Self-serving politicians manipulate voters

If you vote for the late Patsy Mink in the general election, you will be condoning Sen. Dan Inouye, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, Rep. Neil Abercrombie, Gov. Ben Cayetano and other Democratic leaders who are blatantly disregarding our state's critical financial problems ("Legacy vote holds appeal with Mink's staunch fans," Star-Bulletin, Sept. 30).

How can any of them claim to be concerned about solving the state's financial problems while urging voters to vote for Mink and squander another $2 million on a special election?

There any many lasting things we can do to honor Mink for her many years of service to Hawaii. Voting for Mink won't honor her, it will just cost us $2 million and allow these self-serving politicians to get away with manipulating you and the election.

Lee Martin

How about Capt. Cook for the school board?

With the Democrats pressing everyone to vote for Patsy Mink to "honor" her, I got to thinking about my votes this November.

>> I'm voting for King Kamehameha for governor.
>> I'm voting for Spark Matsunaga for congressman.
>> I would vote for Abe Lincoln for president.

This "honor" vote is the biggest bunch of political-maneuvering,rules-bending garbage I've ever seen.

I can just imagine the reaction from the mainland on the idiocy of the local Democrats and voters should this pressure from the Democratic leaders work on the voters. Headlines like "Hawaiian voters elect dead congresswomen to another term" and "Hawaii Democrats elect someone who can't perform the duties required, just to keep the congressional seat."

S. Steven Sofos

Students don't need 'updated' anthem

Your Sept. 25 issue carried a short item about Elkhart, Ind., fifth-graders rewriting the lyrics to our national anthem because they were "baffled" by the meaning of certain words. "Rampart" and "parapet" were replaced by "walls," stripes went from "broad" to "wide" and so on. They apparently also plan to "update" words to the Gettysburg Address and the Declaration of Independence!

How low and incompetent have our schools become that a teacher will allow and even condone such a practice? These are fifth-graders, for God's sake; these children should be taught what those words mean, rather than simply to replace them to make it easier. Apparently the goal of our educators these days is to make things easier for students; never mind that they will be completely unprepared for that nasty old world out there.

By the way, they still have a number of other key documents to consider. How about the Constitution, the Bible, the Koran ...?

R. W. Parkinson

Hawaii doesn't need much change

I agree with Governor Cayetano that Linda Lingle's campaign seems to be designed by public relations people. Saying the word "change" doesn't achieve it, nor is change for change's sake necessarily better. The Legislature and the governor have done what they could, given Hawaii's economic status, which is largely determined by outside factors.

Our schools aren't that bad. If you lumped our private-school students in with public-school students, then our statistics on standardized test scores would be fine. Students from Hawaii's schools go to universities all over the country and do well enough.

Mazie Hirono does not have to be apologetic about the state of the state. Our politicians and government agencies have done pretty much what the people have wanted them to do. I think it would be a mistake to dismember this system that works pretty well for "pie in the sky."

Harold Loomis

Passage of Bill 53 will cost taxpayers money

Words matter. Supporters claim that Bill 53 will "clarify the law's intent." There is a huge difference between 50 percent of condo units and 50 percent of the owner-occupants. This means that in a building with 100 condo units and two owner-occupants, one owner-occupant can initiate the condemnation process.

The Hawaii State Supreme Court ruled that the city's rule and enforcement of the law is illegal. Bill 53 is the City Council's attempt to legalize the city's actions. Extensive and costly litigation will result from the passage of Bill 53. Taxpayers will pay the costs. The city has already paid more than $750,000 to cover legal costs for successful challenges to the law.

This issue for Hawaiians is not primarily about money. The trust is a legacy left by Queen Liliuokalani for the children. The trust's sacred stewardship is to keep our queen's land for the children, forever.

Evern Williams
Coordinator
Kupa'a Mahope O Lili'uokalani

Selfish dockworkers hurt Hawaii residents

I thank the Australian stevedores for their generous offer to send dockworkers willing to work for half-rate. If our dockworkers, who earn $80,000 to $150,000 per year (wish I made half that!) are unable to get their heads out of that dark place, then I hope our government is wise enough to accept the offer.

We in Hawaii have only 7-10 days of fresh produce, and we don't even want to consider what will happen if we start running low on things like diapers and formula. Our economy has suffered for years, even through the boom the folks on the mainland enjoyed. We are unable to handle this, too.

It seems most unpatriotic to hurt the country in this manner when we are all trying so hard to recover.

Carol Gaucher
Kailua

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