Family appreciates support for golfer
Thank you to the wonderful people of Hawaii for your support and congratulatory words on our son
Dean Wilson's first PGA win on Aug. 13. We were overwhelmed by the response -- calls and e-mails poured in from all over as soon as that last putt rolled in. The local support, including the support of the media, definitely helped Dean achieve his dream of winning a PGA championship.
We also would like to congratulate Kimberly Kim, who won the U.S. Women's Amateur Golf Championship that same day, becoming the youngest ever to win the event. What a great day for Hawaii golf.
Mahalo, Hawaii.
Grace and Don Wilson and family
Kaneohe
Akaka came out strong at candidate forum
Congratulations to the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs Oahu Council for holding the forums last week and Tuesday featuring our congressional candidates. I attended both and found them informative -- and revealing. While all of the candidates duly espoused strong support for Hawaiian federal recognition, Sen. Dan Akaka reminded us that he helped pave the groundwork through the critical U.S. Apology on the anniversary of the overthrow. This action provides the framework and basis for us to move forward to ensure equal treatment and justice for Hawaiians.
Wendy Maher
Kailua
U.S. foreign policy based on madness
As if the mess in Iraq weren't enough, the Bush administration has given Israel a green light to wage war on three fronts -- Lebanon, Syria and Iran -- with our money. Bombs and dollars provided by U.S. taxpayers are paying for yet another exercise in folly, which will haunt us for generations to come. Are the American people numb, impotent, resigned or all of the above? Is the same true of Congress? Foreign friends can't understand why we don't restrain the neocons and stop the madness. Our elected representatives need to wake up and smell the blood.
Tom Dolan
Honolulu
Site of celebration was slap in the face
Regarding the
incident at the Iolani Palace on Statehood Day: I have to say that hosting a celebration of Statehood Day at the palace is a textbook example in disrespect and insensitivity toward the Hawaiian people. One would think that the appropriate venue for such a program would be at the state Capitol building. Are the organizers of the event so ignorant of the history that surrounds the palace, or is it that they just don't care? How would they feel if Mexico hosted a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the Alamo, or if Japan hosted a Cherry Blossom festival at the Pearl Harbor Memorial?
Intelligent and respectful people of all races and creeds would be rightfully outraged, as am I. The Statehood Day celebrants owe all of us an apology for their gross stupidity.
Kapu Paishon
Pahoa, Hawaii
High court gave CSEA an absolute victory
We are pleased that the
Star-Bulletin recognized through a correction yesterday that it had published an inaccurate article regarding a
recent Hawaii Supreme Court decision concerning the Child Support Enforcement Agency, a division of the Department of the Attorney General. We also agree with your editorial on the decision, which noted that the "Flawed class-action lawsuit was a waste of money." We note the following additional facts:
» The Supreme Court's decision was a complete legal victory for the CSEA in our appeal, and a complete rejection of the plaintiff's appeal.
» The Supreme Court decision noted: 1) that the financial management of the CSEA had significantly improved; 2) that although at the time of trial in 2002, the lawsuit had been pending for more than four years, the named plaintiff "was the only custodial parent class member to testify to a delay in the processing of payments since 1998"; 3) that the trial court, based on overwhelming evidence, found that since 1998 the "CSEA has been disbursing the overwhelming majority of child support payments received ... within two days of receipt"; 4) that the failure of a custodial parent to cash a check received from the CSEA or to provide a current address to the CSEA is just that, a failure of the individual and not the CSEA; and 5) that the award of attorneys' fees to plaintiff's lawyers was totally improper and inappropriate, and was therefore reversed.
Those at the CSEA work hard in a stressful job to distribute child support payments to custodial parents throughout Hawaii. The caseload per worker at the CSEA far exceeds the national average, and yet the CSEA consistently ranks among the best in the nation in cost-effectiveness. CSEA will continue to do its best to collect and distribute child support monies to custodial parents in Hawaii.
Mark Bennett
Hawaii attorney general
