GENOCIDE IN AFRICA

MORE MUST BE DONE TO AID DARFUR'S PEOPLE

The Global Day for Darfur on Sept. 17 went largely unnoticed in Hawai'i.

Since 2003, more than 400,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been displaced and 10,000 people continue to die each and every month.

The Sudanese government is primarily responsible for the violence and impending mass starvation of its citizens. The Bush administration has recognized these atrocities as genocide and funded humanitarian efforts. Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council has authorized a peacekeeping force to be deployed to Darfur, but is waiting for the Sudanese government to agree.

Sens. Dan Akaka and Daniel Inouye have done nothing. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case have supported the efforts for Darfur, with Abercrombie by far leading our state in this effort.

Hawai'i's citizens and government officials must do more to end the murder and starvation of innocent lives. Visit www.savedarfur.org for more information and ways to help.

HISTORIC HOME

LOSS OF WALKER ESTATE WOULD DIMINISH US ALL

The nationally recognized Walker home is one of the last O'ahu estates from the turn of the 20th century. The house and its extensive gardens are exquisite examples of architecture and landscape design. This historic place helps to tell part of Hawai'i's story, and its loss would diminish us all.

Preserving Hawai'i's historic buildings, landscapes and communities is more than a feel-good exercise, more than an economic development strategy and more than a marketing approach for the tourism industry. It is central to who we are as a society and the value that we place on the people, places and events that shaped our present communities.

The threat to the Walker Estate is also a threat to the other places on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. If we are unwilling or unable to defend this one, what will prevent similar attacks on other historic and cultural treasures?

Imagine Honolulu without the Academy of Arts or Chinatown. Imagine Waikiki without the Royal Hawaiian Hotel or Kapi'olani Park. Imagine Kona without Hulihe'e Palace or Kohala without Mo'okini Heiau or Waimea without Anna Ranch. Imagine Kaua'i without the Hanalei Bridge or the Gulick-Rowell House. Imagine Maui without Lahaina's Front Street.

It is unconscionable that a shortsighted development company presumes to erase this treasure from Hawai'i's landscape. It would be unforgivable if the community looked the other way and shrugged while it did it.

SHELTERS

STATE MUST SHARE PLAN FOR HOMELESS PROBLEM

Since I am the one financing the 300-bed emergency homeless shelter the state hopes to open, I believe I have a right to be privy to the state's plan to deal with the homeless problem.

I'm concerned that "if you build it, they will come" lends itself to increased homelessness.

I'd like to see a plan before money is spent.

Does providing homeless shelters solve anything? Or, does it make matters worse by institutionalizing homelessness and making it a future expense for taxpayers? Will it be connected with any kind of rehabilitation or expectations by the state that the homeless person improve his/her lot in life?

Will the state also provide case management support for these individuals? What does the state see as the result of providing homeless shelters?

LAST FRONTIER

MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT IS NOT NEEDED IN KA'U

You would have to be living in a cave 24/7 to not know that the Ka'u district is the last untouched frontier in the main Hawaiian Island chain.

Instead of a massive Honolulu-like development, why not make Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park a world-class oceanography research center under the control of the University of Hawai'i-Hilo? It would provide jobs and bolster the economy of Ka'u.

To have a Honolulu-like concrete jungle in the area would destroy its beauty and curtail access for local residents. Why have crime and drugs further inundate the area like Honolulu when you have heaven right in your backyard? Enough said!

INTERISLAND

SUPERFERRY WILL EASE COSTS OF FAMILY TRAVEL

As a fairly recent transplant to the Big Island from O'ahu, I just wanted to express my anticipation of the Superferry coming to the Islands.

With family on most of the major islands, I am looking forward to being able to save money while traveling in our beautiful state.

My husband and I have three children, which can easily add up in airfare costs when our travel time is limited to specific dates.

The airlines need the competition, and local residents can save money by not renting a car. That means we could stay longer and spend more on enjoying ourselves and less on fees.

Please help expedite the launch of the Superferry. We are waiting here on the Big Island.

UH FOOTBALL

ISLES SHOULD PROUDLY SUPPORT UH FOOTBALL

Having just come back from the University of Hawai'i-Alabama game in Tuscaloosa, I could not help but admire a state that embraces its football team the way the Alabama fans do!

They filled the stadium despite heat, humidity, backless benches, big-time traffic jams, high ticket prices, stadium restrictions and string of recent, controversial coaching changes. No matter. Fans even showed up at the stadium without tickets, just to be part of the game's atmosphere.

It's a shame that UH does not have half the support that Alabama has. UH football is taken for granted. It is a good product and the only Division 1A college football team in town. We are fortunate to have a football team at the University of Hawai'i that can compete with the likes of Alabama on the road.

We need to stop complaining and support the University of Hawai'i football team, which proudly represents the state of Hawai'i. Go Warriors!

EMPTY PREMIUM SEATS SHOULD BE FAIR GAME

I am a season-ticket holder for University of Hawai'i football games and I love what June Jones has done for the program.

However, the football team seems to have a problem filling the stands for its home games, unlike most programs across the country.

My suggestion is to allow open seating after the first quarter of play. If you are not in your assigned seat by the end of the first quarter, then you forfeit the right to sit there. This will allow anyone at the game to move into these vacant seats after the first quarter of play.

Not only will this make the stands look full for TV appearances, but also will allow the crowds to sound louder, which is what a home team advantage is all about.

Why should these premium seats go unfilled during the game just because some corporation bought them, but doesn't show up to sit in them? It's great that people buy these premium seats to support UH, but it is equally important, if not more important, to fill these seats with UH fans. Go Warriors!

RECYCLING

NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR VALUE OF ALUMINUM

Before the current HI 5¢ recycling program went into effect, residents recycled aluminum cans by redeeming them and receiving the current market price of aluminum per pound.

But with HI 5¢ in effect, we are just getting our own 5-cent deposit back and nothing for the current market pound price.

Why aren't we getting the 5-cent deposit plus the pound price? Another example of Hawai'i residents getting ripped off.

WRONG MESSAGE

STADIUM BEER VENDORS' SHIRTS SHOW NO CLASS

Auwe! Are the beer vendors at Aloha Stadium so pressed for cash that they have to resort to putting a red cross on the back of beer vendors' shirts?

What sort of message does it send to kids? It also associates the American Red Cross with beer vendors. Why not a simple yellow shirt with the words beer on the back?

What a moronic idea to associate medical relief with beer. No class to the beer vendors and the Aloha Stadium Authority!

EXTRADITION

'DOG' CHAPMAN CAN'T VIOLATE MEXICAN LAW

Duane "Dog" Chapman has parlayed his success as a bounty hunter into a lucrative business — complete with a nationally syndicated reality TV program.

Chapman was aware of the consequences of violating the law of the sovereign nation that shares our southern border. It is difficult to excuse his decision to attempt capture of a U.S. fugitive by crossing the border in violation of Mexican law.

While it may be difficult to handle his case like anyone else when he is surrounded by a ubiquitous coterie of staff, lawyers, publicists and bodyguards, the lesson Chapman has evidently not yet learned is that he is duty-bound to carry out his pseudo-law enforcement vocation in a manner far beyond reproach.

Not even the "Dog" is above the law.