Public will forgive, forget Gibson's gaffe

Hollywood icon Mel Gibson's recent DUI arrest and subsequent anti-Semite diatribe certainly casts a black eye but is no career-ending performance.

Look, the guy has $500 million in the bank, and "Passion of the Christ," which rocketed him to religious stardom, took in $400 million worldwide.

When circumstances catch high-profile men with their pants down, notably Bill Clinton, Marion Barry, John DeLorean, even Edward Kennedy to mention a few, their PR people come out and spin what reality caught on tape really meant.

Whether buying cocaine or interviewing an intern, these blunders are platforms for initiating a spiritual renaissance. Thank God the public forgives and forgets.

N. Shore bathrooms are in terrible shape

I was on the North Shore this last weekend at Shark's Cove and at Waimea Beach. I am disgusted at the condition of the bathrooms. There was no toilet paper. Some toilets had plastic coverings over them. Doors were either missing or could not be closed. The general condition was terrible. Lights were out.

We spend a lot of money as a state attracting visitors to the islands and present them with this! I don't know if the state or county is responsible, but it needs to be taken care of.

Even poor people should care for land

We all can agree that the landfills on Oahu are near capacity. This is why we have a bottle fee. This fee keeps the bottles out of the landfill when we redeem the container for our fee. Recently, Gov. Linda Lingle had the chance to keep even the larger 2-liter beverage bottles from reaching the landfill by imposing this fee. She vetoed that bill, claiming that larger, lower-income families cannot afford the bottle fee. What does she mean by can't afford this fee? The customer will receive the fee back at the time of redemption. Lingle needs to realize that everyone has a responsibility to keep the environment as sound as possible.

Maui really does need proposed hospital

One of the most important decisions for Maui's future is that of the approval for Malulani Health and Medical Center. Maui absolutely needs Malulani Health and Medical Center and the care it will provide for Maui residents and visitors alike.

Maui Memorial does not have the quality care that it should have and is badly underfunded, and it appears that the powers that control Maui Memorial don't care.

The privately funded Malulani is the perfect solution. It will be built in the central location of North Kihei, with easy access from all parts of the island. It will have the latest, high-quality, state-of-the-art equipment and the staff to operate it.

Please do everything and anything that is required to approve Malulani Health and Medical Center and pave the way for its speedy installation.

Group was not trespassing on island

America through U.S. Public Law 103-150 has confessed that "the indigenous Hawaiian people never directly relinquished their claims to their inherent sovereignty as a people or over their national lands to the United States," yet on July 31 that very same people, descendants of nationals of the Hawaiian kingdom, got arrested and cited for reclaiming what is lawfully theirs ("2 arrested during protest on Kahoolawe," Star-Bulletin, Aug. 1).

Office of Hawaiian Affairs administrator Clyde Namuo, by stating, "It's too bad that people are trespassing," reveals that he lacks the legal knowledge in recognizing the rights of our people and is unworthy of representing our interest. He and all of those who share his views in OHA should be ousted from the very seats they hold and filled with those who have the heart and courage to truly represent our people. It's fortunate for both sides that the demonstrations for Hawaiian rights have been for most part peaceful, yet.