GOVERNMENT

ALL SHOULD BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN ON AKAKA BILL

Bert West's letter ("Let Hawaiians decide what is best for them," Aug. 2) is not factually correct.

The U.S. government did not overthrow the Hawaiian kingdom nor did it imprison its queen.

Additionally, his contention that only Hawaiians should have a vote in regard to the Akaka bill is both undemocratic and unconstitutional.

It is undeniable that any Hawaiian governing entity will impact the lives of every person in this state.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees all of us a republican form of government, which essentially means a government that every one of us gets to vote for.

The Akaka bill says if you don't have aboriginal Hawaiian blood you don't get a vote.

I believe what the Akaka bill proposes is unconstitutional and should be rejected.

At a minimum, all citizens of Hawai'i should get a chance to weigh in on something that will ultimately affect all of us.

TRAFFIC

RUSH-HOUR PROHIBITION NEEDED FOR BICYCLISTS

In car-crowded Honolulu, bicycles would be a welcome alternative to cars were it not for our narrow streets — and the often arrogant, ignorant attitude of bicyclists who hold up traffic in their lane, especially on main thoroughfares during rush hour.

Bicyclists need a designated lane and prohibitions from using busy roads like Ala Moana, Nimitz, King and Beretania during peak traffic times.

Laws are needed when aloha and common sense are ignored.

INTERNATIONAL ARRIVAL

NO ALOHA SPIRIT FOUND AT HONOLULU AIRPORT

Upon landing at Honolulu International Airport on Friday, July 27, I realized that we are in deep trouble in Hawai'i.

After waiting for an excruciating time to get out of the airplane, then being loaded onto a smelly Wiki Wiki bus to the Customs area, we were greeted by a security guard sleeping at his desk in full view of the tourists.

While the sleeping guard was quite offensive, the fact that he had an accomplice herding the tourists down the stairwell with a scowl on her face added to this picture of aloha.

Why would anyone want to come to Hawai'i? Beaches? Shopping?

If it's for the aloha spirit, then perhaps we should start taking a long hard look at our ports of entry and what kind of presentation we make for our visitors.

LEEWARD O'AHU

DON'T TALK ABOUT FIXING TRAFFIC WOES, JUST DO IT

On Thursday, I read yet another article about how traffic congestion will be improved in the Leeward area.

For several years, the media have been full of self-serving politicians and developers grandstanding about how they are spending millions on new roads.

Yet in that time, only a half mile of road through the backside of Kapolei has been completed, and no other construction is under way.

In the meantime, traffic has gotten worse. When will the talk stop and the digging start?

Now that will be news.

H-2 FREEWAY

TREE REMOVAL WAS CLASSIC OVER-REACTION

Large mature trees are a valuable asset to our landscape. They improve aesthetics, reduce noise pollution, improve air quality and reduce erosion. But clearly the Department of Transportation is out of touch, and demonstrated its ignorance by removing trees between Waipi'o and Mililani along H-2.

The resulting landscape along this once-distinct and scenic drive has become the all-too-common poorly managed freeway border that is typical of the rest of our freeway system: exposed dirt and weeds.

Many of the removed trees were healthy and did not pose a threat to motorists.

The indiscriminate removal of albizzia trees is an example of government over-reaction to an easily managed problem.

To address safety concerns, the DOT could have selectively pruned or removed a limited number of trees.

Under the guise of "safety," the DOT destroyed the unique scenic quality of the area.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

REMOVAL OF ON-STREET PARKING A GOOD IDEA

Three cheers for a proposal to remove street parking ("Bill targets parking on O'ahu," July 23).

Public roads were meant to drive on. Not only would emergency vehicles welcome this additional lane, city buses would travel down the road much more efficiently and safely.

The sooner, the better.

FUNDING PRIORITIES

YOUTH ARE HAWAI'I'S MOST IMPORTANT ASSET

On July 31, we heard Gov. Linda Lingle announce she would not release about half of the money approved by the Legislature to renovate school campuses, and, of course, the education of Hawai'i children languishes somewhere way below what it should be.

Hawai'i's youth are our most important asset if what we have left of the Hawaiian culture is to survive, if Hawai'i is to survive in the global economy and if we wish our prison population to decline. Anyone not recognizing this either does not care or is not paying attention.

Gov. Lingle and the Legislature should invert their list of priorities and make Hawai'i children No. 1.

REPORTING

TV NEWS SHOULD HAVE LED WITH BRIDGE STORY

Even though a mournful tragedy happened in Minnesota Wednesday, the breaking news at 10 p.m. on KGMB and KHNL was of Hawai'i hero Dog Chapman.

Our TV stations are too local. They should open their eyes widely to worlds other than here.

Otherwise, we are always late.