HGEA

BETTER SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY NEEDED

I am a retired DOE school social worker (Big Island, 1982-2006). During that time I worked with teachers and administrators whose leadership abilities, creativity and commitment were incredible. I also worked with far too many who abdicated leadership roles, who lacked creativity and commitment.

There were widespread feelings that nothing can be done about poor teachers, counselors and administrators. Why? Because the Damocles sword of "union" prevented administrators from ridding the DOE of deadwood. Administrators will tell you that the paperwork involved in dismissing a teacher is staggering. Often the unions will prevail in a contested case because of minute technicalities that trump the system.

Hey, I am not anti-union but there has to be accountability that is workable. I was a member of HGEA and I received benefits from being a union member. Even if I had been a lousy employee, one who dug out of meetings, one who was lax in paperwork, one who ignored students' needs, I'd still have received those benefits. That would not have been right.

It is time to rethink the workings of such an important organization.

CIVIL UNIONS

WE VOTED IN '90S; WHY BRING ISSUE BACK AGAIN?

What's up with our elected officials now concerning the same-sex marriage/civil unions legislation that is being ushered in the back door of the Capitol? Why do we again need to relive the '90s? The citizens of Hawai'i overwhelmingly let their will be known on this subject already and now a few vocal "activists" have gotten through to some of our more easily influenced legislators.

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona and Honolulu City Councilman Gary Okino are 100 percent correct in their comments and testimonies.

Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu couldn't be more wrong when he says that this bill will not redefine marriage in state law as between one man and one woman. The "state law" will remain the same but the common definition of "marriage" will for all intents and purposes now include same-sex couples. Why? Because no matter what you want to call something that provides all the "benefits, protections and responsibilities" of marriage, it's still marriage!

I say to Mr. Karamatsu, "Did not the homosexual community redefine the word 'gay?' "

I and the 70 percent who voted against this idea in the '90s implore Sen. Bunda and Sen. Hanabusa to not let this bill see the light of day, lest we awaken the sleeping majority again!

GUANTANAMO

THERE ARE TERRORISTS, AND THERE ARE GUERRILLAS

Col. Tom Farrell's commentary (Feb. 5), asserting that terrorists are criminals, not soldiers, overlooks the role guerrilla fighters have played in history.

Webster's International Dictionary defines guerrillas as non-uniformed, irregular soldiers, operating in small parties, conducting attacks in enemy territory. By definition, al-Qaida terrorists are guerrilla soldiers, as were the Viet Cong in Vietnam, and the Sunni insurgents and militias in Iraq.

If an individual commits an act of terrorism on his own initiative, he is a criminal. If he is recruited, trained and directed to carry out terrorist acts, he is a guerrilla soldier.

Webster's also defines war as a declared, armed conflict between nations, but also as any conflict between physical forces. By definition, the war on terrorism is, in fact, a war.

Finally, guerrillas have no standing or protection under the Geneva Accords. In WWII, Germany and Japan summarily executed any guerrillas they captured. In comparison, the U.S. has treated guerrillas held at Gitmo extraordinarily well, far better than less-dangerous criminals held in high-security prisons.

FEAR-MONGERING ABOUT CLOSURE FAR FROM TRUTH

The onslaught of misinformation about the effects of closing Guantanamo is a reminder that electing Barack Obama was just the start of replacing misguided and illegal Bush administration policies and returning to America's traditional values.

Next time you hear someone talking about the dangers of closing Guantanamo, remind them that dangerous, abhorrent criminals are successfully prosecuted by American courts and safely incarcerated in highly secure federal prisons already. Our justice system is the envy of the world and includes provisions for protecting national security while maintaining a high standard of fairness and justice.

The federal prison already has held high-profile convicted terrorists, including some responsible for the first World Trade Center attacks, without incident.

Our long-term security is ill served by an illegal and cruel (in)justice system which engenders distrust, hatred and anger among whole populations who identify with its victims. Truth can free us, but we need to be alert and careful to distinguish truth from fear-mongering.

TEXTING BAN

THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR INATTENTIVE DRIVING

I think the letter by Toby Clairmont (Feb. 5) about the restriction on electronic devices while driving is ridiculous! He is saying the convenience of using an electronic device while driving is more important than the lives of people.

Why is using a device while driving, even if it is for work, more important than the lives of the driver and the people around him or her? What is so terrible about just pulling over for two minutes to use the device? Why is that going to drive businesses bankrupt? Can't people just park on the side of the road two minutes to save a life?

I've read that using some of these devices doubles the chance of an accident and in the past four years I've seen many people texting and at the same time smoking or combing their hair. Is it really that difficult to keep even one hand on the wheel while driving? What is so important people can't even wait two or three seconds to pull over to the side of the road to do?