SUPERFERRY

SILENT MAJORITY MUST AWAKE FROM SLUMBER

It is time for the silent majority to wake from our slumber.

For months, we have watched a small faction dominate the Superferry discussion and deceive the masses into thinking that this issue centers on a heroic battle with the sanctity of our environment hanging in the balance.

This is not a valiant fight of good versus evil. This is a case of the extreme minority imposing their views and lifestyles on the overwhelming majority.

It is time to draw the line. Environmental rhetoric should not be used as a tactic to derail projects or thwart economic progress that benefits the state.

Contact your representatives and senators, and urge them to act swiftly to clarify this ambiguous passage in our law that has given misguided activists a platform for far too long.

WE MUST BE PROTECTED FROM 'THE OTHERS' NOW

Now that the Sierra Club and other progress-inhibiting, NIMBY-oriented and "now that I am here, no one else is welcome" types have threatened the success of the Superferry, they should be setting their sights on bigger and better things.

They should work to discontinue interisland shipments by Young Brothers and Matson, to prevent the proliferation of invasive species, drugs, rock thieves and automobiles; especially drivers from other islands.

Next, they should go after the interisland airlines, which transport all kinds of undesirable people between the islands. What about all of those airlines that bring tourists from the Mainland and other countries? What might they bring?

Fishing boats should not be allowed to travel interisland, because you do not know what might be smuggled aboard.

Those pesky canoes that invade O'ahu from Moloka'i — who knows what might be stuck to their paddles.

But wait — we should all live in fear of the outside world and all of the nasty things that could be imported into our Islands. The answer is obviously total isolation.

Our only hope is that the Sierra Club will protect us from "the others."

LET'S GET SUPERFERRY RUNNING IMMEDIATELY

Statutes are the responsibility of our Legislature. Judges are appointed to enforce our statutes.

Based on existing statutes, Maui Judge Joseph Cardoza made the proper decision regarding Superferry operations.

Hawai'i's citizens favor the Superferry by a 3-to-1 margin.

Therefore, our Legislature needs to fix the law immediately. It's time for Hawai'i's Legislature to suspend its typically partisanship-first behavior and get laws on the books that will get the Superferry running immediately — before our state becomes even more of an international laughingstock.

MOST PEOPLE ON MAUI WANT THE SUPERFERRY

I do not agree with the judge's decision to block the Hawaii Superferry from operating to Maui.

Eighty-five percent of the people of Maui want the Superferry. It's good for the economy.

The public needs transportation. Why eliminate this great way of traveling between the Islands?

TESTING, SEARCHES

STUDENTS HAVE RIGHT TO DRUG-FREE EDUCATION

Volcanic Ash was spot on (Oct. 10) and Richard S. Miller (Oct. 12) missed the target way to the left.

The teacher drug tests and student searches are not erosions of our students' freedoms. They are a return to the safe education system that we had before the ultra-liberals took control of the education system in the '70s.

Our students' right to an education free of fear, alcohol and drugs is as paramount as my right to safe air travel or automobile travel free of drunken drivers.

One only needs to look at the recent school shooting in Cleveland, Ohio, a student's arsenal discovered in Norristown, Penn., and the 12 ice-related arrests on Kaua'i to acknowledge the real threat to the liberty and safety they deserve.

The two drug policies, one established based upon employment contract, guarantee security while ensuring equal rights for all.

TEACHERS

PAY RAISES WERE TIED TO DRUG TEST REQUIREMENT

The recently negotiated contract for public school teachers made drug testing a condition for the granting of pay raises.

If the lawsuit challenging the drug testing is successful, are the pay raises canceled?

The teachers would no longer be fulfilling a condition of the contract.

Or did everyone know in advance that this condition would be removed? Wink, wink.

BEACH ACCESS

SEAWALLS IN LANIKAI RUINED BEACHES FOR ALL

The issue of beach access in Kailua reminds me of the seawalls quietly built in Lanikai over many years.

Many of the seawalls were not legal. Eventually, the beach eroded, and there was simply no beach left in those areas. When it was finally brought to the attention of those able to do something about it, nothing was done.

Now, deep water pushes up against privately owned seawalls.

The beach I played on as a youth is a thing of the past. I hope beach access in Hawai'i does not go the way of beaches in Lanikai.

CAUSAL FACTORS

WOMEN ALSO INITIATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The Oct. 12 Advertiser article concerning domestic violence properly alerts the public to the fact that one's middle- or upper-income status does not provide immunity to domestic violence.

However, while this is true, numerous studies document the role that an array of factors (socio-economic status, alcohol abuse, childhood experiences, race/ethnicity, etc.) play in domestic violence.

Men are more likely to abuse their families and their violence is more damaging; however, research also reveals that a significant amount of domestic violence is female initiated.

Dr. Diane Thompson's assertion that "the reason we have domestic violence is because we have men in our society who think it's OK to hurt somebody else" should be rephrased. People should be substituted for men.

Domestic violence will only be reduced by clearly focusing on specific causal factors.

COMMUTING

TRANSIT SYSTEM NOT ANSWER TO O'AHU WOES

Mal Gillin's letter, "Have we learned a lesson from H-3, ferry" (Oct. 11), is the most perceptive observation I've read to date concerning the ferry controversy.

I do not believe the fixed-rail transit system is the answer for our traffic problems on O'ahu. The fixed-rail transit system will be the biggest pain in the 'okole since H-3.

The dynamics of undertaking such a large project and the small area that it will really service compounded with the huge cost make it unjustifiable.

The H-3 took 37 years from conception to its completion because of many unforeseen issues.

Now Superferry has fallen prey to oversights. Will the fixed-rail transit system be able to elude the inconsistencies these other public transportation projects failed to? Or will history repeat itself?

FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS

PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE CELEBRATED AT PETWALK

I wanted to extend my warmest mahalo a nui loa to the staff of the Hawaiian Humane Society and the city for the wonderful time we had at PetWalk.

My friends and I belong to a high school recycling club and we were asked if we would volunteer our time.

Everything ran like clockwork. We were given our assignments, assigned our locations and provided with the equipment we would need to carry out our tasks. My friends and I were the honorable poop-bag holders for the pets — not a job you want to brag about.

We thought that we would have to chase people down to remind them to pick up their pet's litter, but that wasn't the case. All of the pet owners were very respectful of others, and cleaned up after their four-legged friends.

We experienced a true celebration, one that I hope the city will continue for years to come

Mahalo to Mayor Mufi Hannemann and the Department of Parks and Recreation for making this possible.

HAWAI'I

WHAT WILL BE LEFT WHEN BUILDINGS HIDE BEAUTY?

I live on O'ahu and travel to Hilo twice a month for business and leisure. One of the main things I look forward to is the country lifestyle that Hilo provides.

O'ahu is in constant struggle with new construction sites and huge eyesores of big-box stores everywhere. Maui is another example of the big-box store craze.

The beauty of the Hawaiian Islands is our strongest point, and that is what people come here to see.

When we build structures that block that beauty, what do we have left?

We need to think about the long-range effect of building structures.