Peaceful protest is a constitutional right

Jay Fidell has a problem with Molokai ("Molokai cannot be allowed to isolate itself from Oahu," Star-Advertiser, Think Tech, Dec. 6).

Before you criticize us, look around you, Mr. Fidell. You live on Oahu where freeways are bumper-to-bumper, murders are common, tourist dollars mostly benefit the "1 percent" huge corporations, cement covers the ‘aina, beaches are closed due to sewage spills, tall buildings block out the ocean and the mountains, and Hawaiian culture is almost extinct. Today, Honolulu looks just like New York City, Mr. Fidell’s original hometown.

That’s not how Oahu was when I was growing up on Molokai and attending high school at Kamehameha. All of this over-develop- ment happened because nobody spoke out against it.

Molokai is different because the people who live here have the guts to stand up against all the things that have ruined Oahu.

If you really think that the First Amendment doesn’t protect a peaceful protest in Kaunakakai Harbor, then you may want to re-read the Constitution.

Walter Ritte
Hoolehua homesteader

Hawaii deserves better than Tom Berg

City Councilman Tom Berg is an embarrassment to the City and County of Honolulu and the people of the state of Hawaii.

His bizarre behavior at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, as well his inappropriate behaviors during neighborhood board meetings, and at all of the board meetings on the west side, indicate that he either needs anger management or drug and alcohol counseling.

The people of Hawaii deserve better of their public servants.

Butch Lutte
Honolulu

Councilman Berg passionate, caring

City Councilman Tom Berg is a great leader of the people and dedicated to the community.

He is passionate and committed and says it like it is.

It was a trait that Patsy Mink had, but when Tom Berg expresses himself and tells it like it is, it’s supposed to be unprofessional and unacceptable?

We let people camp out for the so-called "Occupy" movement for the sake of freedom of speech. Why doesn’t Tom Berg have the same right to freedom of speech?

I am a business owner and taxpayer and I support Tom Berg.

Li Cobian
Pauoa

McMackin achieved a lot for UH and state

Aloha and mahalo, Coach Mac! You may not have been the winningest coach at the University of Hawaii, but you have definitely been the one with the most integrity and class. You have taught us all the importance of self-sacrifice and humility, both on and off the field. You should be proud of all you have accomplished at UH and for the state.

I say, shame on the fair-weather fans who only come out when the Warriors win. Shame on the ticket prices for being so high that the average family can’t afford to enjoy a Warrior game.

Good luck to you. Go out with your head held high.

Cindy Ujimori
Waikiki

McMackin is great guy but not a winner

Most everyone agrees former Warrior football coach Greg McMackin is a warm, good-hearted person, not only as a coach but as a man.

This was evident when he elected to retire and forego $500,000 of his salary to improve the program by giving it to Na Koa, the football booster club, which I personally feel June Jones would not have done.

Having said that, the job of coaching hinges on winning. Coaches coach to win and develop their players to be better persons. Coaches understand the consequences of having multiple losing seasons and declining attendances.

McMackin’s exit is bittersweet, but I feel the UH sports program will continue to excel as long as decisions are made with emphasis on the good of the entire university sports program.

Harold Omori
Mililani

Former coach’s salary was way too generous

How can anyone feel sorry for Greg McMackin? When hired, this unproven head coach got more than a 1,000 percent pay raise, going from $125,000 a year to $1.1 million a year on a five-year contract. That’s better than winning a lottery.

And now he is to receive $600,000 for the next year for doing nothing, because of that sweetheart contract.

I felt at the time he was hired the offer should have been $300,000 a year for three years, with a contract that could let him go if he didn’t perform. That would have left plenty of money to address the complaints made by Colt Brennan about the facilities.

William Brady
Honolulu

State should mandate GMO food labeling

Please let it be known that the reason GMO (genetically modified organisms) companies do not want their foods to be labeled is not because of cost to the consumer, farmer or manufacturer, but because people would not buy those products and those companies would lose money.

GMO crops are sprayed with large quantities of herbicide and pesticide which remain in trace amounts in the food and may genetically alter the DNA of those eating it.

If arsenic has been found in apple juice, what trace amounts of chemicals are in non-labeled and non-organic soy, corn, Hawaiian papaya, canola or cottonseed oil?

Everyone has a right to know what is in their food, including people in the biotech industry, government and media who must feed their children every day.

If Europe and Japan already mandate GMO labeling, Hawaii could restore some sanity in our food production by doing the same.

Dr. Melissa Yee
Honolulu

H-3, Superferry lesson was to follow EIS laws

Despite a well-written letter, Lyman McCallum came to an erroneous conclusion ("Rail foes waste public money," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Dec. 3).

