Honolulu's statues need fresh leis daily

Why isn't there a stipend in the city and state budgets to make sure that the statues of Duke Kahanamoku, Queen Liliuokalani and King Kamehameha the Great are always adorned with fresh leis every day? How much would this cost? Probably not much -- especially if the process was put out to bid.

The lei sellers at Honolulu Airport and in Chinatown could leave a discrete sign with their name and address each day at the bottom of the statues so those who are impressed with their work could find them.

This would properly honor these historical personalities and make Hawaii look like it truly cares for its own memorable giants. It would help the lei sellers and makers a little more money and give them some much needed visibility.

Constantly seeing dried, limp leis, or many times no leis at all, on these venerable statues is heart-breaking and not at all exemplary of the deep spirit of aloha and ohana we all support.

Phillip St. James

Same old bickering bunch at City Council

The old saying, "the more things change, the more things stay the same" certainly applies to the Honolulu City Council ("Kobayashi heads charge to oust Council chairman," Star-Bulletin, Aug. 6). We get six new members and a respectable chairman who tells it like it is and we believe that finally we've got a Council that will go about the city's business for the general good.

But it didn't take long for that dreaded word to resurface -- reorganization. Now the Council is back to bickering, power-grabbing and self-serving egos. Politicians never change. It's absolutely disgusting.

Lynette Yuen
Honolulu

One day Bush's stature will equal Lincoln's

For someone to even suggest that Al Gore or one of his speeches is in the same class as our nation's greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, is absurd (Letters, Aug. 14).

Lincoln guided this country through its darkest hours, and I maintain that history will show George W. Bush to be in the same class as Lincoln, because of his leadership in this generation's darkest hours after 9/11.

In her letter to the editor, Rose Norberg goes on to say that Gore supports regaining our old friends and international organizations and treaties.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what lead to 9/11 -- our ever-increasing tolerance of the "do whatever you want, anytime you want, anywhere you want, because it is your right" concept. Our wide open borders allowed thugs and cowards into our country who are bent on killing Americans.

The ACLU and other "cry wolf" organizations decry the fact that the government is turning into Big Brother and violating everyone's civil rights. But the truth is that without the government's involvement, we are sitting ducks for the aforementioned thugs and cowards.

Norberg and many others ignore the fact that they are able to walk the streets of this country without fear of being a suicide bomber's next victim solely because of the efforts of the current administration and the law enforcement and military organizations of America.

James Roller
Mililani

Bush family takes no risk in Iraq war

I am a Vietnam War veteran and a very strong supporter of our military. Every time an American is killed in Iraq, President Bush says, "I appreciate their sacrifice." His comments turn my stomach.

I don't know of any Bushes serving in our armed forces and making a sacrifice for the war for Israel and oil. Are his daughters and nephews so far above the rest of us that they cannot serve our country in time of war?

Now Bush is ready to sacrifice our children in Liberia. For what?

Will he say "I appreciate their sacrifice" if North Korea nukes South Korea and kills 37,000 American soldiers and their dependents who are stationed there? Yes he will, as long as none of them are his family members.

Ronald L. Edmiston

Merchants showed generous aloha

As recent visitors to Honolulu, we'd like to express our thanks to George Cadinha and Brenda Fisher of Z Home Furnishings in Honolulu. Some tourists leave Hawaii feeling as though merchants have targeted them for unethical treatment, but not us.

George and Brenda bent over backward to resolve a problem with a purchase we made at their store, a problem not discovered until our return home. They came up with a creative and generous solution to a potentially expensive problem, and they handled some tricky shipping logistics with abundant good cheer.

They exemplified the spirit of aloha. Thanks for making our Honolulu trip so positive.

L. and M. Elder
Flagstaff, Ariz.