Museum persecutes Hui Malama members
Museums across the country have typically resisted repatriation of 'iwi kupuna (ancestral remains) and moe pu (associated funerary goods) mandated by the federal Native American Graves Protection Act ("Artifacts' sale investigated," Aug. 11).J.S. Emerson was a grave robber who desecrated Hawaiian burial sites and sold artifacts to Bishop Museum for a handsome profit. Because of his acts and the acts of others like him, the Hawaiian people have inherited a heavy burden, and Hui Malama has been at the forefront of helping us to make things right, restore pono.
Now some of the repatriated moe pu have found their way onto a black market. If true, every Hawaiian should be concerned, but an important subtext is Bishop Museum's vicious federal persecution of Hui Malama members. Into the fray steps museum spokesperson DeSoto Brown, who opportunistically and self-servingly avows that protection from black market profiteers is one reason to retain collections in museums, a racist white practice which no longer has a place in enlightened society.
To add insult to injury, the museum seeks official status as a Native Hawaiian organization eligible to undertake repatriation under NAGPRA, with status equal to Hui Malama, a complete perversion and undermining of NAGPRA's intent. Knowing the conviction and commitment of Hui Malama's principals, I would stake my life on their innocence.
Executive director
Native Hawaiian Legal Corp.
A soldier can't pin medals on himself
There is a national campaign attacking Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry's service in the Vietnam War and entitlement to combat awards. The attackers obviously don't realize that nobody, especially not a junior officer, awards medals to himself.For Kerry to get a Bronze Star, and certainly to be awarded a Silver Star, took action all the way to Seventh Fleet and probably Pacific Command level. These awards aren't free, and anybody who has been anywhere in combat knows this. His critics should back off dishonorable character assassins. Did they serve under fire?
Nuuanu
How can veterans turn on each others?
I am having trouble understanding how anyone who served in the Vietnam War (excuse me, conflict) could turn against a brother. As a Vietnam vet myself, I know that even if John Kerry served as a chef for the embassy, his service was far greater than that of George W. Bush. And so what if he enhanced his own story -- not that he did. War stories are like fish tales: They tend to grow larger over the years.At least Kerry had the courage to serve his country in one of the most dangerous places on Earth at the time. The Swift boat people are just another example of the Bush regime's lies to the nation.
I believe that the American people are smart enough to see through this hyperbole. "Swift Boat for Bush" will turn into a swift vote for John Kerry.
Honolulu
Regents' acted unprofessionally
The real numbers of the Star-Bulletin-KITV poll on the firing of Evan Dobelle ("Dobelle is viewed as outdoing UH regents," Aug. 11) are those in the "undecided" category.The Board of Regents should be embarrassed about the way it handled this whole charade. Firing Dobelle "for cause," then rescinding that decision by accepting Dobelle's resignation is troublesome.
As a taxpayer, I cannot tolerate the board's inadequacy. The regents did a lot of things wrong and are costing taxpayers too much money. I am livid.
Kailua
Regents were lucky Dobelle settled suit
Public opinion holds 49 percent to 10 percent that Evan Dobelle came out ahead in the recent settlement prompted by his firing (Star-Bulletin poll, Aug. 11). While $1.05 million plus extras is a tidy reward, in my opinion it was the Board of Regents that came out ahead.Why? If this matter had gone to litigation, it's hard to see Dobelle walking away with a penny less than $5 million in damages. The regents royally screwed up, with their collective arrogance being exceeded only by their collective stupidity.
It boggles the mind that the regents could conjure up a "for cause" justification for firing Dobelle, given how clearly the "for cause" definition is spelled out.
It's interesting to speculate whether the board members realized during their deliberations that they couldn't make the "for cause" justification stick. Given their extreme dissatisfaction with Dobelle, would they have fired him anyway, even with the $2.26 million price tag? I wonder.
One thing that has struck me is Dobelle's genuine concern for the University of Hawaii. I suspect this was a factor in his agreeing to mediation rather than going to litigation from which no one emerges unscathed. This move provided all parties involved the most graceful exit possible from this sad affair.
Kaneohe
Voters have concerns besides gay marriage
In a recent letter ("Case voted against marriage amendment," Star-Bulletin, Aug. 10), writer James Roller reminds Hawaii voters of Rep. Ed Case's position on the constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman.Roller expresses concern because recent polls show that voters favor Case by a wide margin over challenger Mike Gabbard, despite the fact that Mike favors a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
Gabbard has been a hard-working and responsive City Council member. However, it would be a mistake for him to handcuff himself to the single issue of same-sex marriage. Although voters supported banning same-sex marriage at the state level, there are more important issues at the federal level than trying to amend the U.S. Constitution to include bigotry.
At the Democratic Convention, former island resident and Senate candidate from Illinois Barack Obama exclaimed, "We worship an awesome God in our Blue states," and later he added, "And we have gay friends in our Red states." And we all know that Americans worship an awesome God in the Red states too, and the Blue states have gay friends also.
And as all of our civil liberties have been challenged in the past couple of years with laws such as the Patriot Act, Hawaii citizens have re-evaluated the importance of the single issue of same-sex marriage, and it may be reflected in Case's wide margin over Gabbard.
Ewa Beach
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