What's wrong with being called biracial?

This letter is in response to Andrea Stewart's letter to the editor in yesterday's paper where Ms. Stewart takes issue with the fact that Barack Obama was described as "biracial" in a Star-Bulletin headline.

As a biracial American, I am thrilled by the fact that Obama has broken a major barrier and is the first biracial candidate to finish the primary elections as the presumed leader of his party. I am encouraged to know that a man or woman whose paternal and maternal lineage comes from distant points on the globe can accomplish what Obama has. I am proud of a former island boy doing well.

As a biracial person also raised by a single mother, I am equally proud of both my European and my Pacific Islander heritage. I do not think that being classified as biracial is "whiting" me up at all, as Ms. Stewart said in her letter. I do believe however, that I got the best of both worlds, and I acknowledge both. Neither is better, just different. Biracial and proud of it.

Tam might have been reporting what he heard

I am disappointed at your June 6 editorial condemning City Councilman Rod Tam. People will say he made an ethnic slur. He did not have to apologize, but he did. According to your news story, he was getting reports about the illegal Mexican aliens. What if the people who reported to him used the word "wetbacks" and he was only reporting (like you do) what was reported to him? Did you check it out? You say he made a mistake and is not worldly. But you have a correction slot for your mistakes that probably goes into the thousands though the years. You correct yourself with no apologies. I don't know if Abraham Lincoln was a well-traveled and worldly man, but he made a very good president. Your paper wants people (students and ordinary citizens to participate with opinions, but why should anyone if you feel only well-traveled people have knowledge?

Mr. Tam used a good descriptive word, a word that was created at the time to describe the people involved. The same people are involved so he used that same word. Would you as a newspaper not print that word "wetbacks" in your paper if the Hispanic people "told" you not to?

Honolulu has greater priorities than rail

Priorities. A Hawaii is a state without valid, common sense priorities.

Here's a test we all need to take to find out what we "need" as opposed to what we "want."

Which is the smarter decision:

» Rail or repair of streets and pot holes at a faster rate (Kaneohe Bay Drive, for example, has been put off for a whole year)?

» Rail or a more rapid completion of our sewers (at this time, it is a stinking and sinking system)?

» Rail or better school conditions (upgrade now rather than stretch it out for years; air condition now to keep students awake and alert)?

» Rail or better, updated handling of garbage and trash?

» Rail or better systems to protect our children and elders from traffic accidents?

It's a given that our needs probably cost a fraction of what the rail will cost.

Add your own list of priorities to those I have forgotten. Grade them from "A" to "R"ail.

Pulling out of Iraq is dangerous course

I am amazed by the dense-headed ideas of our nation's Congress, as well as the majority of the people.

Everyone it seems wants to get the heck out of Iraq however possible, as fast as possible. Do they not realize just how much of a hornet's nest we have waiting by doing that?

The only reason there are still insurgents fighting in Iraq is to get our military to pull out so they can take over and create a terrorists' refuge out of the country. The last thing America needs is a whole country set on destroying us.

On top of that, Iran is eyeing the border with more and more interest. We definitely don't need any problems from them, as their leader gives us enough.

Article makes motives of Big Oil quite clear

Recent articles have speculated on why the price of gas is so high without any real explanation. As hapless consumers, we have no alternative but to pay these prices and try to figure out a quick fix. A logical explanation is enclosed in the story : "Big Oil spikes easy solution / As consumers gouged at the pump petroleum barons ignore Alaskan oil" by Mark Anderson (americanfreepress. net/html/big_oil_spikes.html)/

In this article, the big picture becomes clear. While the hardships and high prices are coming off of the backs of the American people, the huge oil conglomerates are laughing all the way to the bank!

Seems a deal brokered in the '70s by Henry Kissinger between the United States and the Arab states has placed our economy over the barrel -- the oil barrel -- a position that America cannot get out of no matter what alternatives we come up with. Washington needs to tell the truth. It needs to end speculation, finger-pointing, half-truths and apologize for selling out our future, work with their people and find a solution "for the people" and stop disguising corporate capitalism's greedy motives.

Please read the story. It'll give you the insight to accept this dilemma and inspire everyone to get this government back on track as the most desirous Democratic state in the world.