PACIFIC HEIGHTS

CITY PASSING BUCK IN 2002 BOULDER DEATH

I would like to commend Patrick and Gail Onishi for doing what they've done after Dara's tragic death four years ago.

By refusing to compensate the Onishi family for their loss, the city has shown its true colors. The city claims that water runoff in the area did not cause the boulder to crash down on the Onishi home. The city has done a great job of passing the buck, and will continue to do so until others in the area are hurt and/or killed.

I applaud the character and the strength of the Onishis for bringing this issue to light despite the obvious emotional strains.

YASUKUNI

SHRINE INCLUDES THOSE WHO DIED HONORABLY

Valdo Viglielmo has missed Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's primary reason for his annual pilgrimage to the Yasukuni Shrine (Letter, Aug. 21).

In a recent survey conducted by the Nippon Broadcasting Station, the vast majority of the people in Japan favored his visit to the shrine. Most of those who opposed his visit wanted the convicted war criminals relocated, leaving only soldiers who died honorably for their country to be enshrined at Yasukuni Temple.

Professor Viglielmo insinuates that only war criminals are enshrined there. Prime Minister Koizumi reiterated a number of times during his public interviews that he visits the shrine to show respect and gratitude to those soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country from the time the temple was built in the late 1800s.

Japan is now a "genuinely democratic country." With all due respect for his academic credentials, the professor should have done more thorough research.

PROTEST

NATIVE HAWAIIANS WILL NEVER ASSIMILATE

Bud Ebel's letter, "Atrocious behavior at statehood celebration" (Aug. 23), claims that those organizations attempting to secure resources for the Native Hawaiian people need to "put an end to their atrocious behavior."

Since the federal government will not recognize us, what then are our options?

What about when people who have no right to benefit from the gifts of our Princess Pauahi want to attend Kamehameha Schools, and claim that by denying their admission we are racist? How can Native Hawaiians fight for our rights in this Western-dominated government and culture?

We will not lie down and assimilate — never. That violates the teachings of our kupuna.

So we will continue to fight, even if that means protesting at a statehood celebration, a day that for many Native Hawaiians is not a celebration at all but a continuation of the fight for our very existence as a people.

SAFETY

ROADSIDE MEMORIALS SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED

While roadside memorials may serve as places of comfort and remembrance for those left behind, as was the case in Hau'ula, it's also an obvious location for future loss of life and serious injury.

Why people find it necessary to build monuments and pay their respects on a stretch of road that had proven deadly only hours before is beyond common sense.

Roadside memorials should be strongly discouraged and immediately removed by the state of Hawai'i.

If the community of Hau'ula would like a suggestion of how to turn a terrible tragedy into something positive, I would suggest they recognize publicly that both accidents occurred as a result of poor choices and work toward addressing the conditions that resulted in their loss.

SENATE RACE

ELECTION SHOULD BE ABOUT BEST CANDIDATE

David Shapiro's article on Aug. 23 raises some valid considerations related to the Senate race, but misses the bottom line: The election is about selecting the best person to represent Hawai'i in Washington; not seniority, a term used to highlight the age difference between the candidates.

It also is not about succession. Again, the best person should be elected. Even if Ed Case were to win, it is presumptuous for him to suggest that Hawai'i's seniority or process of political succession will benefit.

There may be a better person to represent Hawai'i's interests if Case were to run for re-election in six years. It is one six-year term at a time. If some of the benefits of seniority come with it, as has been the case with Sen. Daniel Inouye, so be it.

GAS CAP

HAWAI'I BLEW CHANCE TO REGULATE OIL INDUSTRY

Pardon me, but I told you so. As the only member of the state House to vote against killing the gas cap, I read your Aug. 23 headline, "Gas cap would have cut summer's prices," with a combination of laughter and anger. Anger that the truth has finally come out, and laughter at the meaningless rhetoric from those most responsible.

Rep. Kirk Caldwell, who led the charge against the cap, said: "I don't think anybody can tell us exactly what the problem is." He suggested "the state needs to gather more information."

Reps. Caldwell and Hermina Morita were fired from the conference committee by Speaker Calvin Say late at the end of the session to allow passage of a compromise bill drafted by Sen. Ron Menor that sidelined the gas cap but gave the governor the power to reinstate it — which will never happen given the oil industry's power. Rep. Bob Herkes is also to blame for aiding the oil industry effort against the cap — as is old-guard Democrat and Tesoro lobbyist Linda Chu Takayama.

Hawai'i had the only shot in the country to regulate an out-of-control oil industry. Because of Caldwell, Morita, Herkes and Takayama, we blew it. And, of course, the average citizen was confused by the media blitz and massive spin machine funded by the oil industry.

The real elephant in the room is the several hundred thousand dollars in campaign donations from the industry to your elected officials. But we don't talk much about that, do we?

TRANSIT

MAIN RAIL PLAYERS ON DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS

Do I feel better today! The mayor just promised in his letter of Aug. 19 not to spend too much money on light rail. In fact, he will insist the city live within its means.

Or, as he put it when referring to light rail, to build a "minimal operable system." What is the system? What are the hardware costs? How much electricity will it use? How much will the "park and rides" cost? How much will the subsidies, overruns, maintenance, reserves, personnel, engineering and right of way cost? When will the mayor quit quoting cost figures from 1991, when the route was much shorter?

We also find out in his letter that the engineering firm doing the work is "envisioning a system where money is not a primary factor." Note to engineering firm: Money is a primary factor!

The mayor is planning for a minimal operable system, but his engineers are working on a "world-class fixed guideway." Call me naive, but this does not seem to be a good idea for the two main players to be on different wavelengths.

Once again, we are being asked to trust politicians and bureaucrats with our money on a system that nobody seems to know much about.

PEARL CITY

GOOD SAMARITAN HELPED BUS RIDER

There isn't a store in Hawai'i with more Good Samaritan"customers than Daiei Store in Pearl City. On a recent morning, as I stood at the front desk making a payment and neatly tucking my change of $1 bills in an envelope for bus rides, a man waiting next to me suggested I get a bus pass for convenience. I answered: "I hardly come out except for milk only, which amounts to $24 a year or less."

He then pulled out a $10 bill and placed it in my hand, saying: "Go get a bus pass." He swiftly left. As I tried to give it back, I asked his name. He said: "Not important." Shucks!

And he was so good-looking, which was probably why my reflexes were so slow. I was staring at his good looks.

MILITARY

WATADA IS UPHOLDING U.S. CONSTITUTION

This is a response to your article, "Watada stance offends Japanese-American veterans," (Aug. 22).

Robert Wada said Lt. Ehren Watada is "doing something that has never been done by Japanese-Americans." This is untrue. During WWII, there were Japanese-Americans born in the U.S. who refused to fight unless their rights were restored first. They received a belated apology from many Japanese-American groups, made up of veterans, about five to 10 years ago.

Ron Oba said, "It is not for us to question why, but to do and die." This is a scary statement. Many Nazi war criminals claimed they were simply obeying orders.

Another point to consider: Why send our children to war for proven lies (al-Qaida-Iraq connection)?

Don Shimazu said Watada "swore allegiance to his country." Watada agrees. Watada is upholding the Constitution.

I don't know that Watada can win his case, but I wish him the best.