RIGHTS

OPTIMISTIC FOR FUTURE OF MUSLIM WOMEN

Only recently did I see the excellent article by state Rep. Gene Ward ("Muslim women issue clarion call for more rights"), which impelled my response.

Rep. Ward is to be applauded for emphatically stating that it is not Islam but the male-dominated culture of many Muslim countries that prevents women from enjoying their rights, as stipulated in the Quran and Islam.

As a Hawai'i-born, third-generation Japanese-American, I became an adherent of the Islamic faith some years ago.

Today, four out of five converts from the West are women. We are teachers, doctors, psychologists, businesswomen and community helpers and volunteers.

Women in Islam are called "the lap of learning." She is the primary influence in educating the next generation and developing their character during their most formative early years.

As children from Muslim countries leave to study abroad, they, both men and women, more easily cast off the cultural habits and traditions that obscure the real teachings of Islamic behavior. Inter-marriage between Muslims and men and women of other backgrounds has been encouraged since earliest days of Islam. These relationships, based on love, also create new opportunities to live by Islam's true teachings.

I am highly optimistic about the future for Muslim women.

TRAFFIC SOLUTION

CITY SHOULD REVERSE PENSACOLA AND PI'IKOI

All these debates concerning rail are about whether it will help to solve Leeward traffic problems. The city is showing so much desire and motivation for this project because it's going to be good for all of us.

However, a horrendous traffic problem exists in our city today that has had an acknowledged solution, yet the city seemingly refuses to implement it. I'm talking about the ordeal of driving mauka on Pi'ikoi Street at 4 p.m. to get on to the Lunalilo Street on-ramp to H-1. Every work day it takes 20 minutes to get from King and Pi'ikoi to the freeway. This bottleneck lasts up to two hours, causing frustration for drivers and wasting hundreds, if not thousands, of gallons of gas.

The solution is to reverse the one-way directions of Pi'ikoi and Pensacola streets. The cost for doing this a few years ago was estimated at $1 million, but was deemed by the city to be too expensive. Even if it's two or three times that today, it's a mere pittance compared to $3.7 billion. We've spent tens of millions in consulting fees alone for rail, yet the city will not spend a fraction of this to implement a real solution that will definitely improve a traffic problem that has existed for years.

I know the fault lies with the previous city administration, which consistently let necessary public projects slide, but I thought one of the guiding principles of our mayor when he took office was: "if it needs to be done, we're going to do it."

RAIL DEBATE

DO LEADERS THINK THEY KNOW MORE THAN US?

I don't get it.

I'm sitting alone in my American history class preaching about democracy, you know, where you go to the polls and vote for the individual who you wish to represent you in government.

Doesn't the same thing go for issues as well?

Or am I reading from the wrong textbook? Is this some other country's view of democracy?

Now we have all this hysteria about fixed rail and it has come out that the pro-rail people don't want the decision to go on the ballot and be voted on by the general public. Hello? But isn't this whole fracas about what is good for the general public?

Can the general public decide for themselves?

Or is this the new democracy where the elected leaders know more about what the people want than the people themselves? This kind of thinking seems to be a throwback to battle plans in Vietnam — we had to destroy the village in order to save it.

Whew! I'm confused here.

We're going to spend $3.7 billion to build this rail system and let's see, how much of that is going to come out of the public's pocket? Shouldn't the public have a say on this?

Would somebody come by and please slap my head in the right direction?

WE'RE ALL PAYING THE TAX, LET PEOPLE VOTE

The rail project has become very political.

If you talk to people who live in Kapolei, 'Ewa Beach and Wai'anae, of course they are for rail.

But try talking to people who live in Hawai'i Kai, Kailua, Kane'ohe, Kahuku, Punalu'u. They are probably against rail.

The tax increase affects everybody. So, what's wrong with putting it on the ballot and having the people vote?

Whichever way the people vote, it will be the people's choice.

After all, don't we live in a democracy?

PUBLIC FACILITIES

CHARTER, IMMERSION SCHOOLS ARE ORPHANS

The July 11 disturbing headlines reflect the Department of Education's apparent disdain toward the orphan schools of the public school system, the immersion and charter schools.

