Give vaccinated pets a new beginning

There are people who suggest that we focus on improving animals' quality of life while in quarantine instead of abolishing quarantine; however, improvements cost money. The state can't even balance the budget, let alone make improvements to an aging quarantine station.

If the state can't pay for these improvements, I guess that means the pet owners will pay for it just like they pay through the nose to keep quarantine staff paid and the station running.

The quarantine station at Halawa has no lighting for after-business-hours visitation, no veterinarian on duty 24 hours, seven days a week and no surveillance cameras to ensure no animal is being abused or harmed. There have been too many horror stories about animals being abused and even injured. Pet owners don't complain for fear of retribution.

With modern vaccines available, why are we locking up perfectly healthy animals, condemning them to harm and sometimes death? It's time for a new beginning. Let's end quarantine now for qualified animals.

Jennie Wolfe
Mililani

Abortion protesters should tone it down

On the recent anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, anti-abortion marchers carried "Baby Killer" signs recently in Washington, D.C., but "fetus" is the correct label. X-rays can't detect bones before the fourth month. High church officials who participate in demonstrations could forbid inclusion of inflammatory signs, considering that some men get so upset they murder abortion doctors and clinic employees.

Eleanor Smith
Hilo

Lingle applies vision to isle education

Governor Lingle is to be commended for her vision and courage when it comes to increasing funding for conversion charter schools and support for home schooling. It was heartening to hear our state's top elected official speak about changes within our educational system that will benefit children and teachers immediately upon implementation.

By expanding the educational choices and options Hawaii's people have for their children, we should expect to see a reduction in the kind of systemic stress that has characterized many of our public schools for too long. We should see relief in our children as they enroll in smaller classes and in environments they and their families have chosen. We should see renewed enthusiasm among teachers and administrators who also will enjoy a broader range of professional options in an environment more conducive to constructive interaction with their students.

We should all expect to feel greater satisfaction that our tax dollars will help fuel this positive change.

Thank you, Governor Lingle, for the focus these long-needed, logical changes will bring to education in Hawaii. Your plans coincide perfectly with the existing initiatives to improve school readiness and provide quality early education for Hawaii's keiki.

Hamilton I. McCubbin
Chancellor and CEO
Kamehameha Schools

Use casino in Vegas for students in Hawaii

To generate more funds for the state of Hawaii and specifically the Department of Education, thus the education of our children, I suggest the following:

>> The state should initiate a feasibility study to determine whether or not Hawaii can build and operate a casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. What would be the costs? What are the state of Nevada's requirements? What is the possibility of success?

>> All profits would be earmarked for the DOE.

>> The casino would feature a Hawaiian theme that would generate more visitors to Hawaii.

If we are able to build such a casino, our citizens could go there when they visit Las Vegas, and perhaps there would be an increase in travel. That would be helpful to our airlines.

Let's explore this. We could keep some of our money at home!

Roy L. Benham

Tax plan neither just nor compassionate

The latest tax plan of the Bush administration has been appraised by a nonprofit group from the Brookings Institute and the Urban Institute. In their analysis (Star-Bulletin, Jan. 3), about "64 percent of the benefits will go to the wealthiest 5 percent of the population," similar to Bush's prior tax cuts.

The Bush plan is quite contrary to the "The Theory of Justice" by John Rawls, one of America's great thinkers, who died last November. His book sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. Its two basic principles of justice are protecting individual rights and caring for those who need help.

Huge financial benefits for the wealthiest and restricting many long-established rights are the hallmark of Bush policies. By any standard, neither is justice.

Jerome G. Manis

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