OWL budget cuts leave student adrift

Funding for the Oahu Work Links educational assistance program should be given back to those who have been promised the assistance.

I am currently enrolled at Hawaii Business College as a full-time student. I am receiving financial aid, Pell grants and OWL assistance to help pay for my education. Around June of this year, I was told that there had been cuts in the OWL budget, even though I had already been promised to receive help until my last quarter.

I am now halfway through my program and more than 75 percent of the funding has been cut from my OWL assistance. This will mean a drastic change in my future at Hawaii Business College.

I feel cheated and upset. Why is OWL still accepting applications when it can't fulfill its previous commitments? Something should be done.

Dyan Rosete
Student
Hawaii Business College

Column aids Hawaiian language renaissance

I applaud the Star-Bulletin's attempts to reintegrate Hawaiian language back into Hawaii's newspapers. I studied the feasibility of such a venture two years ago as a Hawaiian-speaking undergraduate journalism student, and I discovered a sizable readership just waiting for one of the large papers to print articles in Hawaiian. In addition to Kauakukalahale's success as a cultural beacon, I predict the Star-Bulletin will win the advertising business of the Hawaiian-speaking community.

Think about it: The immersion schools are now turning out their first graduates, and soon the size of their combined graduating classes will equal at least the graduating class of a public high school. The overbooked Hawaiian language program at the University of Hawaii educates at least 1,000 students every semester. This fall semester, there were 43 sections of Hawaiian language classes at UH-Manoa alone. Add to that the countless numbers of community classes in Hawaiian for adults.

There are bookshops devoted to Hawaiian literature. There is an awa bar where everyone speaks Hawaiian; Hawaiian-language writers gather there regularly to discuss poetry and the upcoming book releases.

The Hawaiian language is not dying; it is in renaissance. It is my sincere hope that other Hawaii newspapers will jump on the bandwagon. E ola mau ka olelo Hawaii.

Kainoahemolele Tabar
Kailua

DeSoto's comment defies Constitution

City Council Chairman John DeSoto made a comment on a television news program in reference to Christian prayers at Council meetings. He said: "If you don't like to hear what people are saying about Christ ... then don't go there." This is the most disgusting display of government endorsement of religion I have ever heard.

DeSoto should retract that statement and cease all religious endorsements by the City Council. Part of his job is to make sure the Constitution is upheld at meetings, not to ignore it as if it were meaningless trash.

I'm an American citizen and a Honolulu resident; however, I'm not Christian and neither are most of my friends and associates. The few religious people I know are not Christian, save a handful -- and even they are opposed to state-sponsored prayer.

City Council members should do the constitutionally sound thing by ceasing all sectarian invocations/prayers from being a part of Council activities.

Lucio Rimanez

Dobelle's explanation makes no sense

In watching the whole sorry episode of University of Hawaii President Evan Dobelle's endorsement of Mazie Hirono play out, a couple of thoughts come to mind. First, I fully agree with Gov.-elect Linda Lingle's characterization of Dobelle's action: inappropriate. A university president should remain above partisan politics, if for no other reason than to protect the interests of the university.

However one interprets Lingle's reaction, I take her word that the university will not be affected. But I'm not sure I can take Dobelle's word again. His claim that he alone made the decision to appear in the ads just isn't believable. He has an extensive history in Democratic politics at the national level, which means he has political smarts. His fig-leaf explanation about such an obviously bad decision just doesn't wash.

That raises the question about the real reason he appeared in the ads. Might he have some political baggage somewhere that makes him vulnerable to political coercion? Might he make other bad decisions that affect the university?

I think Dobelle has blown his credibility, and we have to do what he should have done -- protect the interests of our university.

Robert R. Kessler

Lottery preferable to higher taxes

I left my island home back in 1995 and moved to the Lone Star State of Texas, mainly cause of the idiotic politicians who have always shown through their actions that all they want is to raise state taxes.

Hawaii has fought for years against a state lottery, whereas Texas has had a lottery for years and it's paid for the school system, roads and more. Half of the nation has state-run lotteries, which have shown to improve life.

Fear is the islands' worse enemy!

Richard Drake Jones
Mesquite, Texas

---

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