Lawsuits were not the reason H-3 was delayed. Nor were lawsuits responsible for the end of the Superferry and the current rail litigation. Lawsuits were and continue to be the result of the government’s failure to adequately address an environmental impact statement and other issues before proceeding with a project. Evidently neither Gov. Linda Lingle, nor Mayor Mufi Hannemann learned anything from the H-3 fiasco.

OK, maybe the mayor did learn something. He included funds for litigation in the rail budget. It was something … just not the right thing.

Peter Chisteckoff
Mililani

Clean energy needed to help protect planet

We need to work together to protect the little resources that we all share on our planet.

For too long companies have raped and polluted our planet for profit and greed. This has to stop. We have to make a conscious effort to protect the resources that we all share. Our energy supply must upgrade to properly address the environmental stress that we put on our planet. We need to move forward and away from fossil fuels to clean renewable energies.

Corporations have held us hostage to outdated and antiquated technology and are moving too slow to improve their infrastructure to include clean renewable energy sources. We must stop taxing our planet and learn to work with our planet to sustain our future.

Alex Oshiro
Honolulu

FROM THE FORUM

"Victoria Inn to shut down after decades of service," Star-Advertiser,Dec. 7:

» All these family local-style eateries are going away. First it was Columbia Inn, then Wisteria and now Victoria Inn. Old local-style, family-oriented eateries will soon be a thing of the past. The waitresses would know your family by names. Thank you to the staff and crew at Victoria Inn for all the happy memories you provided for my family and friends.

» I just ate there with my parents. It is a sad day. I will miss seeing the hard workers there who greeted us with a smile. They even knew my grandmother had passed away and told us how bad they feel. This is a huge loss.

» No worry, still get da kine, Zippy’s!

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"ACLU seeks probe after haka dancers pepper-sprayed," Star-Advertiser,Dec. 7:

» Having grown up here in Hawaii and seeing the haka performed many times, after seeing the video I can understand why the two policemen were fearful. If they had heard obscenities prior to this and with someone in the background saying, "Do it! Do it!", I’d be nervous, too, if I didn’t know what was coming. In the end, the truth always lies someplace in the middle, I believe. Too bad for everybody, but in the end, it brings more awareness.

» The police were threatened by their own cultural ignorance.

» They weren’t pepper sprayed because they were doing the haka. They were sprayed because they didn’t follow police orders. The first officer tried many times to get the group to disband and move away. As you notice, not a single person stopped and cleared the area. The officer had no choice.

» I could do without the haka nonsense. It adds nothing, and this year the many losses of our UH Warriors after the haka may mean it is bad luck.

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"Video shows Berg’s dispute with Secret Service," Star-Advertiser,Dec. 8:

» What a great example for the state … NOT!

» I viewed a passionate individual who had been treated inappropriately, was accused of lying about his attendance at the event and denied professional assistance. Does he make this into an uncomfortable event for those involved? Yes, but that apparently was his intention. It is obvious he was in control of his actions and was trying to make a point about being treated poorly by a worker with poor judgment. I saw no drunken behavior. Is he an in your face kind of guy? Yes! This is not a crime, nor is his reaction inappropriate. Citizens who are treated like lying bums by public servants have the right and responsibility to speak up and demand to be treated properly, even if it makes people feel uncomfortable.

» He’s a disgrace. He was very close to being arrested. If he had been wearing an aloha shirt, he would have been goners.

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"Council OKs getting tents off sidewalks," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 8:

» It’s about time. Hawaii is looking like the slums of paradise. Deal with it Hawaii!

» Whether this law is constitutional is not the real issue; this is a start in dealing with the problem of houselessness. It is one step of many to help these unfortunate people whether they like it or not. Since they are not able to help themselves, then others must do so, since their decisions to live on sidewalks and parks pose a health and safety problem for others. Glad to see that the City Council had the fortitude and foresight to pass this law and hope the mayor signs it.

» Another useless law. Enforcement is the key. And yes, this does target the homeless. Stop lying.

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"Coaching prospects line up," Star-Advertiser,Dec. 8:

» It’s great to see a lot of coaching prospects with Hawaii ties expressing interest in this program. It will be interesting from a loyal fan’s point of view to see how this plays out.

» Just make sure University of Hawaii Athletic Director Jim Donovan has his fingerprints on this selection so that if this new coach is a bust, he should go, too.

» After listening to interim head coach Rich Miano on the radio yesterday afternoon, I say give him a shot.

» Whoever the new coach is, keep the run-and-shoot offense.

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"Governor signals openness on state spending," Star-Advertiser,Dec. 9:

» Great move by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Hopefully, the Star-Advertiser will analyze the information rather than report Republican spin as news.

» He "suggested" he would share quarterly reports. That’s not a commitment. And, hey, it’s our money, not the government’s. We the people should demand transparency on all political activities.