Cartoonists have fun with President Bush
Cartoonists are deftly clever and highly imaginative. No matter how they caricature the Prez, he is unmistakably George W. Bush.That's Dubya for y'all!
Tetsuji Ono
Hilo, Hawaii
Cases might change how law treats fetuses
With the legally and morally correct decision of Honolulu Circuit Court Judge Michael Town, we now have two opportunities within the U.S. judicial system to redefine the mistaken identity of the human fetus. In the Scott Peterson case, the defense is trying hard to convince the jury and judge that the unborn child was actually born alive before he and his mother were killed, therefore arguing that there was only one charge of murder. Another example of high-profile courtroom theatrics.However, in the case of Tayshea Aiwohi, she must be held accountable for treating her body as a playground and subjecting her unborn child (read: human being) to devastating doses of crystal meth. She is just as responsible as the parents who willingly and neglectfully allow their children to play in a busy intersection, without regard for their well-being. Is it any wonder that our society treats human life with no more respect than that of taking out the garbage and throwing it in the bin?
These two cases could be watershed events for the eventual and rightful banning of abortion in this "civilized" country. We need more judges on the bench like Town, with the moral clarity and backbone to stand up for the helpless and defenseless in truth and righteousness.
James Roller
Mililani
Speak up if you want Brady Bill renewed
The Brady gun law, which bans the sale of assault weapons, will expire in September 2004. The House Republican leader has told the National Rifle Association he will not allow any bill to renew the ban to get to the floor of the House. President Bush is giving lip service to gun control, but will not try to get the law renewed.As of October it will again be legal to buy and sell AK-47s, Uzis and high-capacity ammunition clips. Just what our teenagers need, for us to have more Columbine school massacres. Just what our police officers need, to be outgunned by criminals, terrorists and mentally unbalanced killers.
James Brady was President Reagan's press secretary. He was shot in 1981 when John Hinckley tried to assassinate Reagan. Since then he has been a paraplegic. Starting in 1981 he and his wife, Sarah, worked to ban the sale of assault weapons. After seven years of fighting the NRA, Congress passed the Brady Bill. It will expire in September unless the majority who want guns controlled rise up and say, "Yes! We want to ban assault weapons!"
Please call or write the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, 1225 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100, Wash., D.C., 20005-3991. (202-898-0792) Add your name to their straw poll. James Brady will personally take the results to the president and to the NRA-controlled Congress.
Sally Raisbeck
Wailuku, Maui
Is host of TV show the best Dems can do?
I was amused to see Brickwood Galuteria, an island entertainer and radio and television personality, elected chairman of the state Democratic Party to counter what its members perceive as Republican spin.Indeed, which party is more guilty of political spin? Hawaii Democrats, who chose a radio deejay and television cooking-show host to lead their party? Or local Republicans, who have put their faith and trust behind Party Chairman Brennon Morioka, Ph.D.?
How ironic.
Andre Lemond
Honolulu
Mufi's looking out for developers
Voters trying to decide who to support in the upcoming mayoral election should consider your May 31 editorial about the "farm relief" tax bill that might short the city by as much as $12 million. Mayoral candidate Mufi Hannemann has come out in favor of this bill, which was written in part by a lobbying group of land developers.When Duke Bainum was a councilman, he authored a tax-relief bill designed to promote farming in ag-zoned land. That bill was passed into law in 2002 and since then, legitimate farmers have enjoyed lower tax rates, while "gentleman farmers" with a couple of coconut trees have finally been thwarted in their blatant misuse of tax laws.
The bill Hannemann and his lobbyist/developer friends favor would do away with this law and would lower the tax rate on hundreds of ag-zoned acres destined for housing development, thereby losing millions of tax dollars sorely needed by the city. That's just one more reason why Duke will get my vote.
Patrick Stanley
Honolulu
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[ BRAINSTORM! ]
The ponds at the state Capitol are full of icky green stuff. What, besides holding an election, can we do to get rid of all that scum at the Big Square Building? Or should we just replace the ponds with something else?Tell us what you think, whether you know of a way to clean the ponds or if you'd rather see a remodel of the Capitol grounds. Anything would be an improvement.
Send your ideas by June 16 to:
Or by mail:
Brainstorm!
c/o Nancy Christenson
Star-Bulletin
500 Ala Moana
7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813Or by fax:
Brainstorm!
c/o Nancy Christenson
529-4750
