BARACK OBAMA

SENATOR DESERVES TO RELAX ON HIS VACATION

Why does Lee Cataluna feel it necessary to scold Barack Obama for not ferreting out every injustice in the Islands when he is supposed to be on vacation? Why is Sen. Obama required to forego what little precious time he has to visit his family and enjoy a week of peace and relaxation in his home state to satisfy Cataluna's demands that he go on a fact-finding mission to address Hawai'i's ills?

The stupidity of Cataluna's comments defy explanation. I hope that her job description unequivocally requires her to conduct in-depth investigations of societal inequities wherever she chooses her "vacation."

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS

ADMISSIONS POLICY DOES NOT VIOLATE LAW

The Native Hawaiian Education Council supports the Kamehameha Schools' use of its private trust funds to give priority to the education of students of Hawaiian ancestry.

We believe the law of the land as set forth by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in the previous case against the Kamehameha Schools is correct — namely that this private school's admission preference for Hawaiian students does not constitute impermissible discrimination under federal law.

Education is the most effective way to empower Hawaiians and improve their lives. Imua Kamehameha for staying true to the trust's intent.

RAIL

LIGHT RAIL, GROUND-LEVEL SYSTEM A BETTER OPTION

The debate over mass transit on O'ahu has become polarized, with the mayor saying the system must be built his way or not at all.

Many people want some sort of fixed-rail system but are appalled by the ungainly overhead structures and the huge cost of the city's heavy rail system. In addition to the high initial construction cost ($250 million per mile) we will be forever saddled with high electricity costs for lighting, escalators and elevators for the elevated guideway and stations.

There is in fact, a "middle ground" in the debate: a light-rail steel-on-steel system at ground level, similar to the systems in Charlotte and Portland, which were described in The Advertiser on July 6 and 7.

The cost ($48 million per mile) would be less than one-fifth that of the city's system, and there would be virtually no visual impact. The mauka-makai street corridor views in the urban core would be preserved in accordance with the Primary Urban Center Development Plan.

Street-level rail also offers easy access for riders switching to or from a bus route, as well as easy pedestrian access to neighboring streets and businesses.

Best of all, the money saved by going to on-grade light rail would allow us to run the first phase of the system all the way to UH-Manoa, thereby including one of the busiest single destination points for daily commuters.

EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE SHOULD COME FIRST

The future prosperity of our community depends upon fundamental development and improvement of two components: education and health. Every individual should be able to participate in and benefit from a dynamic and fruitful education process and have access to quality and affordable healthcare.

The financial, human and material resources assigned by government to the installation and operation of a rail transit system are obnoxiously out of proportion to the perceived "payback," when compared with the potential benefits associated with an educated and healthy community.

We want government to rearrange its priorities to focus on making identifiable and constant progress in the areas of education and health, which is a "promise" made and then broken by nearly every public figure.

That is the route we should be traveling at this time, not fixed rail.

SACRED FALLS

ACCESS TO THE SITE SHOULD BE PRESERVED

I first hiked to Sacred Falls over 65 years ago — swam in the icy water, ate the wonderful mountain apples and thoroughly enjoyed looking up the "leaking canoe." All the time we knew that there was a risk of falling rocks, but a risk still no more dangerous than many mountain trails, the "toilet bowl" at Hanauma Bay, or 'opihi picking, or even surfing.

The state now wants to take away the experience and replace it with a view from a distance — without a dip in the icy water or looking up that canoe, or the mountain apples. They even want to give it a new Hawaiian name — not Kaliuwa'a ("the leaking canoe") — as it has been know for hundreds of years.

We believe that access should be granted, as before, but with a good sign pointing out the risk. Let the hiker accept the responsibility of enjoying this wonderful place.

If we don't want tourists to visit Sacred Falls, maybe we should put a lock on Hawai'i at the Golden Gate.

'TROPIC THUNDER'

MOVIE LACKS HUMOR, CONTENT OFFENSIVE

"Tropic Thunder," a comedic movie starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black, has premiered in theaters nationwide. Comedies are supposed to be funny. "Tropic Thunder" is far from funny. It is offensive and hurtful.

And while it may not have been the intent of this movie to be cruel and hurtful, the content definitely is just that.

It is time that The Honolulu Advertiser and your readers help take a stand against a word that has gained popularity in culture, but is offensive to so many. The "R-word" or "retard" has found a place in common language and seems to be accepted by so many. In fact, it is said 16 times in just one scene in the film "Tropic Thunder."

The word hurts, even if it is not directed at a person with intellectual disabilities. For too long, people with intellectual disabilities have had to overcome the challenges society has put forth through stereotypes.

It is time for a change, and you and your readers can help. Help make much-needed change that will bring acceptance and inclusion to our community — don't say the R-word.

Help make change by joining with more than 22 disability organizations nationwide in boycotting "Tropic Thunder." Help show Hollywood that it is time they understand the impact of their actions.

To learn more about how you can be a fan of dignity visit www.r-word.org.

FUEL COSTS

OFFSHORE DRILLING WILL HELP BRING PRICE DOWN

To believe fuel prices will not be affected by offshore drilling for our own oil disregards two factors.

First, the more oil there is, the cheaper it will be worldwide. Second, the first drill in the water will drop the worldwide cost of fuel immediately, because we will have become a competitor of OPEC rather than a sucker begging for oil from them.

Oil shortages have always been OPEC-engineered. President Bush went to Saudi Arabia and asked that they pump a bit more oil to ease the shortage. They did very little, so President Bush returned and lifted the executive ban on offshore drilling, and the price per barrel dropped $7 per barrel in two days.

Since the day the offshore drilling ban was lifted, oil has plummeted and is now $35 a barrel less than it was at its peak, which was rising rapidly on a daily basis.

Try to imagine what the cost per barrel would be now, if Congress had voted to lift its Congressional ban on offshore drilling, instead of going on vacation.

JOHN EDWARDS

SENATOR HAD JFK AURA AND PRESENCE

I am saddened and shocked at the scandalous news of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards that seemingly ended his political career.

As a former North Carolina resident (1989-2007), I had the opportunity to be in his presence and hear him speak at one of NC Democratic Party's state conventions in Raleigh as a Pasquotank County (Elizabeth City) delegate. He did have the JFK aura and presence.

Of course, I should concentrate on Sen. Barack Obama being here at "home" and that he possibly could be the next president from the Aloha State of Hawai'i.

OCEAN RESOURCES

OVERFISHING CREATES JELLYFISH PROLIFERATION

As our waters are overfished, a new phenomenon is arising: the proliferation of stinging jellyfish. Overfishing means no jellyfish predators.

The same day The Advertiser had the article about overfishing, the New York Times, Aug. 3, chronicled how the tourist city of Barcelona in Spain has to have nearly 100 boats standing by to clear the waters of jellyfish.

Tourists and locals like to play and swim in the ocean. If they suffer unpleasant stings, it is as if a door has closed on an important element of life in Hawai'i.

I do not have a solution but as I walked past Manoa stream on Date Street a week ago, instead of expectant tilapia rippling the water for a handout, there was a flotilla of jellyfish, I counted 30. It was a surreal sighting.