Letters To The Editor

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March 25, 2009 - MidWeek

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Civil unions for all

Here’s a different take on the subject of civil unions that should meet the needs of sides of the debate.

Equality is the issue. I am no historian, nor do I know what the basis is for the U.S. government to give special privileges to married people. I realize that many laws would need to be changed, but the end result would be the ultimate target of fairness.

All unions should be considered “civil unions” whether man and woman, man and man, or woman and woman. When couples want to form a union, they would get a permit as is currently done and then a civil swearing to this union would be performed by somebody authorized to administer oaths by the government, since the government is granting the privileges that go with the union.

Couples then would be recognized under all laws as joined into a union.

Once individuals enter into a civil union and are recognized by the government, these individuals could then have a “marriage” performed according to their religious belief.

But it would be the original civil union that forms the basis of the privileges granted by the government and not the marriage performed by their religious association.

That’s it - simple, equal for all concerned, and with traditional marriage for those who want it.

John P. Gallagher
Ewa Beach

Exposing Che

Every now and then Bob Jones makes me wonder just how liberal he really is. His recent column on Che Guevara is a case in point. Instead of celebrating the liberal icon, Jones honestly portrays Guevara as an egotistical zealot who was attached to a political ideal more than to the people.

In that he actually reminds me of Bush and the neocons.

Al James
Kailua

Malkin dishonest

Like so many conservatives, Michelle Malkin loves to cherry pick her facts.

Blasting Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her use of military aircraft cleverly avoids mentioning that her predecessor, Republican Dennis Hastert, used military aircraft far more, and often with his cronies along.

And it was President Bush who after 9/11 decreed that the House Speaker, as No. 3 in line of succession to be president after the vice president, and as such should have the relative protection of flying military craft.

The occasional valid point Ms. Malkin makes is seriously diluted with this kind of intellectual dishonesty.

Anna Lee
Honolulu

Truth in SNL skit

Thanks to Rick Hamada for seeing that Saturday Night Live skit with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for what it was - satire, based on reality. Was it over the top? Slightly, perhaps, but the truth remains: People coming to visit our Islands are served by local people who have generally low-paying jobs in the tourist industry and from time to time can’t help feeling some resentment at visitors and their money.

Mark Rezents
Honolulu

Stimulus outrage

As an independent voter, I much prefer Patrick Buchanan’s columns to his often bombastic style on TV. His recent MidWeek column regarding giving jobs created by the federal “stimulus” bills states the case well, and reading it, I was outraged.

I had so hoped that the age of incompetence and insensitivity was gone with the Bush administration, but now I fear it is a national sickness.

Lois Yamada
Manoa

Good goddess

I was so pleased to see Amy Alkon’s “Advice Goddess” column back in MidWeek. Her column is one of my favorite parts of the paper. She gives good, no-nonsense advice, seems to do quite a bit of research, and she’s very witty.

Dana Alvarez
Nuuanu

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