Air emergency service vital to neighbor isles

Sen. Russell Kokubun's suggestion that vehicle registration fees should be increased to pay for needed medical emergency services may be well-intentioned, but it is misguided.

The need for air emergency services for remote areas of Maui and the Big Island is clear and should be given a high priority in the state's budget. However, the senator's suggestion that the amount realized from higher vehicle registration fees should be set aside to pay for this service would necessitate the creation of yet another special fund that may one day be raided and used for other purposes.

Sen. Fred Hemmings is correct in saying that this needed service should be paid for from the general fund and that the amount needed should be found through better fiscal management rather than trying to avoid spending reductions by raising the money needed through higher fees.

These small increases in the myriad fees we are required to pay are tantamount to torture by a thousand pinpricks, unlike an outright tax increase, which is more like a bullet to the head.

Roy Yanagihara
Kaneohe

Republicans soft on Big Oil's scheme

Governor Lingle says her administration is continuing to research allegations that ChevronTexaco may have bilked Hawaii out of more than $500 million in taxes in a complex oil-pricing scheme.

Her statements came as the state Senate, in a 20-4 vote, passed a resolution urging the administration to sue the oil giant. Republicans Fred Hemmings, Sam Slom, Gordon Trimble and Bob Hogue voted against the measure.

Looks like the Republican senators don't want to give up Big Oil campaign contributions. That should give us a clue as to how our Republican governor will handle the situation. I hope I'm wrong.

She isn't hesitating about going after $49 million from the Duty Free Shops. I guess if we win that one, we can afford to let Big Oil keep its $500 million.

Robert G. Devine
Ocean View, Hawaii

Hurricane fund is corporate welfare

Most people seem satisfied with Linda Lingle's edict to remove $184 million from the state operating budget to replenish the Hurricane Relief Fund. I asked state Sen. Kalani English why, when people pay insurance companies to insure their homes and businesses, we need any kind of relief fund. He told me it's basically re-insurance, or insurance for the insurers.

After Hurricane Iniki hit Hawaii in 1992, certain insurance companies left the state, saying they could no longer afford to do business here.

So we are removing money from our education budget to protect ourselves from flighty insurance companies. What's worse is, these same insurance companies have returned to Hawaii to do business. So we are removing money from our schools to subsidize insurance companies for the next time we have to cover their okoles.

This is known as corporate welfare -- government paying the bills for corporations. A Republican staple.

How about this? We charge insurance companies a premium for returning to our state and require them to replenish the Hurricane Relief Fund out of their own pockets. That will free up some money for schools. We don't need a hurricane fund; we need tougher insurance company regulations. They should be required to post a bond for doing business in this state after their previous unconscionable behavior.

Rich Zubaty
Kaunakakai, Molokai

Stiff the legislators; raise teachers' pay

I add my voice to the growing chorus vehemently disagreeing with Rep. Calvin Say's contention that this Legislature deserves a pay raise.

For the record, these legislators barely deserve what we already pay them with our tax dollars. And why do they deserve a raise when other public workers, especially our teachers, are having such a hard time getting their negotiated bonuses?

Legislators should stop congratulating themselves. When they have done well, the people will let them know.

Kenneth L. Barker

Teachers see tax hike as way to fund bonus

Isn't it interesting that the teachers support an increase in the excise tax?

They say that the money would go to the students.

Who are they kidding?

Now that they're told by the state that there is no money for their bonuses, they have concocted a way to "discover" that money: Support the excise tax hike and go after those funds.

Of course, they can't come out and say this, so they use the children again as pawns.

Show them the money and they will find a way to get it.

Donald Allen

State lawmakers don't deserve pay hike

I am angry that our part-time senators and representatives have the nerve not only to buy themselves top-of-the-line laptop computers but also to consider giving themselves a pay raise.

Don't they realize that the majority of people in Hawaii don't make in a year of full-time work what these greedy elected ones make in three to four months?

There are kids in our schools who don't even get textbooks. Yet the greedies buy themselves brand-new computers to use when in session. I thought they were listening to what was being said instead of doing e-mail and computer games. Now I know why nothing gets done.

Pat Meyers
Kailua

Profit-making schemes are getting irksome

Maybe Sen. Cal Kawamoto and Rep. Joe Souki can join forces to revitalize Wailuku.

>> First, bring back the van cam.
>> Second, install the traffic cam.
>> Third, raise the price of fireworks permits.

Then Kawamoto can move to Wailuku to track the progress and think up more of these "good ideas" for the state to make money and pay for the legislators' pay raises.

Henry Pundyke
Kaneohe

Non-voting Americans unclear on democracy

Among the many poll results being tossed around in the media, one that I find most interesting shows 86 percent of Americans think we need to bring democracy to Iraq.

That 86 percent is a remarkable number because less than half the eligible voters in America register to vote, and less than half of that half actually go to the polls and vote.

Does this mean that 86 percent of Americans don't know what democracy is, or are they just hypocrites? And how many of this 86 percent would be happy with the democracy we bring to Iraq if the Iraqi people elect an Islamist as their leader?

