Hirono, Matsunaga wanted hate-crime law

Mazie Hirono and Matt Matsunaga worked tirelessly to pass Act 240 of the 2001 Legislature addressing "hate crimes." During the past three legislative sessions, they consistently supported and lobbied for the passage of this legislation holding perpetrators accountable for hate crimes, as alleged by Linda Lingle ("Lingle hit by smears, threats," Star-Bulletin, Oct. 11).

The Hate Crimes Act establishes a reporting mechanism with the local police and the state Attorney General's Office and provides county prosecutors with sentence enhancements for crimes motivated by hate. There have been incidents in our state which demonstrated the need for this law. Hirono and Matsunaga believed in that need for three years and did something about it.

There is no room in Hawaii for acts or threats of violence motivated by hate. Let's not trivialize this problem by including it in "black bag" campaign tactics.

Harry Yee, Richard Turbin, June Motokawa, Faye Kennedy, Richard Port

Lingle should avoid Bush, at least for now

It is a mistake for Linda Lingle to emphasize her ability to work with President Bush and the Republican majority in the U.S. House.

"Democrats for Lingle" are for change at the state level. Lingle has to keep Bush at arm's length and hope to improve relationships with Washington after she is governor. All of Hawaii's representatives in Washington are dead set against Bush's Iraq resolution, the Homeland Defense Act and the Patriot Act, and this was responsive to their constituent mail.

In the last general election, Hawaii voters were 2 to 1 against Bush -- not a good omen for Lingle to make a Bush association. In my discussions with people I've known here for more than 40 years -- kanakas, kamaainas and malihinis -- they are all vociferous in their objections to the Bush policies cited above, as well as the lack of strong SEC action against corporate malfeasance, especially Enron and Halliburton.

Hawaii can live with Democratic representatives in D.C. and a Republican governor. The majority of Americans, in fact, prefer that the executive and the legislative branches of government not be in the same hands -- checks and balances!

T. J. Davies Jr.
Kapolei

How much can we add to Hawaii's bad rep?

Consider the following:

The van cams. Lousy schools. The "education governor." Cronyism in awarding of contracts. Lousy business environment. The "People's Republic of Hawaii." Ouster of Margery Bronster. Excise tax on food and prescription medications.

Andy Mirikitani. Rene Mansho. Marshall Ige. Milton Holt. Nathan Suzuki. Henry Peters. Dickie Wong.

The list goes on and on. Had enough? Vote Republican.

Greg Shepherd

Don't let racism, fear control your vote

Again it begins, a smear campaign against a gubernatorial candidate offering positive change in Hawaii. First it was Cec Heftel, now it is Linda Lingle. The old boys organization is using fear, subtle racism and prejudice to hang on to control of state government. Again, the "us-locals vs. them-outsiders/ mainlanders" tactic is used to gain votes.

The open secret no one here wants to talk about raises its head; racism and prejudice are alive and well in Hawaii. Not the virulent forms found elsewhere, but that does not make it any better. Local racism is secretive, low key, hidden by smiles or blank stares. It is insidious.

I am glad Linda Lingle decided to bring out into the open the smears being perpetrated by racist agents of unknown forces. I hope we can find out who these people are and stop them from ever again spreading their lies of hate and prejudice.

Lingle, as candidate and chairwoman of the Hawaii Republican Party, worked to make the party open to all. She is asking Democrats, Republicans and independents to work together for positive change. Isn't this in the spirit of aloha and ohana? Don't listen to candidates who offer only platitudes and vague plans; who remind us endlessly of the bad old days in Hawaii; who use racial code words. They appeal to fears and prejudices to gain votes.

This maybe a watershed election for Hawaii. Will we vote for the past or vote for the future and coming together as a community?

Theodore Taba

Military should protect citizens, not hurt them

It shocked me to learn about how our own military tested biological and chemical agents over Hawaii during the '60s and early '70s (Star-Bulletin, Oct. 9). They probably didn't worry as much about it then as they do now. I think it is very sad, indeed.

Since the height of the Cold War, other nations may have been developing these horrifying weapons; had they perfected them, they very well might have used them on the United States. The military is supposed to protect us from such things, not the other way around.

Roderick Oishi
Waimanalo

Hawaii reps showed courage with Bush

I have never been more proud of our congressional delegation than I was last week when all three of them stood up to the Bush administration's rush to war (Star-Bulletin, Oct. 11). Their courage and faithfulness to the best of American values will be vindicated.

Alison M. Dingley

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