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POSTED: Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Science fair funds are no GOP 'gift'

I take issue with the headline “;$425,000 gift saves state science fair”; (Star-Bulletin, May 8).

Your story makes it clear that the funding came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress, which is widely criticized by congressional Republicans as the “;Obama stimulus package.”; This seems to be the case locally, where Charles Djou, running for Congress, aggressively criticizes the stimulus bill as wasteful government spending.

Calling it a “;gift,”; as your headline does, is deceptive. It sure looks to me like a state grant of federal taxpayer money.

The way the story portrays it, it is implied that Lt. Gov. James “;Duke”; Aiona gave a gift of HIS money, when in fact it was Democratic votes in Congress supporting President Barack Obama's proposal to strengthen the economy, against total Republican opposition, that provided these taxpayer funds, which are now being directed by the state to help a worthy cause.

I applaud Gov. Linda Lingle and Aiona for supporting the stimulus package, but please make clear in the future that this government spending is not a “;gift.”;

 

               

     

 

 

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Attacks on Aiona were in bad form

I was pleased to see common sense prevail in the Star-Bulletin's May 7 editorial (”;Attacks on Aiona unfair but raise point on religion”;). Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona is a man of faith, but the Oahu Democratic Party's launch of a nasty political attack trying to tie his personal faith to unrelated efforts in Uganda that he has said are “;unconscionable”; is the type of mainland political scheming that has no place in Hawaii.

If these political operatives are trying to influence the gubernatorial campaign, they would be wise to focus on the issues we care about: improving our public education system, having good jobs and keeping down the cost of living. I like where Aiona stands on those issues, and until we raise the level of public discourse, we'll continue down the same path of politics as usual with no resolution in sight.

 

Signs ignored at Ala Moana Park

Whenever I see the signs, “;No Smoking, No Littering, No Loitering,”; I think: Good idea; who's going to enforce it?

I walk Ala Moana Park each morning. There is a sign as you enter: NO ANIMALS. I presume that includes dogs. There are easily eight dogs, attached to people with leashes that walk through the park each morning. I see Honolulu police cars roam the road every now and then, but they don't get out of their air-conditioned cars. I would think a bicycle patrol person on random days - takes less than an hour to drive around - could earn his or her pay rather than picking off tourists for jaywalking.

 

Pedestrians bear responsibility, too

I would, in any five-minute period, contribute $5,000 to city coffers, if given the right to ticket jaywalkers in Waikiki.

Leaving the curb when the “;red hand of death”; is flashing, jogging off the curb without checking to see if cars are turning, and bicyclists riding off the sidewalk into the crosswalk at a high rate of speed all contribute to my frustration as a motorist.

Just recently my wife, during a heavy rain, turned left off the Ala Wai only to have a jogger dart off the curb at an angle, not even in the crosswalk. This caused great distress to my wife when the two collided at the division of the two lanes. Luckily the jogger was not seriously injured. But she could have been.

It is time to stop coddling tourists and locals. Pedestrians must also bear some responsibility.

 

Civil unions are not marriages

If Gov. Linda Lingle is sincere to hear all views about House Bill 444, I offer mine.

First and foremost is that this bill is not about discrimination against gays. It's about granting all the rights and benefits of one group to another group.

And I ask: Is it constitutional for the Legislature to give to another group all the rights and benefits of something that the Legislature has reserved the right to define - marriage between a man and woman?

All the rights and benefits apply only to the word and category - marriage - and cannot be bestowed on another group that is not defined as being married.

A union is not marriage. So how does our state give all the rights and benefits of marriage to a group that is not even married?

A partnership or union is not a marriage. So this is unconstitutional, in my opinion, and can be open to lawsuits.

 

HB 444 was good compromise

The approval of House Bill 444 was the humane and correct course of action on the part of our Legislature. Gov. Linda Lingle should respect our state's entire population by signing it into law.

The bill does not, as some would suggest, attempt to

redefine traditional marriage. That issue has already been settled. It does, however, extend “;rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities”; to our fellow residents. Is that really something we wish to fight against?

In her May 6 letter to the editor (”;Governor should veto civil unions measure,”; Star-Bulletin), Janice Pechauer cited a poll showing almost 70 percent of residents opposed to same-sex marriage. What she neglected to mention is that this same poll, sponsored by the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, showed 67 percent supported gays and lesbians having the “;same rights as everyone else.”; This clearly demonstrates that HB 444 was the correct compromise between these opposing views.

Perhaps opponents of HB 444 would do better to work within their communities to strengthen the failing institution of traditional marriage rather than expend energy to deny protections to those who do not have them.

 

Security lapse played crime role

It's obvious to me reading the article about the Mililani lady being raped in her own closed restaurant that the perp must have been watching the guard's movements and knew not only when but where security was taking his break that night (”;Restaurant owner assaulted in Mililani,”; Star-Bulletin, May 8).

Chances are that the place where the guard normally takes his break and the restaurant are separated by a great distance.

Maybe they should hire two guards who never take a break together, or have a shift where one guard is replaced by another guard, with neither working long enough to justify a break.

Finally, why did the worker leave the door that the intruder entered unlocked?