• Pflueger needs no defending • Censoring Christmas Carols • On airport incidents • Drug test teachers • On Hawaiian sovereignty Pflueger needs no defending I respect Mr. (James) Pflueger (“Defends Pflueger,” Letters, Dec. 19), I am thankful for what he
• Pflueger needs no defending
• Censoring Christmas Carols
• On airport incidents
• Drug test teachers
• On Hawaiian sovereignty
Pflueger needs no defending
I respect Mr. (James) Pflueger (“Defends Pflueger,” Letters, Dec. 19), I am thankful for what he has done for Hawai‘i, and most of all, I am honored because he is part of Hawai‘i’s history in a positive way.
I want no mistake. I do not dishonor the man, I do not disrespect him in any way but write only to clarify the law in terms of responsibility for the Kaloko Dam.
Unless the law has changed recently, responsibility for the management and repair of any water facility, such as the Kaloko Dam, falls on the owner, who is primarily responsible for the facility in every way.
Perhaps the state and county governments’ only responsibility was (or is) to enforce the law.
Government officials should have made inspections and reported any unsafe aspects of the facility. Government officials also should have noticed the filling of the spillway and required the owner to correct the situation — to return the spillway to its original state.
I hope that my letter has dispelled some misunderstanding. If I am incorrect in my understanding of the law, please let me know.
• Sonny Gerardo, Lihu‘e
Censoring Christmas Carols
Banning Christian Christmas music (“On religious Christmas carols,” Letters, Dec. 20) would promote attitudes of censorship, intolerance, and strife.
The separation of Church and State is just keeping the State out of the business of running churches. Churches in America have flourished under this system. Other countries with State-sponsored churches (the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada, for example) have seen their churches languish.
This great concept should not be confused with trying to separate religion and state. The state’s function is inherently religious. The state’s primary role is to establish order, which involves laws. Laws are a statement of what is right and wrong, which are religious questions.
Since it is impossible to separate religion from the state, the question is only which religion will influence the state.
The primary alternatives to our Christian-based government are atheistic approaches, like Hitler’s fascism or Stalin’s communism, or Islam-based Sharia law.
Personally, I don’t like death camps, gulags, or forcing all women to wear veils.
America’s Christian-based government has produced one of the most tolerant, free, harmonious, and prosperous societies the world has ever seen. We should be grateful for our heritage, not try to attack it, unless you really want death camps or polygamy.
Rather than censorship, let’s have a variety of Holiday music, with a little something for everyone. You can enjoy your pagan “Deck the Halls” or children’s tune “Frosty the Snowman.”
I (along with the 85 percent of Americans who are Christian) can enjoy “Silent Night” or “Joy to the World.”
• Mark Beeksma, Koloa
On airport incidents
Why so many incidents of unrest at the Kaua‘i airport (“Week of unfriendly skies,” The Garden Island, Dec. 20)?
The last week has brought chaos to Kaua‘i’s Lihu‘e Airport. The first was when a 55-year-old man assaulted two flight attendants.
The second incident was an entire family letting their children run wild during a flight, believing their little ones were just so cute, but disturbing everyone else.
It was a real life incident of “kids gone wild.”
And the third and most recent is a 22-year-old male taking his aggressions out on a kiosk and having to be restrained.
The reason everyone is going crazy at Lihu‘e Airport is we have no other way to travel long distance in or out of Kaua‘i.
Residents and visitors are traumatized by having to rely on air travel for all off island travel.
These problems will only get worse until such time as an alternative means of travel is introduced. Airports are stressful places with security checks, arriving early, not being able to carry bottled water, or even a nail clipper.
I know a sure way to ease the tensions at the airport: Bring back da Superferry!
• James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
Drug test teachers
We as parents work very hard and pay taxes. Part of that tax money is to pay professionals to assist us in teaching our children to become successful in life.
We also put our trust in teachers to enforce a drug-free environment for our children while in their care (“State, teachers still arguing over random drug testing,” The Garden Island, Dec. 20).
In every profession, there are requirements and rules, such as drug testing. Drug testing in every profession is to ensure that one is performing their work duties with a clear mind and to prevent incidents or accidents from happening.
We as parents and citizens have seen the destruction or harm that one can do while using illegal drugs.
So on that note, let’s continue to enforce a drug-free environment in our schools and let drug testing in the school systems begin with teachers.
Drug testing is painless. As a professional teachers should meet the drug testing requirements. Drug test now!
• Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
On Hawaiian sovereignty
These are times that try men’s … pocketbooks. For Hawaiians, these are times that stretch their souls to the utmost limits.
With the Lingle Administration’s drive for absolute rule, the State of Hawai’i intends to suborn its way into total possession of the crown and government lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom which rightfully belong to Hawaiians, legally and morally (“U.S. opposes Native Hawaiian land claims,” The Garden Island, Dec. 20).
State of Hawai’i vs. Office of Hawaiian Affairs now before the U.S. Supreme Court may backfire on the state.
• Keahi Felix, Keaau