Surely if there are underutilized schools in our state, these facilities should first be offered to the charter and immersion schools, which scramble for locations and have even held school outside under the trees.

Not only has equal money been denied these schools that seem to excite our students more than the "official public schools" but also potentially empty tax-paid available buildings.

Wow. Does the DOE fear their success so?

Give our positive struggling DOE orphans first choice.

PET-FRIENDLY

DLNR KEPT ITS WORD ON TRAIL, KA IWI PARK

I join the Hawaiian Humane Society (Letter, July 10) in thanking the Department of Land and Natural Resources for allowing pets on leashes in Ka Iwi Scenic Shoreline Park.

DLNR administrator Dan Quinn was open and responsive at the June 24 meeting of the Hawai'i Kai Neighborhood Board. The community turned out to say most park users act responsibly, and that it is unfair to punish many because of the actions of a few.

Quinn could have said "what's done is done," dragged his heels, formed a task force, or any number of all-too-familiar evasive tactics. Instead, he said, "I've heard you" and that he would restore permission for pets on leashes — not only on the Makapu'u Lighthouse trail, but to all of the Ka Iwi park.

DLNR has already changed the signs to permit pets on leashes, and has pledged to work with the community to help educate those few who had not acted responsibly.

It's still illegal to have unleashed pets and to not clean up after them. It's also illegal to litter. As many testified, a greater problem appears to be bottles, cans, fast-food containers and disposable diapers discarded along the trail.

DLNR kept its word. Now it's our turn to ensure that Ka Iwi park and the lighthouse trail are safe, clean and enjoyable for everyone.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

TEENS ARE CAPABLE OF ABSTAINING FROM SEX

Judith Clark's argument that because teens are going to have sex anyway we should just go ahead and tell them how to do it safely and provide them with condoms is a false and dangerous argument (Letter, June 16).

This is like telling them they shouldn't smoke, but if they do use filtered cigarettes, and oh by the way, I won't tell your parents.

I'm not sure where she got her data but according to the CDC, teen sexual activity has been declining over the past seven years, fewer than 43 percent ever engaged in sexual activity, and just one-third say they are currently sexually active.

Our teens are fully capable of abstaining from sexual activity, they just need the right motivation and guidance. Apparently, some parents and educators don't feel it is up to them to provide that correct motivation and guidance.

Reproductive health programs do not guarantee 100 percent safe sex, but no one has ever contracted AIDS or an STD by abstinence. Which one do you think is more effective?

VETO LIST

LEGISLATURE WASTED ITS TIME AND THE PUBLIC'S

That Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed 53 bills with only 17 overrides is another example of a Legislature out of control.

Use of the veto should be the exception not the rule. So many vetoes and so few overrides indicates that the lawmakers wasted their time and ours passing frivolous bills that they were not willing to support.

It is complete public posturing ostensibly to show some constituency that they are "working for the people."

Since we pay our lawmakers enough money to do some serious work, there must be some serious issues that have to be addressed. If not, then let's shorten the time in session through the Constitutional Convention and lower the lawmakers' salaries.

Let's have fewer vetoes and more emphasis by all on resolving the important issues.

CORRECTIONS SYSTEM

MORE PRISON BEDS NOT GOOD FOR COMMUNITY

Gov. Linda Lingle and our prison administrators want to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on tents for more prison beds when we suffer terrible prisoner recidivism rates. This tells us that our prisons do not work to stop criminal behavior.

Instead of learning about becoming good citizens and being crime-free in prison, many people are working on how to more successfully commit crimes.

Most people eventually get out of prison, and most of them come back to our community.

When people are not rehabilitated in prison, it hurts our community, not only in economic costs but emotionally too. Ask anyone who has been a crime victim, had a loved one incarcerated or been in prison about the pain that it causes.

What will it take for Gov. Lingle and our prison administrators to understand that more prison beds are not good for our community?

What will it take for taxpayers to demand that prison provide rehabilitation and that no more money should be spent on new prison beds?