Puida could fill Rigot's sneakers at UH

Best wishes and aloha to University of Hawaii assistant basketball coach Scott Rigot, who just accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Kentucky (Star-Bulletin, July 3); great job. With the UH program on the rise, his slot should be a coveted position. I suggest the consideration of former UH player Nerijus Puida, if coaching is his interest.

Puida is well liked within the community. His style of play indicated his understanding of the game and the nuances of the UH offense. He could recruit in Europe and relate particularly to European players. He would provide a coach on the staff who is near the same age as the players.

Whomever is chosen, trust coach Riley Wallace. He and the staff have made great progress. Imua e na Koa o ke Anuenue!

N. Stan Hankins

Unions benefit those who need it least

As major league baseball edges closer to a strike, I often wonder why it is that baseball, football and basketball players -- and airline pilots -- wholeheartedly embrace the collective economic benefits of a union, while the worker bees at banks and other white-collar "sweat shops" flee from union organizers? Does that make any sense at all?

J.M. Comcowich
Kailua

WorldCom should take its show on the road

CNN news will surely win the Emmy for the best comedy show on television. The other morning, they had the CEO and other executives from WorldCom in front of a congressional committee.

There, in front of God and everyone, they were asked if they "swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." The only thing that would be funnier than this would be if we had the Honolulu CIty Council sitting in and questioning them on honesty and ethics.

Arnold Van Fossen

Kamehameha proves it isn't discriminating

I am not against the Kamehameha Schools trustees' decision to accept a non-Hawaiian student into Kamehameha. A couple of months back, Kamehameha Schools decided to cut off all ties with the federal government to keep the will of Princess Pauahi Bishop unsoiled. The federal government gave Kamehameha Schools federal grants for programs such as Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. But non-Hawaiians complained that it isn't fair that the government should give Kamehameha Schools money if it is racially discriminating against children of non-Hawaiian descent.

If Kamehameha Schools is now accepting non-Hawaiian students, as it has on its Maui campus, it is not discriminating in favor of Hawaiians and should get the federal grants back and be able to support federal programs such as JROTC.

Jeffrey Williams
10th grade
Kamehameha Schools
Mililani

Natatorium money better used elsewhere

The Natatorium is another waste of tax money. The city can't afford to pay its emergency workers a decent salary, but it can throw tax money into the ocean with no problem.

Edward Miller
Wahiawa

Politicos should heed columnist's words

The article by visiting professor Thomas F. Cargill in the July 5 Star-Bulletin is very incisive ("Reaction to the Forbes article more revealing than what the story said"). It should be compulsory reading by politicians currently in office, as well as those who aspire thereto.

Cargill's main points are:

>> Hawaii should focus on what economists call its "comparative advantage."

>> Hawaii makes it difficult to do business, especially small business.

>> Hawaii's political institutions have a limited range for new ideas.

He closes his article with this statement: "The bottom line is that whatever one thinks of the Forbes article, the reaction reveals an unwillingness to face reality and initiate an open debate on the problems ..."

A.J. Calabro
Kailua

OHA finally decides to do the right thing

As a longtime critic of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, I couldn't believe my eyes when I read "Proposed facility would help nonviolent inmates get drug treatment" in the Star-Bulletin ("OHA seeks prison for Hawaiians," June 28). If OHA and trustee Linda Dela Cruz are serious, and this is no public-relations stunt, I say bravo, and kudos to OHA.

My complaint against OHA always has been that it abandoned being the helping- needy-people business and concentrated on lobbying for the sovereignty movement and purchasing real estate. Now, at long last, it looks like it has come around to doing the right thing with the people's tax money.

"If it works (for Hawaiians)," Dela Cruz says in the story, "then we can take care of everybody else." If OHA follows through with this promise, then the charge that OHA discriminates by race will not hold water.

This epiphany on the part of OHA may have been inspired, in part, by the prodding of average citizens like me. In no way was it because editors at the Star-Bulletin or other papers had the courage to speak out against the misuse of OHA funds.

Art Todd
Honolulu

If we didn't go to work, we'd be in great shape

Dear Mr. President,

Regarding your remark that we ought to exercise daily: If you sincerely wish that to be an eventuality, then reduce the work week to 35 hours.

William J. King

Sparky didn't toe Democratic Party line

The book excerpt by Richard Halloran in the July 7 Star-Bulletin quotes Judge James Burns as saying: "Sparky (Matsunaga) was not a team player. He was on our side but he wasn't on our team." Unintentionally, I believe, but well said.

In 1872, Carl Schurz, an American soldier, reformer and ardent supporter of Abraham Lincoln who was best known for his integrity, advocacy of honesty in public office and his devotion to his adopted country, said, "Our country, right or wrong; when right, to be kept right; when wrong, to be made right."

This is the kind of man Sparky was. He was not a rubber stamp for the Democratic Party. He was an ardent Democrat and he cared enough about the party not to be blindly led by it.

May his tribe increase in and out of politics!

Yoshie Tanabe
Waipahu

---

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