Teachers have right to engage in politics

Whether or not a Hawaii State Teachers Association endorsement is efficacious is questionable ("Teachers union backs Ige over Abercrombie for governor," Star-Advertiser, Feb. 17).

In the last election, we endorsed Neil Abercrombie before any other union, yet that didn’t make a difference in contract negotiations. The disappointment over how he treated us is enough to make you not want to get involved, like a scorned lover saying, "I’ll never date again!"

But to not get involved is to be blind to the reality that public education and politics are inextricably connected.

Unionized teachers taking a stand for a candidate (in their free time, not in their classrooms) who they believe may serve public education better than another, is taken by some as offensive. They tell us, just teach, don’t speak up.

Now that’s offensive.

As a citizen, I want to make an informed decision. My union has a responsibility to vet candidates on my behalf. It is my responsibility to verify if this candidate deserves my vote.

Diane Aoki
Teacher, Kealakehe Elementary School
Kona, Hawaii island

Hanohano is part of system she loathes

State Rep. Faye Hanohano is sending conflicting messages.

Her righteous efforts to inform the public about the shameful actions of the U.S. and haoles in general in oppressing the Hawaiian people and stealing their lands are contradicted by the fact that she’s a representative working within the same imperialistic government system that overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy.

Auwe! She gets paid in the coin of the enemy American dollars. Surely she must know that this is money collected, in part, from Native Hawaiians through taxation forced on them by their oppressors.

Hanohano should stay true to her beliefs by refusing to work with malihini and other non-Hawaiians, and resign immediately from the Legislature.

Sean Goodspeed
Ala Moana

Religious freedom’ is code for anti-gay

In response to "Rhoads ignored email requests," (Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 19), our political system is not badly broken and religious freedoms were not eroded after last year’s special legislative session.

If you don’t want to attend or officiate at a gay wedding, you don’t have to. You have that right. There are plenty of others who will arrange, provide facilities for, officiate, and even bake wedding cakes for same-sex marriages.

If what proponents of House Bill 1624, the Hawaii Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2014, really want is further codification of their rights to discriminate against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons, just move to Nigeria, Russia or Uganda.

Thomas Dickey
Salt Lake

Independent party unlikely to succeed

I would like to know what planet Mufi Hannemann is on.

He said, "Most people consider themselves independent. They don’t always necessarily vote straight ticket Democrat orRepublican. They go for the person, rather than the party" ("Ex-mayor mulls gubernatorial run," Star-Advertiser, Feb. 20).

Anyone who has lived in Hawaii for any length of time knows that the majority of the voters who do go to the polls vote the straight Democratic ticket, regardless of the person’s qualifications.

That is why we have only one Republican in the Senate out of 26 and only six Republicans out of 50 in the House of Representatives, and no Independents.

Figures don’t lie.

Fred Remington
Kapolei

Rail plans still involve traffic mitigation

A recently published letter claimed falsely that the focus of the rail project "seems to have changed from traffic mitigation to transit-oriented development" ("Original goal of rail has been cast aside," Star-Advertiser, Feb. 20).

This paranoid deduction is based on the decision to end the train system at Ala Moana Center rather than the University of Hawaii at Manoa a decision recently endorsed by the federal court.

The abandonment of the UH terminus was dictated by the need to bring the cost of the system down to less onerous proportions.

It was estimated that going to UH-Manoa would have cost another billion dollars.

Ala Moana Center makes more sense than UH because it is the commercial center of Oahu and theisland’s transit hub as well.

Commuters to downtown jobs can debark at stations along the way. UH students and workers in Waikiki can complete their trips by bus.

Nothing could be further from the truth than abandonment of traffic mitigation as the project’s goal.

Carl H. Zimmerman
Salt Lake

FROM THE FORUM

Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.

“Teachers union backs Ige over Abercrombie for governor,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 17:

>> The Hawaii State Teachers Association leadership is acting like kids. They didn’t get their way because Gov. Neil Abercrombie had to deal with the massive budget deficit he inherited from the Lingle administration before anything else. Challenger Sen. David Ige offers the HSTA a lollipop and they fall for it.

>> The teachers usually get duped by all governors. Ige will be no different.

———

“New police cameras note license plates,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 17:

>> For a few thousand dollars in computer software, police could be removing uninsured drivers with this scanning system — if the state Legislature would implement the data-sharing system used in over 20 other states connecting insurance providers with the Department of Motor Vehicles and subsequently the police.

>> Police State coming.

>> It’s here. The National Security Agency scoops up every little data imaginable over the ether.

>> Better than a criminal state.

>> Bet you’re looking forward to that whole drone thing coming, eh?

>> This can be used for so many “good” reasons — flagging “subversives,” retroactive surveillance, even taking the informal system that cops have now for targeting people who annoy them and making it so every single time you pass a cop you get pulled over and ticketed or harassed.

———

“1 Niihau person would set kapu under fishing bill,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 18:

>> Two miles out? Give me a break. If I have a beachfront property — any place in the islands — do I get to reserve two miles out from my beachfront? No. And even if I could, would that be fair? The only reason this bill will pass is because the local fishermen do not have the resources of the Robinsons.

>> It’s a matter of survival. Niihau residents need the protein from the fish. The rest of Kauai can go to the supermarket.

———

“Ducks sweep up at UH,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 18:

>> Instead of the usual bashing of Coach Mike Trapasso and how weak the team is, there are some bright spots that need to be recognized.

>> Of course there are some bright spots. But the reality is that this head coach is pulling the wool over our eyes. He is outmatched as a head coach, is unprepared, as we saw this weekend, and just says the things that people want to hear. The only thing that will save this season are teams like Albany, N.Y. Tech, etc. It’ll be another long season in the Big West.

———

“Hanohano abuses authority, DLNR says,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 19:

>> Rep. Faye Hanohano will remain unfazed because her expressions about genocide and the stealing of Hawaiian lands by American white men is well documented in history and is the firm belief of her constituents.

>> Where are you getting this “genocide” nonsense from? And the only people who stole Hawaiian land were the royalty who sold it.

>> There is no excuse for a public official to create a hostile workplace by attacking others based upon their age, the color of their skin or their place of origin.

>> Unfortunately, our democratic form of government and the First Amendment work both ways and allow anyone to express their opinion without fear of retribution. Rep. Faye Hanohano is entitled to her own opinion like anyone else.

>> But she is not entitled to be a committee chairwoman. She should be removed from the position for this inappropriate behavior.

———

“Green light: Two victories in court remove major hurdles to the rail plan,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 19:

>> Sad day for Hawaii taxpayers and the aina. Happy day for corrupt politicians, bankers, Italy, paid pro-rail bloggers, construction companies, concrete makers, steel makers, short-term laborers, a few tourists and a handful of Westsiders.

>> The courts properly ruled the lawsuits were without merit. This colossal waste of time cost taxpayers time and money. I’m glad to see this stalling tactic to try and increase the cost of the project is over. Time to say “yes” to Honolulu’s transportation future.

>> People have always been apprehensive about new rail transit projects but they never regret them after they are built. Now we will become a world-class city with state-of-the-art transit. We will ride on a sleek new train with beautiful views while passing the cars stuck in gridlock.

>> Yep, now we can view the top of the heads of the homeless taking up residence in our “world-class city.” Can’t wait.