Breeding gamefowl isn't noisy or cruel

This is in response to V. Hildebrandt's letter to the editor on the breeding of chickens ("Put a ban on breeding gamecocks, too," Star-Bulletin, May 20). I have first-hand knowledge about the characteristics of poultry.

Gamefowl don't crow more than domestic chickens. Excessive crowing usually results from the desire to be the alpha male in a flock, which is a natural process resulting in a pecking order. Crowing is a way they communicate to other members of their flock. Chickens do not make any more noise at night than a dog would.

Hildebrandt doesn't have enough knowledge about poultry to pass judgment on the cruelty of the sport. The truth is that cockfighting is outlawed because politicians have pandered to animal-rights groups.

There are a lot of nuisances in society today. A neighbor's child may wake me up in the middle of the night, or a dog barking at traffic, or someone playing loud music. Maybe what we really need is for everyone to have just a little more tolerance and show a little more aloha toward one other.

Philip Valentine
Waipahu

Cutting education funds is disgraceful

I'm outraged at the sheer ineptitude of the Legislature in the decision to cut $24.4 million from the state's educational system ("$3.5 million cut in A+ has school board in a bind," Star-Bulletin, May 21). Have our lawmakers no common sense?

First of all, we -- the very taxpayers who constitute the voting electorate -- heavily rely on the A+ after-school program to safely tend to our children while we are hard at work earning those taxable dollars.

Second, the children's books are falling apart and many teachers have resorted to photocopies to cope with the shortage of good teaching materials. The Legislature has known about this problem for at least a decade. What a disgrace.

Michelle Allen
Kailua

Little girl's death meant life for another

I just read an article in your online edition about organ donation ("Maui girl's organs help 3 people live," Star-Bulletin, May 8) and the political side of this issue. I was a resident in Hawaii from 1989-1991 while my husband was on active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard. In December 1989 I gave birth to a healthy girl at Tripler Army Medical Center. Three months later, in February 1990, my infant daughter died at Tripler from complications of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

My husband and I were told of an 8-month-old baby girl in California who needed a liver transplant to save her life. Even though we did not know too much about organ donation, we made the decision to donate our daughter's liver. On Feb. 24, 1990, I held my daughter's hand, kissed her tiny face, told her that I loved her and said goodbye. Her liver was harvested, her life-support machines were removed and then she died.

Ten and a half years later, just before Christmas of 2000, I finally learned who my daughter's liver recipient was and that she was happy and healthy. A few months later I got a letter and some pictures from this little girl and her family.

I truly believe that everyone should be an organ donor. More than 80,000 men, women and children are waiting for organ transplants in the United States alone. Every day, 18 of them die waiting for organs.

On the day my daughter died, another life was saved. There is nothing more beautiful than the gift of life.

Linda Walker-Duty
St. Petersburg, Fla.

City and state must set realistic budgets

Between our city and state lawmakers I am totally confused. These two bodies say one thing and do three others. First they fought tooth and nail to pass the price cap on gasoline, then decided to wait two years to enforce it.

Hawaii has always paid too much for gasoline, then we tax the living daylights out of it, then put all of the revenue into the general fund. It has always been the contention that the gas taxes were to pay for the upkeep of the state roadways, but they remain in need of repair.

Why is the city showing movies and feeding the public on the beach while they pick our pockets of funds that could do better in other areas? Waikiki has been dressed up like a $50 harlot, and to what end? Who cares for all the pretty flowers on the light poles? I sure hope the tourists appreciate them.

All we hear about is the budget shortfall, then the city and state want to spend millions on pet projects. Where are they going to find the money, steal more from the public employees retirement fund or the Hurricane Relief Fund?

Just keep borrowing from these funds until they are depleted. Then what?

Curtis Rodrigues

Kaneohe

Etiquette should be taught in schools

Is Hawaii really the Aloha State? In 1986, Gov. George Ariyoshi passed the Aloha Spirit bill. However, many people do not follow this law. Students are not taught etiquette and what kind of behavior is expected from them.

I strongly believe the Department of Education should add etiquette to the schools' curricula. Students in elementary school can learn basic etiquette, such as how to answer the phone, meeting people and using appropriate language.

As students move on to middle school they can study dating etiquette, table manners and how to dress. High school students can take etiquette classes as electives and learn things such as driving etiquette.

Someday etiquette will be inserted into schools' curricula. When that day comes, cursing will not be heard on the streets, people will hold doors for one another and tourists will be greeted with leis. We will then live up to the state's name, the Aloha State.

Chen Li

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