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POSTED: Friday, May 07, 2010

Lingle, just sign civil-unions bill

I considered writing a letter to Gov. Linda Lingle, expressing my support of civil unions. She has to know there are many people like me, who just want her to do the right thing. We are not gay. We may or may not have any gay family or close friends. We are not activists. But we know the time has come to end this injustice.

Then I read Reece Wiley Matio Frazier's open letter to our governor (”;Let's end bias over same-sex unions,”; Star-Bulletin, Island Commentary, May 5). And I don't believe I could say it any better. I felt the pain of this young man, and tears came to my eyes. His eloquence and compassion touched me. I hope his letter will be read and heeded. And I'd like young Mr. Frazier to know that his neighbors do not hate him. We support him and stand beside him. And I am raising my daughters to never wear those hateful red shirts or condemn people in the name of God.

Being gay is not a sin or a crime or an illness. I echo Mr. Frazier: Sign this bill and let this be done with.

 

               

     

 

 

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Let's bring to end politics as usual

It's astounding to see the enormous push by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the president of the U.S. in a last-ditch effort to hold onto their long-held Democrat bastion of the 1st Congressional District. Our little piece of paradise, so far removed from Washington, D.C., is receiving national notoriety over one congressional seat? Amazing!

Are you offended by outsiders telling you how you should vote? I am. Do you believe the president has a right to barge into your phone space and push his partisan agenda on you? I don't. Will you vote along party lines just because outsiders have bombarded us with their mainline politics- as-usual message? I won't.

 

All people should be able to love

Nearly 60 Hawaii Pacific University students recently had a discussion with Tambry Young and Patricia Gozemba, advocates of human and civil rights and equality under the law. They discussed the reasons for supporting House Bill 444 relating to civil unions for both homosexual and heterosexual couples. The students' questions were incisive: Are children of gay couples harmed by the term “;gay families”;? How do same-sex partners refer to each other? Why do we need a law that allows equal treatment? What are the arguments to oppose HB 444?

Young and Gozemba pointed out with humor and great feeling that all people, regardless of their ethnicity, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation deserve to be treated equally under the law. Anything less meant the U.S. Constitution was not being applied in an equal manner to all citizens.

My Christian and Catholic students shared what they had learned about sin (as in a same-sex union) and about love (as in “;God is love”;). They concluded that love trumps sin. All people should be able to love and care for each other in a formal, recognized and legal way. Yes to civil unions.

 

Health care law might not work

Health insurance for all seemed like an admirable goal. Legislating without common sense, however, jeopardizes the whole endeavor. In Massachusetts, private health insurance companies report gaming by persons who sign on and off for short periods to gain certain services. What is to prevent persons from taking advantage of relatively low cost fines when they do not buy health insurance, knowing that they cannot be denied coverage at any time under the new Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Law? This weakness of the law is a prescription for increased fees or bankruptcy for private health insurance.

Congress also blatantly failed to address the costs of meritless medical malpractice suits and astronomical drug prices that have to be passed on to the patient. Treatment policy decisions by regulatory, un-elected commissions are likely to discourage innovation in medical care.

These conditions suggest that it may be premature to celebrate the new law, which may turn out to be neither protective of patients nor affordable.

 

Undersea drilling is threat to Earth

What has happened in the Gulf of Mexico could happen anywhere else in the world where there are undersea drillings. We must hasten to develop alternatives that will not endanger our planet the way this catastrophe has.

 

Jaywalking fine not appreciated

On March 21, I was handed a ticket for jaywalking while on vacation visiting family in Honolulu. It was noon on a quiet Sunday when we headed to a vegan restaurant on Makaloa Street. We were fortunate to find parking in front of the restaurant, on the other side of the street.

As we crossed the nearly empty street, we heard a commotion down the block and I feared that someone was getting hurt. Much to my surprise, we were approached by a shouting Honolulu Police Department officer, who informed us that we had jaywalked and presented us with tickets for a $130 fine!

We later learned from a parking lot attendant that the officer had planted himself on the corner of Makaloa and Keeaumoku from 9 a.m.

Perhaps HPD should take a tip from the NYPD, which was instrumental in catching a terrorist suspect within 53 hours after the discovery of a car bomb that it successfully disabled: Concentrate on the important things that police departments are charged to do. If HPD continues to squander its resources on petty matters, it will not be able to come to the public's aid in a time of crisis.

 

America is great but frustrating

A recent poll showed some people are frustrated with government. Consider:

» People in other parts of the world risk their lives to come to America. Why? Because parents want a brighter future for their children. Our state universities draw bright students from all over the world. Why? Our governments support these universities.

» Our government provides for families and children. Parents do not sell their 13-year-old daughters in order to feed the rest of the family. Think Africa.

» Our government provides security with able and well-equipped military and police. Compare that with countries where drug warlords spew mayhem and murder. Think Mexico.

» Our government protects those who choose to say false or vile statement about government officials. Think China.

» Our government ensures that fraud and deception are exposed. Think Enron and Goldman Sachs.

» Our president proposed regulations to protect us from dishonest Wall Street traders. Republicans say they will not cooperate with consumer protection. That is not our government. It is just one party. And that is frustrating.