Brainstorm! Challenge

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'Ice' film wasn't captioned for deaf

This quote was reprinted in your article about the statewide showing of Edgy Lee's documentary on "ice" addiction: "You have to be dumb, deaf and ignorant not to know that we have a severe, severe problem," Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim said in the film.

Several deaf leaders made a concerted effort prior to last week's broadcast to have the documentary captioned so that this film could be accessible to Hawaii's sizeable deaf population. This was not done, although Dan Dennison of KHON apologized afterwards.

I take special offense at Kim's statement.

The deaf are kept ignorant by the media, and comments like Kim's underscore his own bias, which is not helped by the Star-Bulletin's highlighting of such comments. His thoughtless remarks are no less damaging than racism. A public apology would be a good starting point to undo the damage.

Lucy Miller
Chairwoman
State of Hawaii Disability and Communication Access Board
Lihue, Kauai

Ice addicts are in pain, but not from disease

After their documentary "Ice: Hawaii's Crystal Meth Epidemic," I believe it would be a misuse of the tremendous talents of investigator Matt Levi and producers Edgy Lee and Jeffrey Mueller if their second film focuses on, as planned, youths from elementary school to college age. Those stories can best be told through print and television media.

What is needed is an investigative documentary into the dark and mysterious world of drug kingpins and pushers who prey upon the very young and weak. Most law-abiding Hawaii residents are unaware of that kind of world.

I also respectfully take exception to the experts who say crystal meth addiction is a disease. It is not a disease. If I fall down and break a bone in my arm, I don't have a disease. I have a separated bone, and my focus is to heal the separation and make the bone whole again.

The root problem of drug users is a different kind of pain; a separation from and a longing for certain realities. That separation and longing can exist on physical, emotional, mental and/or spiritual planes. And when individuals don't have the knowledge or the tools to deal with their separation and longing, they turn in moments of weakness or vulnerability to ice or other drugs to mask, deny, ignore or numb themselves to the pain.

Although all of us must bear responsibility for the world in which we live, the ultimate responsibility is with the drug users who must make new choices. When they do, there is help available to make them whole again.

Carlino Giampolo
Honolulu

Writer's view of women needs readjusting

I am not sure with whom I should be more appalled, Thomas E. Stuart for writing his Sept. 23 letter ("Modern women cause 9/11 attack"), or the Star-Bulletin for printing it. There are so many pitfalls, on numerous levels, in Stuart's reasoning that I am sure if I began the debate that this letter would be several pages long and never make it to print.

I only hope that if he is in a relationship with a woman, that he appreciates her for the life she is willing to live in order to fulfill his ideal of the American woman and that the Star-Bulletin printed the letter knowing that the rest of us needed a good laugh that day.

Nancy Morris
Waipahu

Column recognized those who keep trying

I write in reference to Kalani Simpson's Sept. 21 column, "Winning is knowing how to lose," about the fighting spirit of the Kalani High School football team.

In our current world situation, with its many articles, stories, specials and movies about our heroes, Simpson brought to light the truth of heroes big and small. Some of those for whom recognition goes ungiven.

Mahalo.

Didi Todd
Proud aunty of Kalani player Jason Leong
Honolulu

Hawaii loses another small-business man

Reading Friday's newspaper was very depressing for me. Bruce Dunford's article, "Hawaii ranks last in U.S. for business friendliness," deeply jangled my nerves. I'm not a small-business owner. I can tolerate the gas prices and the electricity prices and can manage OK at home. Tax-wise, I deduct where I can for my family.

My husband's side of "paradise" is the opposite -- a 180-degree turn-around. He's sold his business and we are moving (me reluctantly) to the mainland as soon as we sell our townhouse. It won't be long now.

Please, Governor Lingle, Hawaii legislators, Mayor Harris, City Council members, Senators Inouye and Akaka and Representatives Abercrombie and Case, do something for small business.

Yvonne Toyama
Waipahu

Don't ban kiteboarding on Maui's North Shore

I was disappointed that the Federal Aviation Administration and the air traffic controller plan to revoke the waiver that allows kiteboarding on Maui's North Shore due to air traffic safety concerns.

Besides being one of the best places in the world for the sport, Maui is home to three major kiteboarding equipment manufacturers, eight wind and watersport retail shops, many of the sport's pro athletes and enthusiasts who are longtime residents as well as tourists who come to Maui to enjoy the sport.

A ban on kiteboarding would result in the loss of more than 400 jobs and have a negative effect on tourism in general.

The Hawaii Kiteboarding Association's Maui Chapter is proactive in regards to air traffic and kiteboarding safety. The HKA has made concessions regarding riding boundaries and line lengths of the kites; it has posted signs at the beaches and distributed brochures to riders, members and shops outlining safe kiteboarding guidelines.

Infringements of the no-fly zone in Sprecks have been infrequently made by unaware tourists and were dealt with in a timely manner. The HKA has policed itself without intervention from lifeguards, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Maui County police. The airports division wouldn't allow HKA to post signs at the Sprecks off-limits area. I am not alone in asking the mayor and the Maui County Council for their support in this matter.

Peggy King
Kula, Maui

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