone would result in no A+ program, no summer school, no computer programs and no library in Kapolei, just for starters. Service cuts would mean our kids would suffer more than they already have because of the attacks.

We are faced with an economic crisis, and to weather it we must use all the resources we have, including the Hurricane Relief Fund. Responsible leadership requires attention to reality, not November 2002 re-elections.

Nick Madamba

Profit and politics take priority in Waikiki

Waikiki is a puzzle. Too little aloha and too much cement, where tourism and profit take priority over the environment and tiny pleasures of residents.

Waikiki, where costs are paid by taxpayers and the profits are kept by developers; where owners don't clean the beaches and streets of Waikiki, but taxpayers do.

Advertising is paid for by the visitors bureau. Who pays for the bureau? Well, you know.

If you covet your neighbor's land for personal gain, the mayor and the City Council will lend you some "eminent domain."

The Council and state Legislature offer building code and tax waivers. Even public streets and parking can be appropriated. If government rules are too strict, you can always become a special district.

Richard Y. Will

Crooked lawyers get off too easy

I applaud the Star-Bulletin's series on the disciplining of Hawaii attorneys ("When lawyers go bad," Feb. 10-12), as far as it went.

The comments from attorney Earle Partington that there is too much secrecy and cases are too drawn out is also well taken. But consider these apparent omissions: Are cases involving outright theft of client funds referred to the public prosecutor as a matter of course? Are all adverse actions shared with other states?

If a police officer or other public employee took monies, would the culprit just be allowed to resign and leave the state to play in a band in Thailand? I think not.

The statistics indicating that Hawaii ranks high in actions taken are probably flawed unless all states are working from the same sheet of music in reporting.

I hope the justices of the Hawaii Supreme Court read the series and will review the present procedures.

Frank D. Slocum

Residents need dental care, not fluoride

I appreciate Hawaii's natural water. I would not drink it if it had fluoride, nor would I allow my children to drink it.

I do, however, feel that dental insurance should be accessible to all, regardless of their socioeconomic status. That is not the case in Hawaii. Instead, adults who are poor have to have teeth removed or face costly dental bills. Hawaii should examine other states that have had success in helping low-income people get dental coverage.

Let Hawaii be known as the state that gives those who are in need a hand up. Begin by providing dental coverage for those in need.

Kathy Hansen
Kailua

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