MARATHON

MARATHON RACE IS A GOOD THING FOR US — GET INVOLVED

It has been two months since the Honolulu Marathon, and all the anti-marathon letters have been vented. The two main subjects have been the traffic disruption and the length of time that the lanes are open for the participants.

The one thing that is obvious is that the writers of those letters do not work in the visitor industry directly. The Honolulu Marathon for the past three years has generated more than $100 million for our economy. Now that we are losing the Pro Bowl for the next two years, what else can generate that kind of income?

Regarding cutting off anyone over five hours, (full disclosure, my time was 5:13:44) with the 20,061 finishers, those who finished under five hours account for only 30 percent of the field. One of the great things about the Honolulu Marathon is that it does allow you to finish, whenever.

That is important especially for our visitors from Japan, where they do cut off the times, and some people would never be able to finish a marathon. So they come here and spend their money in our economy. That is a good thing.

For those who don't like the inconvenience you suffer on that one day, may I suggest that you get involved in the marathon? Promote it to your friends from around the world, work a water station and meet new friends. We need to increase the participation in this event.

And lastly, try to remember the participants are not only good for our economy, but they are healthy. All in all, that is a good thing.

DAY OFF

CLOSING PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS THE RIGHT DECISION

The criticism of the recent closing of schools has been made public. As a principal of a public school, I come forward in support and appreciation of the superintendent, governor and others who made the decision to close the schools.

Everyone has heard the "better safe than sorry" reasoning. Likewise, the public good and safety outweighs individual inconveniences.

Most public schools are in a specific community. However, Anuenue Hawaiian Immersion School draws students from the entire island. Consequently, communicating and getting the word out is especially challenging.

The reaction to threatening weather conditions is understandable. So, too, the understanding of threatening economic conditions on schools is needed.

PREVENT REPEAT

OBAMA CAN'T LET BUSH ABUSES BE WHITEWASHED

The Bush administration's abuses extended from environmental policy to voting rights. And most of the abuses involved using the power of government to reward political friends and punish political enemies; job applicants were judged by their politics, their personal loyalty to President Bush and, according to some reports, by their views on Roe v. Wade, rather than by their ability to do the job.

On Iraq's failed reconstruction: the Bush administration handed billions of dollars in no-bid contracts to politically connected companies, companies that then failed to deliver. Does anyone doubt that the Bush administration deliberately misled the nation into invading Iraq?

If we whitewash the abuses of the past eight years, we'll guarantee that the abuses will happen again. So Mr. Obama should reconsider his apparent decision to let the previous administration get away with crime. Consequences aside, that's not a decision he has the right to make. He is constitutionally bound.

HEALTHY START

TAKING AWAY PROGRAM IS COMMUNITY TRAGEDY

When parents with young children have serious challenges (little or no capital, a lack of knowledge of community resources), are under extreme financial duress and perhaps are products of their own difficult childhood, the children suffer.

Under stressful and disadvantaged circumstances, they are more likely to be abused and neglected. The effects are obvious: without prevention and early intervention, the children are statistically more likely to fail in school, be incarcerated, abuse substances, become teen parents, suffer health disparities and need expensive services.

Vincent Felitti's 2000 study, Adverse Childhood Experiences, shows a direct correlation of children with adverse experiences with adult chronic diseases: diabetes, obesity, heart and lung disease, cancer, smoking, depression and suicide, leading to premature death. They, too, will perpetuate their legacy to their children's children.

Hawai'i's leaders have knowledge backed by research: They can anticipate and they can prevent abuse, neglect and poor health outcomes for our children. Healthy Start is prevention.

Taking away Healthy Start from our community is waiting for a tragedy to happen that we know can be avoided. It would be negligent. The DHS data for 2007 showed there was no confirmed abuse/neglect among 99.34 percent of high-risk families participating in the program for at least 12 months.

I truly believe in the wisdom and capacity of our community leaders that they will have the larger vision and insight and be aware of the depth of the repercussion of their decisions. Their decisions will impact people profoundly.