Community activist inspired others
Many members of the Save Mount Olomana Association were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of inspired community leader David Matthews (
Star-Bulletin, Jan. 5). His encouragement and wisdom voluntarily offered in times of need were a major source of inspiration as a guiding light throughout Oahu -- from shore to shore -- and our neighbor islands.
His intelligent and passionate offerings of trailblazing leadership will surely be missed; however, Dave was constantly educating and training others to confront the challenges of environmental conservation to benefit all islanders. Therefore, we will continue to follow in his courageous and steadfast footsteps!
Jack Hitchcock
President, Save Mount Olomana Association
Kailua
Residents need to know more about rail
The rail project soon will be up and running. It is advantageous for those who are within the vicinity -- they can just walk and hop in and go. How about those who still need to drive and catch this famous ride of the century? Will they be provided free parking throughout the day and drive home with no parking tickets stuck in their car?
The rail will cut through residential districts and privately owned properties. Will the government pay whatever it costs to get this project rolling? This is an issue that has to be addressed before the ground-breaking ceremony. Did somebody really think about these questions?
Felino B. Damo
Waianae
Watada does not have full speech rights
Lt. Ehren Watada does not and should not have the same free speech rights as a civilian. He wears a uniform of a U.S. military branch. He could have limited free speech. Besides an oath, he took a pledge to a code of conduct, neither of which he followed. He claims an individual conscience compels him, but while still in military uniform, he holds press conferences to persuade others to share his views.
He cites the United Nations and Geneva Convention not to follow an illegal order, but it was not an illegal order from his superiors to move out. He was not on the battlefield being given an illegal order.
While here, in uniform, by advocating troops to stop fighting, it is tantamount to him jumping from foxhole to foxhole telling his men not to fight and put down their arms. Here or there is the same thing.
By condemning everyone connected to the war, he must also feel that Gen. Eric Shinseki was equally wrong in the planning of the war, and that Shinseki did not study as Watada did, and also does not have the conscience that he has.
Ken Chang
Kaneohe
It's easy to criticize, but Bush has tough job
Pat Blair (
Letters, Jan. 11) suggests that Congress "apologize to members of the American military for illegally using their loyalty to the Constitution and belief in their country." Should we ask for fries with that order? That's how ridiculous some folks can sound about a basic issue.
Right or wrong, any sitting president deserves better than what George W. Bush has gotten. He, like all the others, was elected to make the hard choices. History will forever hold him accountable for his actions. Meanwhile, how about we all just take a deep breath and let the man do his job? There will be a new person in office soon enough, and then you can all climb into the back seat of his car and tell him where to go.
George B. Furtado
Kapolei
For consistency, Bush should be impeached
If 1st Lt. Ehren Watada is
to be court-martialed and sent to prison because of his refusal to be deployed to Iraq, shouldn't the president of the United States, who instigated the war in Iraq under disinformation and under the false pretext of something nonexisting, be impeached?
The pre-emptive invasion of Iraq so far has taken the lives of about 3,000 Americans and at least 500,000 Iraqi lives, and hundreds of billion dollars of expenditures and damage for both the American and Iraqi governments.
If Watada is found guilty and imprisoned, shouldn't the chief executive also be penalized for his "indiscretions," which brought about a much more severe calamity and disastrous consequences than one soldier's refusal to be deployed into an unlawful and wrongful war?
Tetsuji Ono
Hilo, Hawaii
Underdogs can win with hard work, smarts
It is not all about top recruits, charter flights and high-end training rooms and tables. It is doing the most with what you've got.
Three cheers for the undefeated Boise State Broncos and Coach Chris Petersen!
Three cheers for the Western Athletic Conference.
Three cheers for football smarts, teamwork, practice and guts!
Three cheers for the underdogs! (Remember, 499 of the Fortune 500 are underdogs.)
Richard Y. Will
Honolulu
