RAIL

PUBLIC SHOULD DECIDE ON RAIL, NOT CITY LEADERS

In its editorial "Let's quit fumbling over fixed rail verdict" (Nov. 19), The Honolulu Advertiser ends the editorial with the line, "The voters elect their leaders to make the call, not do this endless dance. Just make it already."

It is true that leaders are expected to make decisions for the people who elect them; however, most often these elected officials have some idea of what would please the majority of their constituents.

In the case of the fixed rail, they do not.

The rail system was not an issue when either Mayor Mufi Hannemann or most of the present Council were elected. It became an issue after they were elected.

Additionally, the city's own survey indicates that at least 55 percent of the people do not want rail — although the city administration proudly points out that 45 percent do.

Councilman Charles Djou is correct in his move to delay the decision. However, I would like to see him and the Council take it a step further and put the question directly to the people in a mail-in referendum to O'ahu voters, and then vote as the people want.

RAIL RELIEF'S NOT WORTH COST OF CONSTRUCTION

As a child, I recall watching the construction of the freeway through Honolulu. I wonder if they knew back then that it was already too small.

Later, as a young adult, I asked a city official if he thought the "second city" would work to alleviate traffic congestion in town. He replied, matter of factly: "No."

Today, driving westbound on H-2 in pau hana traffic, I try to picture what a 10 percent reduction in traffic would be like — not that rail would provide such a reduction. And even if it did the benefit would be short-lived at best, when factoring in the continuous growth of West O'ahu.

It just doesn't make sense to build a multibillion-dollar rail system — obsolete from the get-go and increasingly unable to serve a growing population.

Let's not get railroaded into a project we can't afford to build or to continuously pour in our hard-earned wages.

ROADS

FINISH FINAL STRETCH OF LIKELIKE HIGHWAY

I have not been able to understand why, with the years-long closures of Likelike Highway in a variety of configurations, for sealing and tiling of the tunnels, installing new median barricades and roadside railings, restriping of lanes and resurfacing of several miles of pavement, the final quarter-mile of pavement on the Honolulu side of both tunnels has never been repaved.

Dodging the many potholes has become an art for Windward drivers. Exiting the tunnel town-bound, a driver must be very adept at dodging the holes. But it can be hairy when two cars are abreast, because in some cases both have to hug the center line between the two lanes and the cars get really close.

The puka in the left lane as you enter the Kane'ohe-bound tunnel (recently patched) was a strong enough jolt to cause you to almost lose control of your steering. So finish the resurfacing before the whole thing has to be resurfaced again.

LT. EHREN WATADA

IT'S A MATTER OF A SOLDIER'S OBLIGATIONS

Ehren Watada's situation should be about moral and legal obligations. It is every soldier's obligation, according to his oath, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to follow orders according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice and — taking into account the verdicts of the Nuremburg trials — to question potentially illegal orders from his superiors.

Remember that AJA volunteers fought in a just and legal war against a Nazi military that was "just following orders."

Watada has a good understanding of the meaning of obligation and honor. He offered to fight in the real war on terrorism in Afghanistan or to resign from the military. Both honorable alternatives to his obligation were denied.

Watada is attempting to live up to the legacy left by World War II veterans.

WATADA DESERVES EVERY MINUTE IN PRISON

I, like many other veterans, do not support Lt. Ehren Watada, his disloyalty and his dereliction of duty.

I may not support the president or his actions, but legally Watada is guilty of disobeying his military orders. He took the oath. Nobody forced him. He could not legally file to be a conscientious objector and he made his choice.

The military is not run like a buffet — pick and choose what orders are to be followed. Like it or not, an oath was taken and should be honored if one is an honorable person.

He should be dishonorably discharged, and I hope he enjoys every minute in prison. He deserves it.

IRAQ

CONGRESS HAS LIMITED ROLE IN PLANNING WAR

Now that the Democrats have taken control of Congress, an avalanche of professional pundits is insisting that the party announce its new plan for the Iraq war.

