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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, September 29, 2006

Letters to the Editor

GRAFFITI

TOUGHER SENTENCE FOR TAGGER WINS APPLAUSE

Finally, Circuit Judge Karl Sakamoto is doing what other judges have not done in the past: making graffiti taggers pay for their conduct.

In the past, other judges have claimed that taggers are expressing "artistic mischief."

Thankfully, Judge Sakamoto doesn't see "art" the same way.

Joe Carini
Honolulu

MAYOR'S RACE

DECISION DISCOUNTS SOME KAUA'I VOTERS

The Kaua'i County Attorney's Office and County Clerk Peter Nakamura have made a bad decision in the mayor's race.

They have disenfranchised any voter who decided that there was no candidate they could support and so chose to vote against all candidates listed by not voting in that race.

If non-voted slates are not going to be counted, then I suggest the state add a spot in all contests that says "none of the above." This will allow those of us who wish to exercise our right to vote to still do so and have it count as a voted ballot.

By discounting these votes, the County Attorney's Office and the county clerk are saying you must vote for someone even if you don't like any of the candidates.

Are they going to throw out all the ballots in which voters did not vote for a total of seven candidates in the council race? I doubt it, but it's the same principle.

I hope that there will be a legal challenge to this poorly made decision.

Keoki Gosselin
Kapa'a, Kaua'i

CHARTER SCHOOLS

BOE FIRING OF SHON A CLASSIC CASE OF BULLYING

The Board of Education is talking about preventing bullying in our schools? What a joke!

Look at the way it handled the firing of Jim Shon — classic bullying.

John Thatcher
Hilo, Hawai'i

PUBLIC EDUCATION

MAGNET SCHOOLS AND VOUCHERS NEEDED HERE

Mr. Ted Pirsig's letter (Sept. 25) hit the target. Although Jim Shon graciously accepted the firing and said he has confidence in the new interim executive director of charter schools, the actions of the Board of Education show it has retention of power in mind rather than the good of the children.

How else can the board explain that charter schools are getting only about 60 percent of the per-child funding and still do a creditable job equivalent to the rest of the schools?

The board does not want the charter schools to succeed or proliferate. What we need is a voucher system to allow parents to choose any public or charter school. Parents will vote with their feet for the most successful schools.

Similarly, the state should establish magnet schools, which strive for excellence. The New York public school system has magnet schools, and students from all over the city vie to attend, knowing that they will obtain an excellent education.

This will change the philosophy of education — recognizing that all educational needs are not equal but deserve varying goals (vocational, technical skills, college-bound) rather than the lowest common denominator.

Paul Mizue
'Aiea

ELECTION 2006

REPUBLICAN ACTIONS IN SENATE RACE APPALLING

I was appalled, although not surprised, at the recent actions by Gov. Linda Lingle and the Hawai'i Republican Party. I can only imagine the weeks of planning and the backroom manipulations that went on to get Cynthia Thielen on the general election ticket for the U.S. Senate while still assuring her seat in the state House if she loses.

Ms. Thielen ran unopposed in the primary, assuring her the seat in the state House.

I hope Jerry Coffee was not a part of this, but it is very suspicious that he withdrew from the race right after the ballots were printed. Governor Lingle then urged voters to vote for Mr. Coffee anyway so they (the Republican leaders) could then pick whom they wanted to run for the Senate. There were five other Republicans running for this office. In the normal course of elections, the voters would pick one of these and then the party would back that person in the general. These five men all filed their papers, worked on their campaigns, had volunteers out there, incurred expenses and, I assume, hoped to win. They all got more votes than Ms. Thielen did.

I doubt they expected to have their own party turn against them. So good job, Governor Lingle. You have learned well, and George Bush will be proud of you.

Pat Hammers
Honolulu

REPUBLICAN STRATEGY IN SENATE RACE IS SHADY

If those who knock Sen. Dan Akaka for not wanting to debate state Rep. Cynthia Thielen would put themselves in his shoes, I'm sure their answer would be the same.

What good or benefit will a debate do for Senator Akaka, who has already expressed his positions on all the issues during the last several months of a very trying campaign? Representative Thielen will surely benefit more because of the additional free exposure to the public during a debate.

