Columnist shows the human side of sports

Brendan Sagara's June 16 article about Big Luke was heartwarming. After reading Sagara's articles last year, I looked forward to reading more about his experiences.

Sagara reveals the human side of sports we normally don't get to read about. Now I can identify and appreciate the experiences of a part-time minor leaguer. I'm impressed by how perceptive he is about the character of his players and the people who contribute to their season.

Walt S. Miyashiro
Kapolei

Dods would represent Dem establishment

I for one hope Walter Dods does become the Democrat nominee for governor. Then people will clearly see what the Democratic Party truly represents: big business, big labor and big government. The true hope for the little guy, for small business and for the rest of us is the Republican ticket headed by Linda Lingle.

The ancient and now hollow Democratic rally against the Big Five betrays their true identity in 2002 as the powerful and corrupt Big Three.

Michael G. Palcic

Care for some SPAM with your spam?

For those who are confused because of the similarity of two words now in common usage in our contemporary English language: Spam is a horrible, tasteless assault on our intellect and privacy. SPAM is a wonderful, tasty assault on our hearts and arteries.

Keith Haugen

Jews, non-Jews should stop backing Israel

Many people -- both American non-Jews and Jews like myself, as well as Jews in Israel -- believe current Israeli policies, especially those of settlement and segregation in the occupied territories, exacerbate the current conflict and help fuel the terrorist violence which targets Israeli civilians ("Isle Jews asked to support Israel," Star-Bulletin, May 27).

Hawaii's Jews should not let themselves be guilt-tripped into contributing to an Israeli regime that will use a significant portion of their contributions to expand and protect Israeli settlement of the occupied territories. In the current context, such financial contributions will cater only to the right-wing parties and policies that now dominate Israeli actions.

The policies and actions of Israel today are based on the notion that making Palestinians suffer will either bring an end to terrorism, make all Palestinians into "terrorists" and thus acceptable military targets, or simply make the Palestinians and their demands for dignity and justice in their own homeland go away.

This is wrong. Fundamentalist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad will continue to wreak their havoc for a long time. Israel should be attempting to build alliances with and meet the demands of more moderate and secular Palestinians for a politically and economically viable homeland.

Only this will eventually wean Palestinians away from the attractions of revenge and violence. Indiscriminate financial aid to Israel and pressure on our congressional representatives to become rubber-stamp approvers of Israel will never achieve this.

George M. Hudes

---

How to write us The Star-Bulletin welcomes letters that are crisp and to the point (150 to 200 words). The Star-Bulletin reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Please direct comments to the issues; personal attacks will not be published. Letters must be signed and include a daytime telephone number. Letter form: Online form, click here E-mail: letters@starbulletin.com Fax: (808) 529-4750 Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI 96813