Letters To The Editor
January 17, 2007 - MidWeek
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Del.icio.usNatural reality
I am disappointed with Robert Novak’s column “Playing Climate-change Politics.” His myopic focus on the monetary costs of responsible stewardship for the planet we depend on is both one-sided and short-sighted. Industry is helpless to respond unless it chooses to proactively transform itself into an industry that follows the natural laws of the universe in which we live. It is not simply the opinion of radical “greens” (is that supposed to be an epithet?) that business as usual is bad for the planet, including humans (rich and poor), and therefore unacceptable. We are dealing with reality here. What industry can do is innovate. Those who adapt and innovate will prosper. Their stockholders and employees will benefit. Those innovators will not have to fear the scary “greens” and all their “propaganda” about natural limits and other such undeniable facts. They will profit from working with nature rather than against it. I feel sorry for those who live with fears that overshadow their reason and imagination.
Deva Gatica
Nuuanu
Maligning Muslims
This is to respond to your read-er’s letter (Al Martinez, Honolulu dated Jan. 3, 2007). Too bad Mr. Martinez had not done his homework before writing this inflammatory and untrue letter. The most Muslim-populated country in the world, Indonesia, has 90 percent of its approximately 240 million people who are Muslims. Of this 90 percent, I guarantee 99.9999 percent of the Muslim population do not want to kill Americans, because it is against the Islamist teachings! This goes true with the second-largest Muslim-populated country in the world, India. In the United States alone, there are about 7 million Muslim Americans, and I guarantee you 99.9999999 percent of this population segment do not want to kill fellow Americans. So, please, we don’t need these kind of inflammatory remarks printed in the newspaper in the already volatile situation. What we need is for more people to be educated on understanding Islam and not be afraid of it. When the Catholics in Ireland terrorize and kill the non-Catholics, do we ever express that most Catholics want to kill the Northern Irish? Or what about the Oklahoma bombing - did we ever express the bomber as “the Protestant bomber”? I don’t think so.
Rosita Sipirok-Siregar
Makakilo
Broken Trust redux
Mahalo to Jerry Coffee and other writers for their viewpoints on cheaper alternatives to rail transit, such as the HOV lanes, lane-coning on most major thoroughfares during peak traffic, toll roads and so on. I, as a taxpayer and an active citizen, think our hard-earned dollars are being spent without much fiduciary oversight, kind of like Broken Trust all over again, if you will.
I think our federal taxes are going up, in large part, to pay for the War on Terror. Then, our local excise tax goes up 12.5 percent, a gallon of gas goes up 11 cents, property tax real estate assessments are going up through the roof as the housing market begins to decline from a peak, and the price of gas is probably not going to go back down anytime soon. We already have to maintain our roads with our public monies; maybe we will not be able to afford the rail transit and it would fall into disrepair, like many of our schools during hard economic times. The economy is good, tax revenues are good - so the political hacks spend like all get out.
I think it would be fun to find out how much money these contractors who want to build the rail transit gave in “campaign contributions” to all the political hacks.
Phil Robertson
Honolulu
Greedy government
If any are left who believe the City and County of Honolulu is their friend, it is time to wake up. We are being ripped off by thieves who are unfairly raising our taxes and fees. For example, my 2007 Property Assessment increased more than 21 percent in order for them to justify an increase in taxes. Certified Management fees for 2007 have increased 27.1 percent so that they can pay increased insurance charges, and increased water and sewer fees that apparently have been raised by the City and County to a more greedy level. Incidentally, all of these increases in taxes and fees will be passed on by property owners to renters, and a new generation of homeless will be created by our compassionate government. You can appeal your property tax assessment until Jan. 16, but to do that, you must deposit another $25 into the City and County’s greedy pot.
James Lee
Kapolei
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