IROQUOIS POINT

MILITARY TAKES BETTER CARE OF ITS BEACHES

I've been reading with interest at how the Iroquois Point beach access story has unfolded.

I'm going to have to side with the residents and developers on this one. Just because the former Navy housing area is now under civilian management, it doesn't mean that it's open season.

I've seen what has happened to the beaches owned by the military here and now open for public access. Nimitz and White Plains beaches are overrun with homeless tent cities, drug addicts and pretty much trashed out.

At Bellows, there is a glaring difference between the side open to the public and the side open to military. The military side is clean and free of garbage, there is little or no crime and its facilities are in good shape. The other side is, well, not.

Hopefully, some accommodation can be reached. Maybe a parking lot can be constructed with a shuttle that can be operated at a small fee, or TheBus can have a stop there with a drop-off on the beach. Beachgoers could pay a small fee to use the beach and help pay for maintenance of beach facilities.

PUBLIC RECREATIONAL USE SHOULD BE PERMITTED

I have fished on Iroquois Point for the past 50 years, both when I was on active duty in the military and then when I was retired.

Now, the U.S. Navy has leased this housing complex to a civilian company, which is restricting me from entering this area to fish.

I have a military decal on my windshield that authorizes me to gain entry onto any military base to use and enjoy my retirement benefits (i.e. commissary, medical, recreational, etc.). However, at Iroquois Housing, I need to get a pass from the guard at the gate to enter to use the Navy Exchange or to visit the U.S. Marine Puuloa Rifle Range.

Why are the property managers, from the Hawai'i division of Hunt Development and Ford Island Housing LLC, restricting active-duty and retired military personnel from gaining access to this housing area for the purpose of recreational activities such as swimming or fishing?

I hope U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie will be successful in his efforts to end the no-public-access policy.

RESTRICTED ACCESS IS GOOD IDEA IN THIS CASE

I know many have taken up the cause of beach access at Iroquois Point housing area.

I'm all for public access to Hawai'i's beaches, but in this case I'm not so sure it is a good idea.

Iroquois Point is on the access to Pearl Harbor Naval Base and parts of the housing area are still under military control.

In the past, the entrance to the naval base has been protected by Hickam Air Force Base on one side and Iroquois Point housing on the other.

Opening up the housing area to anyone who wants to enjoy a day at the beach could present a security problem for the Navy. The vast majority of people would be no problem, but if something like the Cole incident in Yemen were to happen at Iroquois Point, that would be a disaster.

In this particular case, I believe restricted access to Iroquois Point area is a good thing.

HOLIDAY

MILITARY REMINDS US OF MEANING OF THE FOURTH

Each year for the past several years, I have attended the Kailua July Fourth Parade. This year was the most memorable.

Each year we gather with the same group of friends and make a day of it. As we stood and watched a unit of Marines pass, my friend, Jim, made it a point to thank each one of these men and women for their service.

One of the Marines, a lance corporal, walked over to Jim and removed a badge from his uniform and handed it to Jim, telling him that he had earned it in Iraq.

Jim was overwhelmed by this gesture to the point of tears.

I just wanted to thank this Marine and all of the other members of the armed services for all they do in helping us recall the true meaning of this holiday.

I know Jim will treasure this badge for the rest of his life, as I will treasure the memory of this parade.

AGRICULTURE

GM CROPS MAY BE CAUSE OF BEE DISASTER

Your articles on the honeybee ignore the likely cause of the bee disaster.

Disease is usually a consequence of ever-present agents taking advantage of a distressed immune system of an abused creature.

Treating the symptoms, which further distresses the immune system, rather than eliminating the abuse and restoring the immune system, is what makes conventional medicine so troublesome. Thus, poisoning the mites will further abuse the bees, which have been able to cope with mites for ages.

The primary abuser of the bees is likely the genetic modification trend in agriculture.