WCR Pollitt
Kaneohe

Preserve gas to show Iraqi oil isn't needed

One of the distressing aspects of the war in Iraq is the conflict of public opinion within our nation. Those for the war are correct in supporting our troops and those against the war are correct in expressing their support for peace. Most of us desire to do both.

There is a way we can do both. Iraq's propaganda message is that America wants Iraq's oil and does not have the resolve to engage in any prolonged, expensive conflict.

America can show the world that we do not need Iraq's oil by cutting back on energy consumption big time. There are amazing means to do this today -- solar water heaters and hybrid cars are two energy savers, though not everyone can afford them. But everyone can do something, such as buying a bus pass and catching the bus for the duration of the war.

The leaders of Iraq think America will weaken the longer they prolong the war. They need to be shown that the only thing "weakened" will be our dependence on foreign oil.

Gloria Kaneshiro

Children should learn what happens in war

In response to Melissa D.T. Lee's March 26 letter to the editor about the Star-Bulletin presenting an anti-military statement to children by showing a wounded Iraqi child on the front page: Whether you are for or against the war, children need to know the truth. Sharing the truth objectively with children will help to broaden their education, and prevent them from viewing the world narrow-mindedly. They will learn the truth eventually, anyway.

Yes, the Iraqi child was wounded. Yes, a child seeing the photo may have a father in the military. And yes, your daddy could kill her daddy, or her daddy yours. The truth -- often harsh, but always fair!

Steve Leong

Wounded child's photo gave story accuracy

I am not an apologist for this newspaper, but I am concerned that it may begin to curb its news coverage in light of recent complaints. This is in response to a letter to the editor (March 26) objecting to a photo of a wounded child on the same page as a picture of a Marine flashing a victory sign while rolling by in his military convoy. The function of credible news is reporting what happened, where, why and when the event occurred. Omitting the part about the child wouldn't be an accurate account. With propaganda coming from government sources, the American public needs to know what actually happened.

Those who want only pro-war positions have Fox News. The rest of us want to know what really happened so we can make informed decisions based on accurate reporting in newspapers like the one you are reading.

Smoky Guerrero
Mililani

Don't endanger people by publishing details

This is not a war between honorable men. This is a war against terrorism, so every time the media publishes details about military personnel, they put military families, loved ones and homes at risk.

America has its own supply of terrorists and dissidents who will seize any opportunity to kill or bomb someone's home or place of business, and who will delight in the blame falling on Iraq, Arabs or Muslims.

Behave responsibly. Urge readers not to identify potential targets with yellow ribbons, or photos of loved ones serving overseas.

Let military personnel do their job. We can celebrate their achievement when the conflict is over.

Rico Leffanta
Waikiki

We should be funding Medicare, not war

The House and Senate of the United States of America are willing, at the drop of a hat, to fund more than $75 billion for a controversial (and, in my opinion, unnecessary) war. Yet, for 15 years, they have not been able to authorize an equivalent amount of money to provide prescription benefits for our seniors on Medicare. Our priorities are all screwed up!

Pradeepta Chowdhury, M.D.
Hilo, Hawaii

Liberal media whines through the war

I must vent about the liberal media and its constant criticism of the war in Iraq. From the start, we heard that not enough negotiations were conducted and President Bush was labeled a warmonger.

When reports of casualties came in because of friendly fire, we were told it could have been avoided if our present administration wasn't so bloodthirsty.

I never liked the idea of having reporters (both conservative and liberal) in Iraq interviewing the troops and giving their analysis. Look what happened with Peter Arnett. Talk about a traitor. Then Geraldo Rivera (Fox News) got kicked out of Iraq for show-boating in the sand his take on the positioning of our troops.

However, I am grateful to the embedded reporters riding along with our troops giving us all first-hand information. They are putting their lives at risk so we can have a front-row seat on the war. I salute them for their bravery and professionalism.

Because of their reporting, we know the U.S. has suffered few casualties. Saddam and his sons may be dead. We're taking apart the Republican Guard positions. We have secured the oil fields. Our military has captured more than 4,000 prisoners. Our precision guided missiles have cut down significantly on civilian casualties.

Shouldn't we be thrilled that our military, made up of the finest men and women in the world, are doing a heck of a job?

Rich Wilbur

Prayer beads give soldiers support

I was born in Hawaii and grew up there. It gets a bit lonely at times and there is no one from Hawaii on my ship. I think St. Clement's Episcopal Church's prayer beads are a very important way to show support for our troops (Star-Bulletin, March 29). Being deployed comes with many uncertainties, not only for the service members but also for the loved ones left behind.

This is a good way to give focus to our service members in their time of need. Take it from someone who knows: Your efforts are much appreciated.

Jonathan Ahuna
U.S. Navy
USS Peleliu LHA-5

Beware of becoming 'loyal Germans'

Here's a story that needs to be told today: Years ago after my grandfather died, a cousin was going through grandpa's papers and discovered a shoe box containing letters written by relatives in Germany shortly after World War II.

