Make graffiti artists clean up their mess

The recent arrests of several graffiti-happy idiots are an overdue welcome ("Police nab 5 in separate graffiti incidents," Star-Bulletin, May 11).

Perhaps to make their exploits worth their notorious efforts, in addition to showing their shameless mug shots on television, the state also should consider having these "boys and girls" wear over-the-shoulder signs confessing their mindless actions, while they paint over their multiple taggings throughout the island!

We need to return our once pristine island back to its original beauty and start raising responsible adults who respect the law and property in a civilized community. Mahalo HPD!

Incoming teachers will get rude surprise

The respected national Teach for America program will provide as many as 110 top college graduates from around the country with two-year stints teaching in disadvantaged areas of Leeward Oahu beginning this summer (Star-Bulletin, May 12). Great, we could always use more good teachers.

However, I wonder if these recruits were told that they might be forced to pay $2,000 a month for a roach- and rat-infested 10-by-10-foot studio with no kitchen and a nice view of the freeway? Take a look at the rental classifieds these days -- it is almost laughable were it not such a serious issue.

Akaka editorial left out significant facts

In its May 7 editorial, the Star-Bulletin tossed reason and facts to the wind in arguing in favor of the Akaka Bill. The editorial erroneously asserts that foreigners had possession of four-fifths of the islands' land prior to the 1893 overthrow. This inflammatory statement is inaccurate in that, mathematically, crown, government and public lands must have been included in the "four-fifths." Moreover, much of the private land that was owned by non-native Hawaiians at the time was not owned by foreigners, but by non-native Hawaiians, many of whom were of Chinese and other nonwhite descent.

Second, the article misleadingly asserts that opponents of the Akaka Bill would support it if it "extended to all people who can trace their lineage to anyone living in the islands at the time of the overthrow." Some might agree with that statement, but it is not the position of those like myself who oppose this bill because it violates the 5th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibit considera-tion of race and national origin in any law or voting requirement.

However, the fact that the Akaka Bill would not recognize the more than one-third of the citizens of the kingdom of Hawaii who were non-natives is determinative. Also significantly overlooked is the fact that at the time of the overthrow (i.e., according to the 1890 census), more than half of all persons residing in the Hawaiian Islands were non-natives. If the exclusion of all of these people because of their national origin and race is not discrimination, then I do not know what is.

Bush ought to divert troops to Darfur

If our president is smarter and wiser, he would divert monies allotted for defense and divert some of our troops to Darfur. Instead of killing people and getting killed, we should be helping them since the international community is unable to do anything. Currently 3.5 million are hungry, 2.5 million are displaced and more than 400,000 have died.

From what I understand, most of this is caused by their own government while trying to fight the rebels there. Can we fight terrorism by helping them? Perhaps there is no incentive for Bush and his cohorts for any financial gain.

Francis K. Ibara
Kahului, Kauai

GOP might make a mess of Hawaii, too

A writer to Friday's Star-Bulletin says that the Democrats in the state Legislature ought to be replaced by Republicans because the Democrats failed to pass a large enough tax cut. We need look no further than Washington to see exactly what would happen to if we turn our state over to all-Republican control.

With Republicans in control of both the legislative and executive branches of the federal government, the United States went from a budget surplus to the largest deficit in history. What did we get for all this spending? "Mission accomplished" in Iraq and a "heck of a job" in response to Hurricane Katrina stand out in a long list of failures that were expensive in terms of both money and human lives.

Maybe the Democrats could have provided more tax relief, but at least they understand that if you spend money, you have to recoup it in the form of taxes.

Congressmen should try living in Iraq

If what is happening in Iraq is not enough of a wake-up call for members of Congress, they should move there. The people of the Middle East want our troops to leave.

How can we ask Iran to stop a nuclear program when we are sitting on a stockpile of nuclear weapons that is larger than rest of the world's supply?

Our leaders want to picture the leaders in the Middle East as nutcases.

How can you persuade anyone with this case?

'New' Americans might be choosy about jobs

If all illegal immigrants were granted American citizenship and made legal, who would do the jobs that these now-American citizens won't do? Would we have to find more illegal immigrants to take their place?