Letters To The Editor

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February 21, 2007 - MidWeek

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Admit Iraq defeat

Bob Jones is right on the money in his “Iraq Fixes” column: “Admit defeat, pull out.”

We have created our own defeat. Our destruction of that poor country has been so miserable, and we have created so many revenge-thirsting enemies, that no Humvees, no Black Hawks, no Sherman tanks, and no new “surge” can conquer their death-defying strong beliefs. We are defeated already, and the sooner we realize and acknowledge it, the better for all of us.

Come clean, declare defeat and go home. That would be the first word of truthfulness coming out of the Bush administration since the beginning of the war. Weapons of mass destruction, uranium from Niger, situation is improving, and “Mission Accomplished.” There is no end to those lies.

Admit defeat. At least we leave with an expression of honesty. It may even render some respect for us around the world.

Even then we will have to live with our guilt that we have permitted such wholesale destruction and slaughter.

Gerhard C. Hamm

Waialae Iki

My. Hypocrite

Rick Hamada continues to be a poster boy of hypocrisy.

How can Hamada be a credible advocate for democracy in the middle east when Hamada chastises Lt. Watada for seeking a fair hearing as guaranteed by our Constitution in our democratic government.

In stark contrast to Hamada, Lt. Watada is the true hero defending our Constitution. Lt. Watada swore to uphold the Constitution and disobey unlawful orders which, as our media is slowly revealing, Bush had drummed up in the Iraqi fiasco.

Adam Lee

Honolulu

Civics education

I’m writing in response to Bob Jones’ column about spelling bees. While I’m not strongly opposed to spelling bees, I do want to take the opportunity to promote a civic education program that definitely does develop the kind of critical thinking that Mr. Jones calls for. I’m the state coordinator for the We the People, the Citizen and the Constitution. Students in this congressionally funded national program study a curriculum that explores the principles and philosophy of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. On Feb. 10, teams from Iolani, Mililani, Kahuku, Lahainaluna and the Ho’opala Home School Alliance compete at Kapiolani Community College for the privilege of representing Hawaii at the national We the People competition in Washington, D.C. Issues range from the influence of the natural rights philosophy on our government and the value of an independent judiciary to First Amendment religious issues and due process.

I believe in the value of the We the People program. I’ve seen the difference it can make in students’ ability to think critically and prepare themselves effectively for the role of citizenship in a democracy. I’d like to involve more of our students in this civic education project. For more information you can contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Sandra Cashman

State Coordinator We the People, the Citizen and the Constitution

Refreshing MW

My husband and I are here in Hawaii for two years as LDS missionaries, teaching at BYUHawaii.We love it here.

We are also so happy to be receiving the MidWeek paper, and the wonderful open thought that it allows.

We are so weary of the controlled media in television and most papers, that it is refreshing to hear open forum.

Bonnie Marshall

Laie

Send your letters to MidWeek Letters, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 500, Honolulu, HI. 96813; by fax to 585-6324, or by email to dchapman@midweek.com. Please include your name, address and daytime and evening phone numbers. We print only the letters that include this information, but only your name and area of residence will appear in print. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.