Our German relatives were asking -- begging -- to be sponsored as immigrants to the United States from their war-torn homeland.

When the subject came up as to their activities during the war -- a war in which my father and three uncles fought on the opposing side in Europe and the Pacific -- they sought moral cover for their involvement in the German military in the guise of patriotism.

To paraphrase one letter, my relative implored forgiveness, claiming, "I was never a Nazi, just a loyal German who followed the orders of his leaders to defend the country. It was too late when we found our leaders were mad."

All this might mean nothing, expect for the image I viewed a few days ago of a banner in a New York anti-war protest: Iraq 2003 = Poland 1939.

Whether you agree or disagree with the U.S. leadership's justification for its pre-emptive strike on Iraq, we must all beware of slipping into the quicksand of a new generation of "loyal Germans." Let your decisions about this conflict be guided by loyalty to reason and justice, not to authoritarianism and nationalism.

Richard Weigel
Hawaii Veterans for Peace

Anti-war protesters bring shame to U.S.

To those who are protesting our actions in Iraq, I ask: Why didn't you protest when the Iraqi government was murdering 1.5 million of its own citizens over the decades? Were those Iraqis not worth your time? Yet now that we're finally taking action against that murderous government, you feel the need to protest.

Those 1.5 million souls cry out for justice. No one is willing to act on their behalf except the U.S. government. I am so proud of my commander in chief, President Bush, and the armed forces (to which I belong), but my pride stops at seeing the shameful actions of some of my fellow citizens.

Jeffrey Herman

Who's next on list of the Bush brigade?

Look out, all you countries with tyrannical dictators. Are you on Bush's "axis of evil" list? You may be next!

The goal of the United States -- repository of all that is right and good, and whose president is more infallible than the pope -- is to take over countries like yours, change the regime, rebuild you at the expense of our generous taxpayers and make you over into our image.

Look how well it is working in Russia. See how the Russian Mafia works, how prostitution is the most common career for women. This can be your fate, too. Who wants to be next? North Korea, Syria, Algeria, Iran, Pakistan, China? No one is too big or too small for the Bush brigade! Your name will climb to the top of the list if you put out the word that you are developing WMDs. No lives will be spared, yours or ours, to accomplish this goal.

The U.S. taxpayer has deep pockets, and as long as the average citizen doesn't have to have any interruption of his reality TV shows, Academy Award fashion parades or basketball schedules, he will continue to fork over for the benefit of all benighted nations.

Robert W. Donigan
Kamuela, Hawaii

Hager is bad choice to head FDA panel

I strongly disapprove of President Bush's choice for head of the Food and Drug Administration's Reproductive Health Drug Advisory Committee, Dr. W. David Hager. This crucial committee makes important decisions related to drugs used in hormone therapy, contraception, treatment for infertility, and alternatives to surgical procedures for sterilization and pregnancy termination.

Hager's views on reproductive medicine are based on his orientation as a fundamentalist Christian, rather than on medical science. His politics are fervently anti-abortion, and he extends this to include contraception. He has extremely conservative perspectives on the proper role of women in society and the family. While he has the right to these opinions, Hager already has demonstrated that he will substitute his religious and political views for judgment based on medical science.

The drug advisory committee deals with matters that will affect the lives of millions of American women. It is especially important that these controversial areas be approached with a sense of respect and responsibility to the people involved that transcends personal politics. The leader of this committee needs to be someone who is evenhanded and who is guided by science -- not an idealogue who will take every opportunity to advance his personal agenda.

For these reasons, Hager is a grossly inappropriate choice.

David H. Friar, M.D.
Kaneohe

Seniors try to protect assisted-living condos

A March 17 article ("Assisted-living issue divides condo owners") was misleading. The actual purpose of the bill is to prevent One Kalakaua from offering the assisted-living services it now offers and has since it opened in 1997.

No legal authority from the Real Estate Commission to the Department of Health has disputed whether One Kalakaua is permitted to be a licensed assisted-living facility, as it has been since last August. Assisted living is why One Kalakaua owners bought their units. And this is why more than 70 of these owners submitted testimony in opposition to the bill and more than 50 showed up at the hearing. To equate this outpouring of support against the bill with the four owners who testified in support is very misleading.

It is true that two condo owners -- one has since sold her unit -- sued the association in April 2002, asserting it was running an assisted-living facility without a license.

However, these owners knew at the time that the association was in the process of applying for its license and that this was known by the Department of Health, which considered the condominium in good standing for licensure. No other owners have joined either lawsuit.

One Kalakaua is a community of caring seniors who have chosen an assisted-living condominium for their waning years, in the expectation that all their needs would be accommodated and they could control both the scope and quality of services offered. The residents have been outraged by the false accusations that would have the effect of destroying One Kalakaua.

Richard W. Hartmann
President, Board of Directors
One Kalakaua Senior Living Association