How can you expect bees to survive feeding off horticulturals designed to repel bugs, or to overwinter on GM corn syrup? Shortsightedness of the GM enthusiasts may have brought us an unparalleled disaster.

ENERGY

CARBON FOOTPRINT IS BETTER FOR HOT LANES

As a result of the Live Earth concert, people of the world are contemplating how to reduce our carbon footprint.

This is a good time for us on O'ahu to ask which transportation choice produces the smallest carbon footprint — elevated rail or elevated HOT lanes?

The answer is clear. HOT lanes produce a smaller carbon footprint than rail.

Rail will require another generating plant to have enough electricity for the system. Rail will require more buses to feed the system. Rail will make the commute longer for cars, which will increasing gas consumption and emissions.

HOT lanes will reduce the travel time (and therefore emissions) for all commuters — transit and automobile.

HOT lanes will save thousands of hours of travel time each day, producing a smaller carbon footprint.

Rail will need to generate more electricity and the auto commute will get longer each day, therefore producing a larger carbon footprint.

TRANSIT

ROUTE ALONG SALT LAKE IS JUST COMMON SENSE

I am responding to Steve Doyle's comment on the "Cachola Route" through Salt Lake (Focus section, July 1).

Doyle has to understand that a transit route must be selected to serve the maximum number of residents.

He should drive down the airport route, where there are not too many residential units. Then, he should drive down Salt Lake Boulevard from Aloha Stadium to Pu'uloa Road.

There are thousands of families living along Salt Lake Boulevard. The bus that serves Salt Lake is always packed during rush hour.

It wasn't "political," but plain common sense, to select the Salt Lake alignment. If Doyle lived in Salt Lake, he would also agree.

Councilman Romy Cachola has a lot of common sense.

OFFICIALS MUST MAKE IT COSTLIER TO OWN A CAR

If we have as many cars as we have people, what happens when we need to get rid of the junk cars? Do we recycle them or will they be abandoned somewhere for the city to dispose of at taxpayer expense?

We already have a major problem with abandoned vehicles, and it will worsen as our population increases.

While I love my car, I do not enjoy sitting in traffic, or the ever-increasing fuel prices.

Once the rail project is under way, then our elected officials at the City Council and Legislature should increase the cost to register and license automobiles. They should also crack down on getting uninsured vehicles off the road. Uninsured vehicles can then be auctioned off and revenues can help fund and maintain a fixed guideway system.

TRIBUTE

HELEN CHOCK WAS A TRUE HAWAI'I TREASURE

It was very sad to read about the passing of Helen Chock.

For many in Hawai'i, Hawaiian food is synonymous with Helena's. Walking into this establishment is like stepping into your grandma's house. Receiving a warm greeting, smelling the laulau and kalua pig cooking and seeing the pipikaula hanging above the stove.

I could always count on the sweet, gentle smile of the tiny woman behind the counter, then receiving the tastiest pieces of haupia to end the ono meal.

Her smile and aloha will truly be missed — Hawai'i has lost one of its last true treasures and Hawaiian ways of (island) life.

Mahalo, Helen, for sharing your gift and aloha with us!

DEMOCRACY

WAR DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

One of the myths in speeches celebrating the Fourth of July, Veterans Day, Memorial Day and other events honoring military personnel who have served their country honorably is that the price of democracy and freedom is war and the accompanying sacrifices.

Military personnel deserve appropriate recognition, including adequate healthcare. Undoubtedly, some wars have been necessary to defend democracy and freedom, such as World War II.

However, the record from prehistory to the present demonstrates that many humans, societies and nations have enjoyed freedom without war.

Ultimately, the cost of democracy is not human sacrifices in war, but a public that sacrifices the time and effort to become informed and be critical, exercises its right to vote in elections and participates in other democratic processes, including the removal of officials from government who are incompetent, corrupt and/or immoral.

The myths that sustain the ideology of what Gen. Dwight Eisenhower called the military-industrial complex need to be critically examined if there is ever to be any genuine and enduring freedom, democracy, peace and security.