Letters for Friday, July 17, 2009

• Construction tests burial treatment law

• Wailua corridor traffic

• New health bill

Construction tests burial treatment law

I am outraged, as a human being and citizen, that the intolerable conditions continue to exist as described in your excellent coverage on Kaua‘i (“Emotions unleashed,” The Garden Island, June 5), leaving me with unanswered haunting questions.

How is it possible, that the burial law is so weak, that an individual — in this case, Joseph Brescia — can make a decision, to proceed with building a house on top of ancient Native Hawaiian burials?

How is it possible that Nancy McMahon, chief Archaeologist for the State Historic Preservation Division, has the power to accept the developer’s plan without consulting with the burial council or Native Hawaiian organizations, as required under law?

And if it is “required under law,” has she been fired, arrested or at the very least a citation and/or disciplinary action?

You do not have to be Hawaiian to be horrified at the total disregard and disrespect, lack of consciousness and offensive decisions; we all need to be concerned.

James Baldwin, American author, said it best, back in the ‘70s, “…we must fight for your life as though it were our very own — which it is — and render with our bodies the corridor to the gas chamber, for, if they take you in the morning, they will be coming for us that night.”

How would we haoles feel if someone built a house on our parents’ grave?

I don’t have the answers as to what we should do, but I know in my heart that we should do something, if nothing more than a phone call or write a letter.

Roselyn Locke, Honolulu

Wailua corridor traffic

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following letter was received via e-mail at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. Roughly one hour later, according to county officials, a vehicle traveling through Wailua suffered a flat tire, lost control, and caused a head-on two-car collision, resulting in three injuries.

For many years I have observed the normal traffic flow between Hanama‘ulu and the Wailua Bridge. One thing that stands out is the large number of Kapa‘a-bound drivers in the traffic lane nearest the center, putting themselves and their passengers in unnecessary danger of a head-on collision with oncoming traffic.

By positioning themselves in the traffic lane nearest the center, there is no room to maneuver to avoid oncoming Lihu‘e-bound vehicles should they suffer equipment failure or a driver health issue that would cause their vehicle to cross the center line into oncoming Kapa‘a-bound traffic.

It is basic vehicle operating manners and in some cases the law across the U.S. to drive in the right lane of a highway unless you are passing.

This allows those that follow this standard highway etiquette additional time and room to avoid a head-on collision with any vehicle that crosses the center line.

Some drivers by driving side by side impeding the normal flow of traffic create dangerous situations for all by causing multiple cars to bunch up forming a cluster of frustrated drivers.

I strongly believe that if those driving in the Wailua corridor would adhere to the above proven traffic norms showing common courtesy to others, it would create a safer and quicker movement of traffic.

How about it everybody, change we can believe in?

Dick Godbehere, Kapa‘a

New health bill

I feel compelled to respond to the government’s approach to health care insurance. (“New bill would fine people refusing health coverage,” Page A3, July 3)

First of all, I am 79 years young, pushing the big 8-oh. I suffer from glowing good health, have no chronic aches or pains or ailments, and take no drugs. All this, I feel, because I stay away from doctors. I’ve been healing myself for over 40 years.

I have no health insurance and have never asked — nor would I ask — anyone to pay my medical or dental bills. I would accept nothing modern medicine has to offer to keep me in the zombie state in which they keep many seniors.

Chemotherapy out. All heroic measures out, even in case of accident. It is my life and I choose to die on my own time, thank you. I have, in my possession, a very powerful legal document, a living will, that addresses this in no uncertain terms.

I have used the money I would have given the often corrupt and outrageously expensive insurance companies to buy nutritious food and live a healthy, happy, productive life. I have used the time to learn to heal myself and will continue in this vein until it’s time to die. We all do that, you know.

I do hope, if this bill is passed, the government, in its wisdom, will exempt me from this piece of legislation. I’ve cost them nothing. I owe them nothing.

Bettejo Dux, Kalaheo