Many on the right have spent months deriding the Democrats for not having a plan. Like a lot of campaign ad rhetoric, it's both shockingly true and, at the same time, irrelevant.

Who planned the previous three years of the Iraq war, or at least wrote the plan where Iraqis hold grateful victory parades for our troops and go home to set up an instant democracy? It was not Congress.

Congress only got involved when it voted to authorize military action if diplomacy failed. The planning was done in the Pentagon and by the Bush administration advisers.

As Donald Rumsfeld might say, is the current plan working? Goodness, no! Do we need a new plan? Absolutely! Is it going to be tough to fix all our previous mistakes? Darn right!

Can our new plan discard the views of professional general officers in favor of magical thinking by neocon political advisers who carefully avoided any military service? Theoretically no, but you have to do your war planning with the president and administration you have, not the one you might have in the future.

BOYCOTT?

SMOKERS CAN FIGHT AGAINST CIGARETTE BAN

Most of us know that smoking is bad for your health. We are also aware of the potential danger of secondhand smoke. With that said, it is understandable that the new smoking ban would include public buildings and their entrances.

However, banning smoking in bars is ridiculous. The new law could have required that bars display a sign at the entrance saying that "this is a smoking establishment." If individual bar owners still want to ban smoking in their establishments, they could.

Smokers need to push for a complete boycott on Jan. 1 of all bars and restaurants if the ban is not lifted. This will be a loss of up to 25 percent for these establishments, and maybe then someone will listen.

CHARTER SCHOOLS

PARTNERSHIPS IMPROVE EDUCATION FOR OUR KEIKI

The recent Kui ka Lono Conference on Indigenous Education, Research and Well Being is a clear indicator of an exciting, new collaboration among organizations and individuals who are dedicated to improving the lives of Hawai'i's children. Kanu o ka 'Aina Learning 'Ohana wants to congratulate all the conveners — Na Lei Na'auao — Native Hawaiian Charter School Alliance, the Kamehameha Schools, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the Hawai'i Department of Education for their wisdom in working together to explore viable choices needed to improve the educational experience of Hawai'i public school students.

Education with Aloha, developed collectively over the past six years by Hawaiian-focused charter schools, is making progress as validated by the recent Kamehameha Schools study, AYP scores and anecdotal data, particularly among Hawaiian students who have not performed well in standard public schools.

Assuring caring relations at the school level, while providing curriculum and assessment that is relevant leads to academic rigor. Interestingly, culturally driven approaches align with the latest in 21st century educational paradigms.

Both acknowledge multiple intelligences, focus on interdisciplinary, interactive education, include project- and place-based learning, and utilize performance-based assessments.

One needs only to look at the recent statistics about the Hawaiian poverty and homeless rates to understand that closing the educational achievement gap among Hawaiian children is critical. Furthermore, closing this gap will benefit all of Hawai'i.

This can be achieved when we continue to work together as we did for this conference.

KAHUKU HOSPITAL

NORTH SHORE NEEDS EMERGENCY OPTION

It was Sunday, Aug. 22, 1982, and I was involved in a hit-and- run accident near Kahana Bay.

Being in the Navy and knowing that Tripler was too far away resulted in a timely introduction to Kahuku Hospital, where I ended up for emergency room treatment and stabilization before being taken by medevac to Tripler for a three-month, seven-surgery recovery.

To hear that this institution is being forced to close its doors due to a revenue shortfall is a crisis.

Kahuku Hospital does serve a critical function for the community and anyone in need of care. I know that firsthand. I am glad it was there for me, as it likely made the difference between having one leg or two. I am sure that there are many other people whom would have been worse off if not for the location of this facility.

It is incumbent on this state's leadership (City and County of Honolulu, state and federal) to keep this essential hospital a viable entity. They need to act now, and not later, as then it will truly be too late.