We shouldn't be so quick to claim Obama

Saturday's headline "Obama returns home" is simply not true. Hawaii has not been his home for many years. When he was a child and had no choice, he lived in Indonesia and Hawaii. When he was old enough to choose, he chose Illinois, not Hawaii. (Having lived in Illinois and Hawaii, I find that puzzling.)

You would not be so eager to claim Barack Obama for Hawaii if you understood what sort of change he would bring. If he becomes president, he would be a disgrace to the nation and not just to Hawaii. As president he would bring massively bigger taxes, appoint liberal judges and increase the size and power of the government, thus limiting our freedoms. We must not claim Obama for Hawaii with such silly headlines as "Obama returns home."

Too bad for Edwards, but go Obama

I was saddened and shocked by news of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' scandal that seems to have ended his political career. As a North Carolinian from 1989 to 2007, I did have the happy pleasure of being in his presence and hearing him speak at a North Carolina Democratic Party convention in Raleigh as a Pasquotank County delegate. He did have the JFK aura and presence.

Of course as a resident of Hawaii again, I should revel that Sen. Barack Obama is home and could be our next president!

Instinct can lead to immoral behavior

Instinct No. 1: self-protection and self-preservation. Instinct No. 2: perpetuate the human race via sexual instincts.

The bane of instinct No. 2 is that it does not always follow the true path of morality as society "euphemistically" thinks it should.

Kids don't need to be driven everywhere

Walking is one of the many things I do for therapy and to try to stay in shape.

On a recent walk past the Kapaa High School and elementary schools I was blown away at the traffic on Kawaihau Road. More than 30 cars were waiting to pick up kids from school. I saw no kids walking or biking home; they were all waiting for their chauffeurs (parents) to pick them up.

We have created a society of obese children who no longer get out and enjoy the freedoms of walking and biking to school. When I was a kid we walked three miles to and from school daily. It was refreshing, since our minds and bodies circulated before a day of learning.

Society wonders why there is so much teenage and childhood type 2 diabetes, which in previous generations was almost nonexistent. The reason is that parents think they are doing the right thing by driving their kids everywhere, when in essence they are creating laziness and obesity in many cases.

Parents, quit pampering your kids. Let them walk and bike and enjoy kid stuff. It will save you gas, money and time by not having to drive them to and from school every day and will make your kid feel energized along with a little independence.

Festival participants did Hawaii proud

I just returned from the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts and while looking for local media coverage (none) was dismayed to see only a letter from a couple complaining that Hawaii was poorly represented (Star-Bulletin, Aug. 4).

I have to disagree. I was a part of that delegation and know the work and sacrifice involved and the purpose for which we were there. We were not the biggest or flashiest delegation, but we came to represent Hawaii and we did it proudly. Maybe this couple doesn't realize that most of the other island nations have full government support that enables them to bring huge contingencies, while we do not. Maybe they don't realize that this isn't a competition; it's a time to share our cultures. This festival's purpose as a tourist attraction is far second to its primary purpose, as a venue to promote and keep alive the Pacific island cultures that are quickly vanishing as the world is globalized into one generic mass.

Our delegation was warmly welcomed and has nothing to be ashamed of.

Other ethnic groups enter Hawaii illegally

Hurray for Carlos Marks (Letters, Aug. 6). He indeed nailed it in regard to illegal Japanese workers and said it well. Through the years their had been serious disparity on who are illegals or not. Mexicans and Filipinos are often the target since they are viewed as poor and coming from a poor country. There is an obvious racial bias.

Japanese are viewed as rich and here to spend their money. Not true. Many of them are hired by fellow Japanese nationals, often without requiring them to present U.S. Social Security cards and U.S. government-issued identification. They are often paid under the table or direct deposit to their banks in Japan. Many of the stores attract only Japanese nationals. This pattern is also occurring in the Korean community, and it's getting worst.