Letters To The Editor
February 07, 2007 - MidWeek
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In his column “The Truth About Tampa’s HOT Lanes,” Jerry Coffee partially quoted me from a commentary which I had written for a local newspaper - “partially” because without quoting me completely Mr. Coffee’s column could be misleading to readers. To pick and choose only small portions of my opinions may possibly distort what I had originally intended to say. Also, it may further this large divide between the “proautomobile/anti-rail people” such as Mr. Coffee, and the forward thinking “alternative to automobile” people like myself. We are committed and concerned for future generations, not just for ourselves and our current situation.
Mr. Coffee partially combines two important points which I had made into only one point, essentially obscuring what I had tried to convey. First, I had written “Those who continue to question whether rail transit will actually reduce traffic congestion still completely and utterly miss the point of a rail system on Oahu.” Here is where Mr. Coffee stops with my quote and deletes the following: “Simply put, we need a rail system to offer an alternative to the automobile.”
Mr. Coffee also quoted these words: “To actually believe that automobile traffic will ever get better on Oahu is to be completely delusional.” What was conveniently left out was the next sentence in which I proclaimed: “We could build as many roads, toll-ways, freeways, ferry systems and rail systems as can possibly fit onto our tiny island, yet still the fact remains: there are simply too many cars and too many people, and lots more of both on the way in the future.”
Perhaps what Mr. Coffee should have quoted of me is the following from the same commentary: “The real issue which should be at the forefront of our transportation problem is not when, or if, we should build a rail system, but rather how to build a rail system properly. Any rail system built on Oahu simply must be serviced directly by a standardized fleet of taxi cabs and buses. We need to model and operate our system the way that rail systems operate all over Japan and Singapore. Every station must have a taxi queue and a bus terminal on site. These stations would serve as transportation hubs to neighborhoods all across Oahu. This system works for millions of people across the world every day, and it will work for us here if done properly. All it takes is a little imagination, a lot of money and the will to change. Let’s do this for our children.”
Michael J. Lauck
Honolulu
Liberals everywhere
Like letter writer Armando Mejia Takara, I too get sick of all the Dan Boylan, Keith Haugen, and Nancy Bey Little comments. It’s sad that they all seem to have no life so they constantly send letters to MidWeek with their Bush-bashing. What ever happened to respect for the office and respect for people in general? Of all places, I thought Hawaii had respect and didn’t stoop to the levels that the Mainland does.
I would add editor Don Chapman to that list of liberal offenders for two reasons. First, he continually publishes their letters. Second, he hired Boylan! ‘Nuff said or I’ll also be disrespectful just like Boylan, Haugen and Little. I don’t want to stoop to their levels.
G. L. Kauai
Pearl City
Note: Mr. Boylan was writing for MidWeek before the current editor came aboard.
Muslim tolerance?
The letter from Frances Wong requesting tolerance for radical Muslims would be much more meaningful if she went into, say, the madrassas of Pakistan and brought that message of tolerance to al Qaeda operatives - the ones sworn to destroying America and our tolerant way of life. She’d likely have her head chopped off.
Mike Lee
Honolulu
Obama’s followers
The problem with people like G.D. Tollinchi - as displayed in his/her letter “Lay off Obama” - is that they mistake informed discourse for “slander.” Sen. Obama is running for president, and he and his followers should know that with that decision comes incredible scrutiny, for good and obvious reasons.
As for the assertions that Obama is liberal and lacks experience, Mr./Ms. Tollinchi says “even if these views had an element of truth to them ...” Uh, it’s not a matter of an element of truth - both claims are completely accurate. Don’t blame those who point out the truth.
Dean Jackson
Honolulu
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