CIVIL UNION

EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS MUST BE GRANTED TO ALL

I must respond to the letter from Phil Klein ("Civil union, marriage are the same thing," Feb. 10). I am very happy that Mr. Klein loves his gay family and friends.

It is unfortunate, however, that he does not love them enough to believe that they deserve equal rights.

Mr. Klein said "legalizing gay marriage and calling it civil union is spitting in my face." My response is that his reactionary attitude toward equal rights for all citizens is spitting in my face.

I applaud the Hawai'i Legislature for taking this logical first step in correcting a longstanding disregard for the rights of gay and lesbian citizens. But civil union is not marriage, and the Supreme Court ruled long ago (Brown v. Board of Education 1954) that separate is not equal.

At some point we will have to catch up with more enlightened nations and guarantee equal marriage rights to everyone.

When that day comes, and it will come, I can assure Mr. Klein and others that the world will not come to an end. The result will be a strengthening of the institution of marriage because the state recognizes its value for all.

EDUCATION

PARENTS ARE THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN SCHOOL

In a recent letter, state Sen. Fred Hemmings took the standard politician view that the DOE is flawed and solely responsible for student success.

Studies across the nation have shown that the common denominator in student success in school is not within the school system but in the family.

Regardless of income and demographics, a child's success is influenced by parental involvement. Not in doing homework and assignments, but in setting goals for the child and taking an interest in the child's education.

Too often the blame is put on the teachers, and not the parents. The key to success is in the family, not the system.

TEACHERS WEARY OF EMPHASIS ON SCORES

"One of the biggest lies perpetrated on the people of Hawai'i is by the DOE," as Sen. Fred Hemmings put it, couldn't have been expressed better.

That's coming from the outside looking in. Try being on the inside as a teacher.

We're so weary of the treadmill: workshops and training saying the same thing with different acronyms, as if we aren't already educated and qualified. Administrators who treat teachers like children and teachers who treat children like robots.

Scores are indicators, but they don't show how far the student has come. Nor do they show the improvement in self-esteem because a teacher placed more emphasis on teaching and caring than on submitting paperwork.

More money will not fix this, unless it's used to give the classroom cleaners their jobs back and free us from doing that, too. Or unless it's used to make sure the children have nice furniture and a habitable environment so they can feel worthwhile.

Otherwise, don't give it to us until we learn how to "balance our checkbooks."

HEALTH

SMOKING LAWS SHOULD BE MADE EVEN TOUGHER

Auwe to those selfish smokers who recently demonstrated at the state Capitol and at a Downtown eatery for their "right" to smoke.

You do not have the right to cause people to suffer as a result of your selfish and dangerous secondhand smoke.

The antismoking laws should be amended to prohibit smoking within 25 yards (rather than 25 feet) of any entrance to any public and private establishment, anywhere on the grounds of any government agency, anywhere in any public park or within 25 yards of any bus stop or taxi stand.

Penalties should be increased to $100 for individual violators and $1,000 for any retail establishment that does not take steps to stop any violation on its property.

People who refuse to comply should be arrested and charged with a petty misdemeanor violation for disorderly conduct.

VISUAL POLLUTION

GRAFFITI PARK WOULD GET TAGGERS OFF OUR STREETS

After a drive from Kipapa Gulch to Wal-Mart, I was so disgusted seeing graffiti everywhere! It was on guardrails to street signs to telephone posts. What has our government done to fix this problem?

Why not propose a bill to create graffiti parks so that people can share their tagging talents and stay off our streets?

Let's get our government officials involved with the communities so that we can control the graffiti problem.

Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, instead of proposing a $1.9 million bill for a private jet, why not use some money on remedying our graffiti problem?

This is deteriorating our island.

ELECTION 2008

OBAMA NEEDS LESSON IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

So Barack Obama is on the trail running for president.

He wants to change the tone in Washington and the country.

How many folks have we heard that from before? Add him to the list of hypocrites after he criticized John Howard, Australia's leader, as "one of George Bush's allies," and completely dismissed him.

John Howard and his country are not Bush's allies, they are America's allies in this war we will be in for many years to come.

Obama needs to study international affairs before he considers any higher position in government.