Letters to the Editor for Tuesday — March 02, 2004

• Thanks

• Call for tolerance

Thanks

We would like to thank our family, friends, The Wailua Houselots community, and the Kauai Police Department, especially the officers who were on duty the two days we were looking for my mom. and also to the HPD officers who came from Oahu with their search dog. And everyone else who helped in the search for our mom Arlene Iida. There were so many of you that helped thank you so much.

We really appreciate all your love, support, and prayers. Thank you to the Garden Island newspaper. Kong radio, and the t.v. stations that covered the story . We are all so happy that she is safe at home with us.

Thank you very much:

Larry Iida & Family

Call for tolerance

I wonder if there are other Forum readers who have noticed a deplorable trend of late. Some of the letters published in The Garden Island seem to promote dangerous racial and ethnic stereotypes – mainly directed against “newcomers from the mainland” and/or “haoles.”

I have studied a bit of history, and fail to see much difference between this unfair and prejudicial rhetoric and the disgusting parallel practiced in Nazi Germany. Hitler’s supporters were quite successful in convincing their “fellow Germans” that all their troubles were due to the Jews. The Jews were portrayed as controlling the land, businesses, and financial institutions. Personal hardships by the German “locals” were blamed on the Jews, who became ostracized as the more well-off “outsiders” and the ones responsible.

I doubt we will ever see a repeat of the horrible outcome which followed. But do we really want to perpetuate misguided and unfair stereotypes which make it much harder for our future generations to respect each other?

Kaua‘i is part of a free country. To criticize and trash entire ethnic groups, based upon the small number who are merely exercising freedoms guaranteed under our Constitution, only promotes dissention and hard feelings. It would be far more productive to take your gripes to the government officials who create and enforce our zoning and land-use laws.

Mahalo and Aloha for tolerance,

Tom Brown

Kapa‘a