Remember, Representative Thielen was not elected to this position but was appointed.

When was the last time a governor announced her vote for a candidate who had withdrawn, so that when that candidate won, the party could then choose someone of its preference?

That strategy is a little shady, and if I were one of the other Republican candidates for that office, I would feel like the baby who was thrown out with the bath water. Auwe !

Hal Omori
Mililani

THIELEN APPOINTMENT IGNORED THE VOTERS

Gov. Linda Lingle is showing her true colors. After hollering about the "old-boy network" and Democrats "anointing" candidates, the primary election tells a different story.

No worthy Republican opponent challenged Lingle and Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona, while on the Democratic side, 10 vied for a congressional seat, and the gubernatorial and lieutenant governor races had serious contenders.

In this year's U.S. Senate race, voters will choose between Sen. Dan Akaka, who garnered 129,021 votes in a heavily contested primary, and Lingle's Republican Executive Committee's appointed candidate. It's a joke that Linda wants voters to take state Rep. Cynthia Thielen's appointment seriously when the governor "instructed" Republicans to vote for Jerry Coffee so she would have the opportunity to anoint his replacement.

For shame, Linda. Whatever happened to the people's choice?

William Henry K. McClellan
Honolulu

GOP ENVIRONMENTAL STANCE IS LAUGHABLE

State Rep. Cynthia Thielen says she wants to debate Sen. Dan Akaka on environmental issues. Perhaps she should debate President Bush and the national Republican Party on that issue first, since they have been doing everything they can to relax environmental regulations for big corporations in the past six years.

Under Bush and the GOP-controlled Congress, we've seen an erosion of federal support for national parks and forests, while big oil has been reaping windfall profits from generous tax breaks.

It's laughable to think Republicans will do anything on the national level to address serious problems such as global warming when Bush has stated he believes the jury is still out on it — despite evidence to the contrary!

Rich Figel
Kailua

ELECTION NIGHT

KHNL, KFVE WIN KUDOS FOR COVERAGE

I want to give a virtual pat on the back to KHNL and KFVE for thinking out of the box this election season with innovative and interesting ways to keep us informed, as well as entertained!

Their "Speed Campaigning" helped me get to know the large slate of candidates for the 2nd Congressional District much better than any packaged, stiff debate. They interacted with voters like you and me in a much more natural setting. It was a key factor in making my decision at the polls.

On election night, the "Brick on the Left" and "Rick on the Right" commentary was not only informative but entertaining, as Democrat Brickwood Galuteria and Republican Rick Hamada bantered between the slow-in-coming election results.

I was especially impressed with how they could totally disagree with each other, but still remain respectful of each other and even have some fun.

I was hooked on the format and applaud KHNL and KFVE for being creative and keeping the voters better informed this election season.

Mona K. Wood
Honolulu

GO!

NEW INTERISLAND AIRLINE GIVES TRAVELERS CHOICE

Neal Ikeda of Kane'ohe (Letters, Sept. 26) must work for Hawaiian or Aloha airlines. My hat's off to go! airlines for finally giving the people of Hawai'i a choice.

For a long time, both Hawaiian and Aloha have had people in a stranglehold.

For years, customers could not afford to take their families to visit outer island relatives. They now can because of go! and its cheap prices.

If Aloha and Hawaiian can't stand the competition, maybe they should go! Thanks, Mesa, for the early Christmas present! Good luck and best wishes for continued success.

Lee Laquihon
Honolulu

MIDDLE EAST

WE MUST BE UNIFIED IN EFFORT TO DEFEAT ENEMY

The results of the primary election in Hawai'i are a hard blow against our involvement in the Middle East. Most Hawai'i voters are unaware our country is at war against a ruthless and persistent enemy who wants to destroy America. Most who cast their votes sent our representatives in Congress to further divide our country's effort to defeat those Islamic fanatics. This spells defeat.

Hawai'i already has three delegates in Congress who don't support our efforts in the Middle East.

The "blame game" about our involvement in Iraq is a thing of the past. We must all look forward, be united as one nation and defeat our enemies who want to destroy us.

Bernardo P. Benigno
Mililani