Dems should respect Lingle's popularity

The outcome of the general election in Hawaii reflected the backlash against Republicans experienced across the country. Our congressional delegation remains Democrat. Our state Legislature continues to be controlled by the Democrats.

But a strong statement was made by those same Hawaii voters who re-elected Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona by a large majority. The state Legislature needs to recognize that the people of Hawaii believe in what Lingle and Aiona are doing for us. The Democrats should understand that the people want them to work with the governor and lieutenant governor.

As the voters did, the Democrats in the Legislature should put aside political differences and work on behalf of all of the people of Hawaii.

Behavior of losers can be revealing

Almost inevitably, following an election, the losers will be disheartened. How they handle their disappointment says a lot about their character. Some graciously admit defeat, and that's the way it should be in a democracy.

But there are many who insist on fixing blame, and they flail away in every direction. Some losing incumbents are quick to say: "The media did it to me." Or, "Let's see the winner do better than I did." Or, even, "It was a conspiracy to get me out."

The good news is that we all have benefited by having voted out of office those who act this way.

Democratic victory signals moral decline

As I watched the election returns, I could not help but wonder what a Democratic- controlled House and Senate would look like. Then I quickly realized that I already see the results when I watch TV on any given night; shows that lure young kids into the enticing web of immorality by having adult actors play the roles of adolescents, making adult decisions as though all young children should be making the same decisions so easily; "news reporters" showing one-sided views of controversial issues that nearly always skew toward liberal ideals, while giving barely a snippet to conservative views; and the list can go on.

Watching the hand-over of power to the Democrats made me appreciate the four Eagle Scouts who were honored the same evening for upstanding citizenship, dedication to a noteworthy cause and keeping themselves "physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight."

I embraced the evening not because the Democrats won the House, but because with Democrats controlling the House and possibly the Senate, I don't know how much longer we will have programs like the Boy Scouts -- wasn't it at the DNC during 2004 that the scouts were booed during their presentation of the flags and colors? Isn't it this Democratic Party that wants to ban Boy Scout activities from public meeting houses? Isn't it this Democratic Party that wants to allow gay men to be leaders to the boys? And isn't it this Democratic Party whose spokesman for being "morally straight" is Bill Clinton?

If the answer to these questions is "yes," then we will see the sharpest decline of moral values that this country has ever seen.

Restrictions needed on campaign signs

The campaigns are over. Candidates, please take down the signs.

Once again much of Hawaii has been littered for months by politicians and their supporters who apparently believe that if one campaign sign is good, 10 signs are even better. But the Outdoor Circle believes our residents shouldn't have to look past a gauntlet of campaign signs to see the mountains or the ocean or to simply enjoy the sanctuary of their own neighborhood. As long as politicians are allowed to adopt a philosophy of "the candidate with the most signs wins," the people of Hawaii will continue to lose.

It's time for our lawmakers to bring campaign signs under control. They can't say it's unconstitutional, because it's not. Campaign signs are being controlled elsewhere in the country and those laws have been upheld in court. Controlling campaign signs does not deny people the right to express themselves -- it prevents our communities from becoming littered with redundant and/or massive campaign signs.

The Outdoor Circle pledges to work hard to persuade the 2007 Legislature to place fair limits on campaign signs in the future. A few lawmakers already have expressed strong interest in this cause. We humbly ask all elected officials to stand up and protect our most cherished resource -- the beauty of our islands.

America woke up with Election Day blessing

It has become President Bush's practice, after addressing an audience about Iraq, to close his remarks with, "God bless America." This use of "God bless America" makes it appear to be a closing salutation. Invoking the almighty as a mere salutation is a sacrilege. This puts "God bless America" on a par with other common pleasantries as, "Have a nice day."

In the context of Iraq, if Bush's "God bless America" is meant as a prayer, then it is incomplete. The prayer, instead, should be, "May what we have done and are doing in Iraq be deserving of God's blessing." Is the president asking for that blessing? If he claims that blessing, then it is presumptuous and is, again, a sacrilege.

Who, then, is deserving of God's blessing? The result of the midterm elections gives us a clue.

The president has deceived us with misinformation and led us into a war in Iraq that is senselessly costing the lives of brave American troops and thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians. For America, this is certainly not the asked-for blessing.

For Bush, this deserves God's damnation, not his blessing. If we are facing the vengeful God of the Old Testament, let us hope that God's wrath will be confined to the Bush, Cheney-Rumsfeld axis.

There is hope. On this Nov. 7, God, indeed, blessed America. He awakened her.

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Let all players join volleyball tourney

For the next two weeks the Hawaii state volleyball tournament will be played here in Honolulu. Some of the teams going into this tournament will be short some of their players due to the HHSAA eligibility rules. These rules exclude several students who come from small private schools or public charter schools and are allowed to join combined teams since their schools are not big enough to field their own.

These kids have practiced every day with their respective groups. They have played in all of the regular season games. In some cases they have been instrumental in getting their teams to the state tournament only to be benched in the end. This is unfair to those who are denied the chance to play, and it is also unfair to the teams that must adjust their game to play without these members.

The HHSAA needs to find a way to make this right so that the tournament is genuinely a contest between the teams as they played in the regular season -- with their rosters intact! Otherwise it is a sham tournament.

Moore's ranting about Warriors is tiresome

KHON newscaster Joe Moore's annual crusade to restore the "Rainbows" or "'Bows" and his personal attacks on University of Hawaii football coach June Jones are nauseating. Enough already! The team is doing great, and then he feels the need to foster bad feelings (again). This is not professional or classy on Moore's part. We are getting sick of his complaining, and so are our friends and Warrior fans. If he wants attendance at the games to improve, why doesn't he generate some positive public relations toward the team and Jones?

Jones, defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville and the rest of the coaching staff really do care about the players and their future. It is obvious from the performance and solidarity of the team that their leadership has created an exciting team Hawaii can be proud of.

So, Joe, if you feel that the players want the green-and-white uniforms with rainbow stripes (and to be called "Rainbows"), why don't you become the head coach, create a No. 1-in-the-nation passing offense, beat Jones' record, recruit an NFL defensive coach, recruit top players on a small budget and improve the team and attendance to the point you feel it should be? If you can't do this, then stick to newscasting and stay home from the UH games. Don't ruin it for the proud fans of the Warriors!

Go Warriors!