Don't ban the beer, just the rowdy fans

In response to Tuesday's letter in support of Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona and his proposed alcohol ban at University of Hawaii football games: To think that alcohol shouldn't be a part of college culture is naive. Why do you think clubbing and bar hopping is so popular with college students everywhere?

Aiona and his supporters look to other major schools that have banned alcohol as an example to follow in his crusade. Unfortunately, UH does not share the advantages of a traditional college town. The stadium is not within walking distance for students, and TheBus is not a convenient alternative to driving. The ban will promote drinking prior to the game, and those willing to take the risk of driving drunk will increase.

How does the stadium authority plan to monitor a ban on alcohol consumption in the parking lot? Do they plan to check every water bottle and unmarked container? Having parking lot ushers acting as full-time babysitters will create additional conflict between fans and staff.

Why not increase security within the stadium instead? It makes more sense to hand out harsher punishments to those who fight. Ban fans, not beer.

Booze ban would prevent tragedies

Across the country, in North Carolina, one murder trial is just ending that is the result of a tragic altercation between intoxicated tailgaters. Two young men shot to death and two young brothers on trial for their lives. It is well known that many users accent the effects of a beer or two or that relaxing glass of wine by compounding the high with illicit drugs, which instantaneously and dramatically alter personality and perceptions, sometimes violently.

Universities across the country are taking a stand and attempting to avoid these tragedies. And why not? It is possible to have a good time without alcohol and drugs.

President should help heal Sheehan's hurt

Cindy Sheehan, mother of a 24-year-old soldier killed in Iraq just four days after arriving there, is encamped outside President Bush's Crawford, Texas, ranch.

She said: "All we're asking is that he sacrifice one hour of his time to talk with us."

Why won't the president give her that one hour, or even 30 minutes to talk with her and placate her aching heart? Doing so would also bring some contentment to millions of Americans who might be having some of the same thoughts that Sheehan has!

Troops left vulnerable in unarmored Humvees

According to somewhat reliable sources, the few and the brave have given their lives in a seemingly endless daily toll in the face of maniacal suicide bombers, while cruising around Iraq in unarmored Humvees, as if directly off the Pfleuger car lot on Beretania Street, machine gun turret in roof optional. With the world's supposedly mightiest fighting force, who in their right mind would cruise around Iraq with the constant threat of running over 10-, 20- or 30-pound bags of high explosives, and almost certain death. This is hideous.

Perhaps it would be appropriate for those wizards of defense in the Pentagon to do a test drive of the same Humvees they expect the few and the brave to patrol in, through downtown Baghdad.

Central, Leeward folks know rail will work

Bernardo P. Benigno's letter of Aug. 23, in which he offered his "praise and congratulations to Mayor Hannemann and his transportation staff, as well as Rep. Neil Abercrombie for his part in getting federal help from Washington to build our rail system," is well on the mark. Mr. Benigno stated clearly what most Central and Leeward Oahu residents believe. Not only will light rail provide a reasonable alternative for those who now have to drive in horrible traffic conditions nearly every day, but it also will help relieve the traffic mess for those who choose to drive.

It's not ironic that those most against light rail are either fortunate enough to live in areas close to downtown, wealthy enough not to have to commute to work or lucky enough to be able to use one of the three taxpayer-funded tunnels connecting the Windward side to Honolulu.

The silliest reasons against light rail that opponents, mostly from the Windward side, have so far provided are: "I used to live in Washington, D.C., and the Metro (light rail) in D.C. doesn't work because it's always too crowded" and "we shouldn't waste money on an archaic system like light rail when we all could be teleworking." Go figure!

Critics were wrong about 'broken' schools

Public schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto and her staff have every reason to reflect with pride on the recently published achievement scores of public school students (Star-Bulletin, Aug. 19). This is especially noteworthy in a large and varied school system.

It wasn't too long ago that everyone described our school system as badly in need of a drastic overhaul. The governor herself ran on a platform of breaking up the system into smaller, independent school districts. It appears now such a system was unnecessary.

Hats off to our superintendent, staff, teachers and students alike who have every reason to be proud of their much-improved achievements. I know in your business the accolades are few and the criticisms many.

It appears the selection of our own Campbell High School Principal Gail Awakuni for the 2005 National High School Principal of the Year award was not such an anomaly, after all. We do have local, home-grown educators and administrators who excel. Great role models for all Hawaii students.

Radical Christians as bad as radical Muslims

Pat Robertson, head of the Christian Broadcast Network and one of the highest-profile ministers of the Christian Coalition, has come out and called for the assassination of President Chavez of Venezuela. (He later apologized.) Was this the Christian thing to do? Would Jesus Christ ever advocate murder under any circumstances?

Unfortunately, Robertson has the ear of millions of Americans, and they take his comments as gospel. I think his comments reveal and support my view that the Christian Broadcast Network and the Christian Coalition are phony representations of Christianity.

Americans need to understand there is no difference between radical Islamic clerics and Christian ministers such as Robertson. They're equally as dangerous to the American way of life. Fortunately, we can "thank God" that our Founding Fathers had the foresight to ensure the separation of church and state.

Tourists should leave the turtles alone

I've been so happy to be coming out there next month to visit my family and enjoy the beauty of the islands, but stories like Susan Essoyan's "Turtle Trouble" (Star-Bulletin, Aug. 14) make me sad about some of the people who forget about why they wanted to go to Hawaii in the first place. We come to enjoy the beauty of the islands and respect it, or at least my wife and I do, not trample on it and possibly destroy what took years to create.

You'd think there would be a law banning people from messing with the turtles. It's one thing if one comes up to you in the ocean on its own; it's another to "bait" it in the water or bother it when it's on shore. I can understand taking a photo of it, because it's a beautiful animal, but I'm sure that you can do it without touching the turtle.

It would be sad for these turtles to no longer thrive in this area because people have destroyed their habitats or taught them to rely on being hand fed. I'm glad to see that someone like George Balazs, leader of the Marine Turtle Research Program, is helping to educate the masses. Thank you for your story.

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