Letters To The Editor
April 05, 2006 - MidWeek
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Del.icio.usThe PR mayor
Being kind of a political nut, the first thing I read every week are columns by Bob Jones and Dan Boylan. Both nailed it perfectly last week.
Mr. Jones asks why Mufi Hannemann’s hand is so shaky, so inexperienced at the helm compared to Frank Fasi and Jeremy Harris. Maybe he’s too busy pumping out press releases and starring in PSAs on TV. For those with short memories, Hannemann made a career while on the City Council of accusing Harris of being a media hog. In my mind, our mayor has set a new record in promoting himself by press release. Something, I might add, his press secretary will deny without dealing with. (Note to Bob: Check the press releases on the city’s web site. Compare 2004, Harris’ last full year, with 2005, Hannemann’s first full year. See who has the most “Look what I’m doing!” Get ‘em before Mufi orders them removed.
Mr. Boylan notes he (as well as mayoral aspirants Mufi Hannemann and Duke Bainum) used to hammer Harris for the potholes while he was in office, not accepting the response that it was the rain. Here we are almost 15 months into Mufi’s administration, it’s raining and we have lots of potholes. Boylan says, maybe it’s the rain after all.
I can just imagine the wailing at Honolulu Hale.
Jason Kokaaina
Waipahu
Democratic jackpot
Too honest for Bob Jones? DLNR Chairperson Peter Young inherited many issues from the prior, inept Democratic administrations.
It takes more than four years to correct 40 years of the old boys’ mess. Mr. Jones is apparently a dinosaur who desires to resurrect the same kind of politicians who created these problems.
If you want to take pokes at folks who are responsible for today’s mess, look back a few years, close your eyes and pull a few names from the Democratic hat. Jackpot!
Dave Thompson
Waimanalo
Both sides now
Regarding Eric Rosenfeld’s letter “Haole diversity”:
He states how “officially ignorant of race and ethnicity” the state of Hawaii is because it does not ask Caucasians to spell out their exact ethnicity, while Asians are. I wonder why I have to choose a minority race when my grandfather migrated to California many years ago. I would be completely satisfied if I could just identify myself as an American citizen. On the Mainland, It is assumed if you are white (even if you’ve just migrated), then you are an American. I have also seen the same of men of African citizenship taken for granted as Americans.
But when it comes to someone like myself, a man of Japanese heritage, there have been too many times to count where I was assumed to be a foreigner. Mr. Rosenfeld seems to have forgotten that America is a stolen land built by racism and division. These systems are instilled into our everyday lives. I hope he will open his eyes and see what minorities truly face each day. Here in Hawaii where everyone is a minority, Mr. Rosenfeld has gotten a taste of what life means to an American of color.
Brian Kasai
Mililani
A free Afghanistan?
I sincerely congratulate Jerry Coffee for sharing the wisdom of Haim Harari in his last two columns. In my opinion, Harari’s views are profound, insightful and accurate, deserving wide dissemination.
At the same time I’d like to congratulate Michele Malkin for her intelligent commentary on a closely related issue, “This Is Why We’re In Afghanistan,” troubling as that is.
Troubling in part, according to Malkin’s quote of Tony Perkins: “How can we congratulate ourselves for liberating Afghanistan only to be ruled by Islamists who kill Christians?” - alluding to the death penalty demanded for Abdul Rahman who voluntarily converted to Christianity. The demand was not by a small minority of fanatics or extremists, but by an entire nation of Islamic fanatics.
Rahman’s only salvation from official execution, or alternatively by mob violence to physically tear him apart, was to be declared crazy by Afghan authorities and quickly and discreetly hustled out of the country.
Seems to me it will take the best of us to craft a peaceful and intellectually tolerable scheme to allow coexistence with murderously disgusting philosophies.
Gene Leupp
Honolulu
Speaking of facts
Is Ramsis Lutfy trying to take a swipe at Jerry Coffee or to just present historical inaccuracies where Mr. Lutfy claims that “Coffee indulges in twisting facts and creating non-existent images”?
While I don’t always agree with Mr. Coffee, I do take offense to misrepresenting history due to a lack of research.
If only Mr. Lutfy would care to look all the way back into history instead of stopping at the so-called theft of Palestinian land 58 years ago when the United Nations (with a push from President Truman) re-established a homeland for the Israelites after the “War to end all wars” (WWII). If Mr. Lutfy would only care to look before Christ’s time then it would be clear that the Israelites were the ones who were originally run out of town.
So before taking a stance based on fact please take the time to at least know what those facts are.
J.D. Cox
Kailua
Mission of hate
Regarding Jerry Coffee’s unfortunate mission of hate and misinformation about Muslims, Palestine and Israel, I really have to question MidWeek’s choice of this writer who offers nothing regarding a better world, only more hate and misinformation.
This week Friends of Sabeel Hawaii, AFSC-Hi., Jewish Voices for Peace Hawaii, St. Clement’s Global Ministry, Crossroads Missions Team for Peace & Justice, Hawaii Peoples Fund are sponsoring Christian Peacemaker Team, Jerry and Sis Levin, from Hebron/Bethlehem. They will speak on “Myths, Propaganda and Annexation in Palestine & Israel.”
I urge Mr. Coffee and your readers to attend. The Levins, I am certain, will have a different perspective on Muslims.
Here’s the schedule: April 5, 7 p.m., Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Kailua; April 6, 11:45 a.m., UH Kuykendall Hall;
April 7, 7 p.m., Church of the Crossroads; April 8, 2 p.m., Harris United Methodist Church.
Patricia Blair
Kailua
Getting it right
Just wanted to drop you a line about the article on Buffalo’s Bigboard contest written by Lisa Asato. I was glad to see a great article done on the event. I stayed for two weeks for the event as one of the sponsors. I had a chance to meet the Keaulanas, Desotos and the rest of the ohana, and was taken in by everyone’s hospitality. It was great to see that Ms. Asato conveyed what I was living for the two weeks I was in town. I hope MidWeek will continue publishing articles like this one.
Shawn Maxfield
Carlsbad, Calif.
Thanks for a laugh
What a relief to laugh out loud while reading W. Bruce Cameron’ s column “The Lumps Of Couch Warfare.” You can never have enough humorous articles for these rainy days and nights.
Carlino Giampolo
Honolulu
A buzz for Buzzy
Oh my God, Buzzy Kerbox (Old Friends, March 29) is still hot! I remember him from those Ralph Lauren/Polo ads, and he is still one handsome man. And with his gorgeous wife and three sons, it looks like life is as good for him on Maui as it is for me and my family.
Thanks for catching me up with a long-ago crush.
Sarah Yamamoto-Lee
Kaimuki
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