Stoplight is needed to slow speeding drivers

On Tuesday morning my baby and I were nearly run over on the stretch of Meheula Parkway abutting Mililani 'Ike Elementary. As we stepped out into the crosswalk, the street was clear. By the time we approached the median, however, two trucks were flying down, their drivers busy talking on cell phones. I could tell that they were oblivious to us, so I stopped. They came so close that we could feel the wind in their wake, and my daughter screamed and clung to me in fear.

This road is treacherous; I and many others have witnessed frequent near misses -- most involving children. We desperately need a traffic light. I have been told that we may not qualify for a light as the traffic is not heavy enough to warrant such intervention. It only takes one careless motorist, however, to cause a tragedy. I urge all Mililani Mauka residents to contact your representatives and fight for action. In the meantime, motorists, please slow down and be alert.

Conservatives have their propaganda, too

In Shawn Lathrop's Jan. 24 letter, he said that it sounded like sour grapes from the Democrats who challenged the Ohio vote count. I guess he would agree that it sounds like sour grapes from the conservatives who are challenging the Washington governor's vote.

He also labels Michael Moore's documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" as propaganda and not based on facts. Well, if that were the case, he would be getting a lot of people suing him right about now, wouldn't he? If you want to watch propaganda, just turn to Fox News; it should just be called the CON (Conservative Opinion News).

Wie needs to keep her head on straight

While it's true that Michelle Wie has a remarkable talent at age 15 for playing golf, she will no doubt continue on and become a professional to be highly recognized in the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

Yet, by the same token, I wish she would complete her schooling and stop setting herself up for disappointment by playing with the big-time names of today's games.

At age 14 or 15, I excelled as a soccer player, with dreams of being the next Pele. I also sang like a canary, thinking I might become another Pavorotti at La Scala or the Metropolitan.

The Annika Sorenstams, Laurie Webbs, Ernie Els and Vijay Singhs of the golf world, and Pete Samprases or Andre Agassis of the tennis arena, are extremely rare, and even they will disappear in time, resting on their laurels. Does anyone know where Jimmy Connors is?

Someone needs to inform Michelle. I had to settle for the kitchen and become a chef.

Bush's zealotry could lead to another war

Zealotry and fundamentalism are the enemies of domestic civility and international peace. Last week's inauguration offered us frightening intimations of both. Common sense dictates that if the worst prospects in the president's speech come to pass and if, surrounded as he will be by a secretary of state who is rigidly unwilling to deviate from the party line and a secretary of defense who blithely ignores any military advice that contradicts his prefabricated doctrines, George W. Bush then decides to inflict yet another foolish war on the world, and if neither Congress nor our allies are able to stop him, the time for civil disobedience will clearly be at hand.

Removing Djou is part of dirty political game

The recent reorganization of Honolulu City Council had ill intentions that hurt the citizens of Honolulu. Removing Councilman Charles Djou from various committees by Councilman Rod Tam and his associates (Star-Bulletin, Dec. 22) sends the wrong message. Leaders such as Djou have made significant contributions to state and local government.

Hawaii and its residents are very near and dear to my heart, despite my being away for a few years. I have watched Djou for years and see in him a true leader. Council members need to put partisan politics aside and put people first. Djou wanted what was best for the community, and what he got was a retaliatory move because he was standing for what was right by opposing Tam's intentions of putting poison and garbage in our beautiful backyards and pristine lands.

Shame on Tam for playing dirty politics and hurting the people who elected him. May God bless Hawaii and God bless Charles Djou, who is part of a new era of leaders who will make Hawaii a better place to live.