Twenty-teen is old enough to know better

I was a passenger aboard the cruise ship Legend of the Seas when the terror threats occurred.

I am disgusted by mainland news reports that have portrayed the accused in a sympathetic light by stating that she is a troubled, immature girl who made a mistake, not a terrorist.

This "nonterrorist" (who yesterday changed her plea to "guilty") inflicted terror upon us, the targeted "Americanos," which was not lessened by the fact that it was only a hoax by a "teenager," according to her attorney. (How old is she anyway? Twenty-teen, you say?)

You should hear our side of the story. Black sand beaches, hula dancers, mai tais, bomb-sniffing dogs, M-16 rifles and FBI agents. Sound like your idea of the trip of a lifetime?

In this age, when we have real terror threats to contend with, any false threats should be dealt with by using the harshest punishment as a deterrent, not downgrading the charges to lesser ones.

This person took many people's dreams. Her own family does not seem to trust her. Why should the rest of us? When will she grow up? Maybe when she's forty-teen?

Carol Phlegar
Newton, N.J.

Long-term care bill supports responsibility

I sincerely hope that Governor Lingle will give serious and compassionate consideration to signing the long-term care financing bill. It is the right thing to do and should be beyond partisan politics.

As a retired pastor who still assists in visiting the elderly and homebound, I can witness that the need is great and continues to grow year by year. I believe this bill is a positive step forward.

Although modest, this bill will encourage individuals and families to take responsibility for their own future needs instead of being subsidized by Medicaid. It may provide low-cost preventive and humane alternatives, such as hiring part-time home care. It also will make it easier to purchase catastrophic long-term health care insurance because the premiums likely will go down.

Rev. Sam Cox
Kailua

Maui will miss its beloved Deacon Joe

Maui's Catholic community is in mourning for the Rev. Deacon Joseph Borges, who died on May 3. Deacon Joe was loved by all. When my husband came home and told me, "Deacon Joe Borges died." My heart sank. My 9-year-old daughter, Julia, overheard my husband and asked, "Who will be our deacon now?"

Julia and all the children at St. Anthony's grade school loved Deacon Joe. He always had a smile on his face. He presided over the grade-school Masses with such enthusiasm that he gave the children much joy as they sat restlessly in their pews. No one could replace Deacon Joe. He was a fixture at St. Anthony's.

I remember Deacon Joe from my childhood years at St. Joseph's in Waipahu. I went to school with his daughter Anita. I remember admiring the Borges family, who always seemed happy.

Deacon Joe will be missed by the Catholic community in Maui. He is irreplaceable. His compassion and wisdom he gave freely. May God comfort his beautiful wife, June, and their children and grandchildren. May they find peace in knowing that he is now home with his Lord Jesus, whom he served so faithfully over the years. Aloha ke Akua.

Charmaine R. Bissen
Wailuku , Maui

Ala Wai curfew would punish the innocent

Thank you for your May 12 article regarding the curfew being sought for the Ala Wai promenade. Although the police department and some neighborhood members think this is a good idea, it is not, because it will affect every resident and visitor in the islands.

I do not think public places should be closed because a few bad people cause problems. I might spend some time in that area having dinner at a friend's house, for instance. I may want to go for a walk at 11 p.m. But because of some drug dealers and homeless people, the city decides not to let me go there. I think this is terrible.

Our police department is perhaps one of the best in the nation. It should continue to step up patrols there and let people know that they will not be allowed to commit crimes.

The neighborhood board and the people living in the area should work with the police to make the area safe. Perhaps the board could coordinate walks or citizen patrols with various neighbors, who could use cell phones when they see crimes being committed.

It will take work to get rid of crime, but would we rather do a little work or not be allowed to go for a walk or sit on a bench at 11 o'clock at night?

I still remember being able to look at the ocean and the moon at Diamond Head at one o'clock in the morning. But because of a handful of bad boys, the city decided those boys and every resident and tourist on the island of Oahu would no longer be able to do this. Is this the way we really want to live?

Richard O. Guerin

Bush's posturing insults real veterans

I read both Paul Pollitt's May 5 letter to the editor ("Public ignores Bush's tarnished record") and Sandra Anderson's reply on May 9 ("President deserves to wear military uniform"). Pollitt was dead right.

As a Vietnam-era veteran I am insulted, appalled and just plain angry at the way President Bush has used the military for political and public-relations purposes. The "landing" on the USS Abraham Lincoln was outrageous. It was a PR set-up, pure and simple. If he really wanted to thank those sailors, he could have let them go home a couple of days earlier instead of floating around off San Diego for a photo op.

As to his "service record," Anderson should have read syndicated columnist Cynthia Tucker's commentary on the next page. While many of us were serving our country, Bush was absent without leave. Tucker quotes his commanding officer as saying he did not believe Bush fulfilled his requirements. In fact, Bush used his family connections to avoid the draft and join the Texas National Guard. If I had gone AWOL like Bush, I would probably still be in Leavenworth.

Bush has not earned the right to wear a military uniform of this country.

H.M. Richmond-Crum
Mililani