Letters to the Editor

Kaneshiro starts new job poorly

A man willing to fire 11 deputy prosecutors, who have a combined 140 years of trial experience, one of whom has more homicide convictions than the outgoing city prosecutor, and then tries to have us (the voting public) believe that politics didn’t play a role in this decision, is obviously the wrong man for the job.

It is quickly becoming apparent that the voting public made a grave mistake, and that Keith Kaneshiro’s handling of this matter was done in what appears to be a most dishonorable way. Remember, first impressions are lasting. I have but one vote, but I can assure him that whoever runs against him in two years will get it.

Secularism best for all sides

There’s an easy way to settle the never-ending dispute about whether the U.S. Constitution requires a separation between religion and state: Read the text of the document.

The Constitution is an entirely secular document. The word "God" never appears in it. When it was written in 1787, it made only one reference to religion: "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

After ratification by the states, 10 amendments were added, known today as the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment stated: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …"

The framers of the Constitution had good reason to insist that our government remain neutral on the issue of religion. Having come from Europe, where state-sanctioned religions produced persecutions and wars between nations, they saw first-hand the destructive results when government takes sides in religious issues.

Having a wall of separation between religion and state protects both government and religion. The wisdom of this approach has been demonstrated ever since.

Election offers stark choices

As we consider going to the polls in November, the two basic choices in direction for our government seem to be coming into sharper contrast:

Do we hope our government will protect, support and care for us in more and more ways, requiring greater and greater intrusion into every aspect of our lives, or would we prefer to exercise our personal responsibility to maintain health, make reasonable decisions and find success to the extent our determination and abilities provide?

Thomas Jefferson wrote, "If we can but prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy."

Even President Gerald Ford, in what seems a very Jeffersonian moment almost 40 years ago, said in an address to a joint session of Congress, "A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have."

These are difficult times. Consider carefully, and exercise your right to vote.

Aiona counting votes too soon

The Republican heads are nuts to think that former Mufi Hannemann supporters would vote for James "Duke" Aiona for governor.

I voted for Hannemann because I was totally unhappy about the current Lingle/Aiona administration and wanted a change.

I wouldn’t even consider voting for Duke.

Why would I want to vote for someone who belongs to an administration that takes credit for the good things and blames everyone else for the failures, like Superferry and furloughs?

Rail routes don’t make sense

I and many others are not anti-rail. It’s the current proposed route that is wrong. This project needs to go to downtown Honolulu, Waikiki and the University of Hawaii. Those are the locations to which people drive everyday. It’s not rocket science; it’s blatantly obvious.

Inouye’s power on the wane

The latest election results indeed reflected a fresh breeze firmly blowing across the Hawaiian landscape.

It should be noted that those who lost were ones endorsed, officially or unofficially, by U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, who hitherto has reserved for himself a kind of hallowed imprimatur for the bestowal of the right to public office.

Clearly, with the selection of Neil Abercrombie for governor and Peter Carlisle for mayor, Inouye’s octogenarian stranglehold on power has ended.

As a registered voter, it is my fervent hope that his influence will not negatively affect the chances of Colleen Hanabusa against her opponent Charles Djou in the general elections.