Don't assume worst of accused senator

When politicians are singled out for fault, two quotations come to mind: "Let the one without sin cast the first stone" and "Evil is in the eye of the beholder." I am not one to cast aspersions on the earnest messenger, but I do have some observations after reading the story "Senator omits donation details" (Star-Bulletin, June 8).

According to the story, several of Sen. Cal Kawamoto's campaign donors are under investigation. The 14 contractors who were fined by the Campaign Spending Commission were fined for donations to other campaigns. That is the only inference made that they also may have made unreported donations to Kawamoto.

I believe CSC rules permit amendments to previously filed spending reports. While I do not minimize any intentional violation of CSC statutes, not every request for investigation should be construed by your readers as license for a witch hunt. Commission Executive Director Bob Watada's refusal to comment on this pending investigation does not give readers the permit to convict anyone unless he is proven guilty of a violation.

Arvid Tadao Youngquist

Coal is part of future energy flexibility

We appreciate your May 30 editorial and the acknowledgement of Hawaiian Electric Co.'s efforts to spur renewable energy development on Oahu. Our renewable energy subsidiary just released a request for proposals and issued new wind resource maps specifically to draw renewable projects to Oahu. These are core pieces of our long-term vision.

Meeting Hawaii's energy needs also takes a strong commitment to energy efficiency and conservation, and new energy technologies. We are working to develop these resources.

So why consider the mere possibility of a coal plant more than a decade down the road? Ensuring we're able to deliver power to everyone, every day, also means we can't abandon planning for other sources of power that are available 24 hours a day. As you noted, alternative and renewable energy sources will not completely supplant fossil fuels. The AES Hawaii option simply provides just that, an option to consider for additional flexibility in the future.

Finally, just a word on the overall AES agreement that included the option: AES was taking advantage of a great interest-rate environment to refinance its debt, and by contract it needed HECO's consent. The agreement still needs Public Utilities Commission approval, but we believe the refinancing is good for everyone, especially since we negotiated a sharing of the savings with our customers in the form of a future rate reduction.

Robert A. Alm
Senior vice president
Public Affairs
HECO

Bad-weather warnings often come too late

I continue to be puzzled why local radio and television stations do not live up to their billing as "go to" stations for up-to-date information. During the recent days of severe weather in Central Oahu, the only time I heard anything about the weather was after it had hit. I checked the National Weather Service's Web site and found timely flash-flood warnings issued ahead of time. NWS instructs us to listen to the radio and television for more information.

So come on, radio and TV stations, live up to your billing of being "go to" stations and share severe weather situations on a more timely basis.

John Toillion
Mililani

Zoos are no better for animals than fairs

CORRECTION Sunday, June 15, 2003 » Frank De Giacomo is not affiliated with Animal Rights Hawaii, as he indicated in his June 11 letter to the editor. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.

I take issue with Cathy Goeggel's May 29 "Gathering Place" ("Why boycott the 50th State Fair?") when she states, "The Honolulu Zoo chimpanzee exhibit is an excellent way to see social groups of chimps. ..." I for one do not see the zoo as a positive solution to State Fair animal abuse.

Keeping animals in zoos denies them freedom of movement and association, which are important to social animals, and frustrates many of their natural behavioral patterns, leaving them at least bored and at worst seriously neurotic -- quite similar to human incarceration.

To treat animals as objects for our amusement is to treat them without the respect they deserve. I hope one day the zoo will go the way of the carnival freak show. Until then, people should realize that the chimps did not choose to be locked up in the zoo, and are victims of the African slave trade.

There are several alternatives to zoos for educational purposes. Nature documentaries are shown regularly on television, as well as being available on video cassettes. Specials on public television stations and several cable channels provide information about animals in their natural habitats. Magazines such as National Geographic provide superb illustrated articles. And, of course, public libraries are a gold mine of information. Or you can go to Africa and observe the animals.

Frank De Giacomo
Kaneohe
Board member
Animal Rights Hawai'i

Marijuana eradication does not lead to ice

Your June 8 editorial, "Groups should address broad drug strategy," oversimplifies Hawaii's complex substance-abuse problems.

You echo the drug legalizer canard that marijuana eradication efforts lead to ice use by creating a shortage of pot. This is ridiculous on two counts. First, what shortage? In 2002, 63 percent of Hawaii's 10th-graders reported that marijuana was either "fairly easy" or "very easy" to obtain. (Source: The 2002 Hawaii Student Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use Survey.) Second, if the lack of marijuana leads people to use ice, then marijuana is indeed a "gateway drug" and should be vigorously suppressed.

About 200,000 people each year enter substance-abuse treatment programs to overcome their dependence on marijuana. About 95,000 Americans end up in emergency rooms each year because of marijuana-related accidents or adverse reactions. Of these people, more than 20,000 get in trouble using only marijuana and about 70,000 by using it with alcohol or other drugs. (Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2000, March 2001; and Treatment Episode Data Set, March 31, 2000).

Combating ice and combating marijuana are not mutually exclusive. Both are dangerous drugs and both should be fought.

Ray Gagner
Kailua