• Aloha is alive and well
•The Oath of Office
•Health care finance
•Racism is everywhere
Aloha is alive and well
Due to health, my husband, Bob, couldn’t bring his golf clubs with us on this visit to your beautiful island. A friend advertised to find a used set of golf clubs he could rent or buy. We care for her home and pets while she is away.
A wonderful man I’ll call Aloha Ed spoke with Bob while we were still home and said he had a set for him to use. We were elated! We live on a fixed income and now Bob can golf while we are here helping a friend.
When we (all perfect strangers to him) picked up the clubs upon our arrival, he wouldn’t take any money or anything to assure we would return his very nice clubs. Aloha Ed said “no, your handshake is good enough.”
Aloha Ed is a hope monger and a peddler of grace who epitomizes the Aloha Spirit we have always witnessed while visiting Kaua‘i.
Marlene Osborn, Mesa, Ariz.
The Oath of Office
During Board of Ethics meeting Thursday, I received my official Oath of Office document, stamped with impressive seals from both the state and county, presented in protective frame delivered from the clerk’s office through Office of Boards and Commissions — another reminder of my appreciation for the opportunity to serve publicly, to give private thanks to others who have done so selflessly and skillfully.
I found this moment poignant, considering the tasks and challenges facing the Board.
Printed clearly on the freshly embossed document, signed by me in contract with you, is the following:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Hawai‘i, the Charter of the County of Kaua‘i and that I will faithfully discharge my duties as a Member of the Board of Ethics of the County of Kaua‘i to the best of my abilities.”
Later, my 9-year-old daughter asked me what the framed oath paper meant. The glimmering gold county seal sparked particular curiosity. I told her to raise her right hand and I gave her the oath.
She then asked me, “What happens to someone who does not do what the oath says?”
I replied that I had been thinking seriously about that question too.
“Sometimes serious punishment, sometimes nothing,” I added. “Why?” she continued. I could only answer simply, “It’s very complicated. Some people take their promises seriously while others do not, after time I think few people lose their way a little.”
“Okay, Daddy”, she said, “I hope you remember your way and keep your promises.”
Rolf Bieber, Kapa‘a
Health care finance
The governor is planning to veto HB 1504, which would study how the state could offer universal health insurance to all Hawaiians, and save the state millions of dollars.
I am currently doing Obstetrics in Waimea and would strongly encourage Gov. Lingle to look to health care reform as an additional solution to the financial crisis.
To my knowledge, every time a cost analysis has been done either on a state or national level regarding single-payer health care delivery, cost savings are expected with single-payer delivery. All other arrangements, including the status quo, are more expensive and do not provide universal health care access.
Major physician groups, and more importantly, the majority of the population, support a single-payer system of health care delivery. We need to stop “throwing money” at our low-quality, inefficient and inequitable health care delivery method and fix the problem.
Hawai‘i is in a perfect position to lead the way, plus the state desperately needs to save the money.
The governor in Canada who began that country’s change over to a single-payer system in Saskatchewan in the 1950s is heralded as a national hero. This is a tremendous opportunity to create history and a better life for Hawaiians.
Graham Chelius, MD, Waimea
Racism is everywhere
Celeste Bordner’s letter to the editor concerning racism (“Racism hurts us all,” June 9) brings up an issue of great concern. Apparently locals gave her stink eye because she and her husband are white.
Being from Valley Springs, Calif., where the population is 83.7 percent white, I suppose Ms. Bordner felt allienated as much as poeple of color who visit Valley Springs.
I wonder if she is concerned about racism in Valley Springs as she is about it on Kaua‘i? Racism is wrong anywhere and deserves to be mentioned everywhere.
Eduardo Valenciana, Lihu‘e
