TRANSIT

WON'T USE RAIL, DOESN'T WANT TO PAY FOR IT

Mayor Hannemann wants our opinions about the transit stations for the rail line?

Here's mine: Being that I live up on the Windward coast, I'll never use them, and I for sure don't want to have to pay for them.

I guess that opinion goes for the whole rail system.

SUPERFERRY

WHAT IS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BARGE, FERRY?

Excellent Sunday headline on Sept. 23 — "Ferry exposes Islands' divide."

My company provides maintenance, repairs and remodeling to Starbucks, Jamba Juice and Tommy Bahamas at all locations on all islands.

I have two vans outfitted with the materials used in these stores and every tool and fastener needed to provide quick efficient service to these businesses. We ship the appropriate van by Young Brothers, which means losing the use of the van for four to five days, and fly the crew to the job site.

I planned all year long to make a sweep of Hawai'i, Maui, and Kaua'i to handle about a dozen jobs. The ferry would be a boon to my business, my clients, my subs and all the businesses we frequent when we go to the Neighbor Islands.

I booked for Maui on the first scheduled Superferry trip, but backed out when the winds of dissent were strong enough to make me concerned for my clients' needs.

So far this month, I have sent my vans to Hawai'i, Maui, and Kaua'i and completed some of the work I had scheduled — all via Young Brothers. Now all my vans are back on O'ahu, where they will be repacked and sent off to Maui and Hawai'i to complete my summer's Neighbor Island sweep.

No one on Kaua'i or Maui would have known if I came by Young Brothers or the ferry. No one would have cared. Everyone was glad to see us, my crew had a great time and aloha was shared by all.

So what's the problem again?

OVERDEVELOPMENT IS REAL PROBLEM, NOT FERRY

The Superferry opponents on Kaua'i are showing us how upset they are about changes being made in their beautiful island.

But I wonder if everyone who lives in Hawai'i doesn't feel pretty much the same. Too many years of overdevelopment and the prioritization of tourism over local needs have taken a serious toll on the aloha we used to enjoy in the Islands.

The protest against the Superferry is misdirected. Invasive species? They didn't get here on the Superferry, so we ought to focus on what did bring them.

Too many cars? Too many tourists? Ditto, let's discuss limits on the cruise line, car rental and air travel agencies.

The problem isn't the Superferry, it's overdevelopment.

Our water, energy and infrastructure is only capable of supporting a finite number of people. Approval of development plans should be limited to fit within each area's available resources, so we are not just protecting the whales, we're protecting our own quality of life.

Let's stop fighting among ourselves, and focus on this fundamental issue.

Why doesn't our 2050 Sustainability Plan include a resource review process to prevent new projects from encouraging more growth than our Islands' resources can support? In short, how many people can live comfortably on Kaua'i?

PROUD THAT PROTESTERS STANDING UP FOR BELIEFS

On Sept. 24, Gov. Linda Lingle told reporters at the state Capitol that the "Superferry controversy and the actions of some of the protesters are giving the state a very bad reputation."

That statement provides such transparency into the mindset of many of our leaders in Hawai'i. Although the potential of no Superferry in Hawai'i (phew!) may turn off other mega-businesses with plans to push their presence on our communities, I think the "controversy and the actions of some of the protesters" are giving the state a great reputation.

I am proud of the people of Hawai'i for standing up for what they believe in — from whale safety, invasive-species control, preservation of outer islands, to the bigger picture of sustainable growth in Hawai'i.

The Superferry issue has illuminated how many directions the growth of our state can be steered. I applaud anyone whohas an opinion of Superferry, as this controversy has given Hawai'i a reputation that the people of Hawai'i have a voice and passion for their home.

SUSTAINABILITY

DISCUSSION MUST BE ON MORE SERIOUS ISSUES

I'm glad The Advertiser utilized so much space in following the Sustainability 2050 developments. In particular, the youth panel commentaries provided a great opportunity for young people with solid writing skills to express their opinions.

However, their thoughts, like much of the Sustainability 2050 process in general, reflect an overemphasis on relative distractions such as graffiti and traffic flow instead of a serious discussion of the real economic and land- and energy-use issues that will determine whether we continue to destroy our environment or develop truly sustainable means of living.

This reflects on absent leadership. The overall debate must confront the reality that we have an economic system dependent on increasing consumption, pouring concrete and creating waste to accumulate capital.

No business tax incentives or improved recycling systems are likely to change that.

Serious questions about alternative economic models and the ways we use our resources need to be explored.

Maybe we should also look more closely at your photo of the graffiti menace, an unauthorized painting of flowers on a freshly poured concrete wall.

GREEN SPACE

PARK CLOSURE POLICY ALIENATES EVERYONE

I stopped at a local park on a recent night. Suddenly, a car pulled into the parking lot and began to shine its headlights at me. I walked toward the vehicle as two men stepped out. I asked them if I could help them. The driver replied, "Yeah, the park is closed, so you gotta get out."

I told the driver, who was not in a uniform or driving a marked vehicle, that I didn't realize the park was closed. The driver then said, "It closes at 11 'o clock, you just better remember that."

The city Department of Parks and Recreation was created so we would still have these jewels of nature in the midst of our urban sprawl. I understand that the mayor is trying to cut down on the number of homeless people in parks and curb illegal activity.

Then, mission accomplished. But not only have you displaced those people from the parks, you have also alienated everyone else.

So if you find yourself looking to get away from the stresses of life or take a break from the rat race, just remember the park is closed — to everyone!

AHMADINEJAD

COLUMBIA INVITATION WAS A STROKE OF GENIUS

Columbia University President Lee Bollinger received a great deal of knee-jerk criticism for inviting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at Columbia.

The invitation was a stroke of genius. Up until now, Ahmadinejad heard what he and his groomers wanted him to hear. He heard what Muslim religious fanatics fanatasize about.

He anticipated that a university forum, filled with unformed and uninformed idealistic minds, would be the ideal opportunity to demonstrate a divided America; identifying and deepening the gap between the political and intellectual communities.

Mr. Bollinger was ahead of the game. He and the students, perhaps for the first time in Ahmadinejad's life, held a mirror up to him so he could see what a ridiculous man he is and how twisted his perception of the United States and the world as a community truly is.

Yes, the United States is divided about the war in Iraq. But as a free nation, we are united against terror, terrorism and Muslim fascist fanatics like Ahmadinejad who would destroy everyone not in agreement with the evil desires of their hearts.