Reinstate draft under this president? No way
The news reported yesterday that Rep. Neil Abercrombie is a co-sponsor of the bill to institute a mandatory military draft of boys and girls, ages 18-26, no deferrals (Star-Bulletin, Sept. 22). This at a time when we have a president who says he wants to "spread democracy around the world" by bombing and invading other countries, killing and maiming thousands of innocent men, women and children.Spreading "democracy" by military force? What's wrong with this picture?
And our draft-dodger president wants to force our children onto the front line of his ideological military agenda? With Abercrombie's help?
I am starting to wonder if there is any difference between Republicans and Democrats. Neil, you lost me on this one.
Honolulu
Law should be tougher on fire starters
The city prosecutor says the law considers setting someone on fire deserving of lesser punishment than damaging their garment ("Boy faces charges in attack," Star-Bulletin, Sept. 22). Something is very wrong when the penalty for property damage is potentially twice that of assault.How is it that the law is either written or interpreted to value or protect property above life and limb?
And I find it creepy and disgusting that the victim herself is considered "property."
My heart goes out to the Japanese tourist whose hair and shirt were set on fire, as I can't imagine anything more horrific. As for the 12-year-old boy accused, I pray that he receives psychological help along with punishment for his alleged actions.
Aiea
Poll workers were patient with voters
I was chairwoman of a polling place in Kailua on Saturday and was working with several people who had not worked an election before. I have worked numerous times, including the special elections two years ago. We had far too many spoiled ballots Saturday.I watched and listened carefully to my outstanding workers. Each and every voter was told two to three times to only vote in one place on the partisan side of the ballot, and was also instructed how many to vote for on the nonpartisan side. If the voter spoiled the ballot, it was again explained by myself or the voter assistance official, and explained again when the new ballot was signed for, and maybe once more on the way to the booth and there were a few spoiled a second time.
There just wasn't anything more any of us could do.
I think the Office of Elections spokesman Rex Quidilla's implication that the number of new workers was possibly at fault was an insult to the hundreds of people who arrived at the polls at 5:30 a.m. and worked until (at least) 8 p.m. These people also spent two to four or five hours in training at times and places not necessarily convenient to them. This is a service on their part that should be applauded, and they should not be accused of not doing their job.
Kailua
Place higher value on college diploma
I couldn't help but connect two stories in the Star-Bulletin's Sept.15 edition: Fewer Hawaii students go to college and a former Miss Hawaii USA busted for allegedly selling ice. On the surface both seem like stupid choices. Yet when you can make more as a bus driver than a professional with a college degree (entry-level teachers make $28,000), and the highest paid state employee is a football coach, financially it isn't a good decision to keep yourself out of the job market for four years to earn a degree that pays you less than employment requiring less rigorous education.According to the article, a quarter-ounce of an illegal substance sells for more than half of the entry-level teachers' monthly pay. And you don't have to grade homework.
While you get what you pay for is a qualified truism (the Warriors should win every game then), basing an economy on service industries and "What high school you grad?" is a recipe for failure and diaspora. "Lucky you live Hawaii" will only apply if you remember there are two kinds of luck; good and bad. One of the end products of that economy and those values is a former Miss Hawaii USA making choices none of us recommends, and will ultimately result in a workforce unsuitable to be competitive in the world market. Let us all work toward a state where "What university did you graduate from?" is a common goal, and "We must pay the best to retain the best to keep this place the best" is paid more than lip service. Otherwise, our future is to be, at best, the busboys of the world's monied class.
Kailua
BOE member's remark was unwarranted
The Star-Bulletin's article on the Board of Education elections includes a quote from current board member Garrett Toguchi suggesting that Gov. Linda Lingle's support of certain candidates was meant "...to disrupt the board and department's operations for political reasons."I am an admirer of Toguchi's, but this sounds intemperate. I am not even certain what he means by "political reasons." The school board has been famously ineffective in correcting a public school system that discourages people from raising their kids here. This has been the situation for decades, not just on Toguchi's watch.
An alternate view of the governor's efforts to organize schools by district would be that she is trying something new. Maybe it's right, maybe it's not, but it beats waiting for the boat to sink.
Honolulu
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