UH should focus more on academics

Obviously, there is a financial mess in athletics at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, and the taxpayers aren’t privy to all of the details. However, that has led some critics to carelessly generalize in making derogatory remarks about the entire university. That is an injustice and insult to most of the administrators, instructors and students who are honest, serious and hardworking members of the university community, many of whom are extraordinary in a positive sense.

Last April when attending the talk by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, I was shocked to view the enormous and expensive athletic complex, shocked by contrast with the many years of budget cuts the university has suffered, especially cancellation of many journal subscriptions and other library materials indispensable for teaching and research. Maybe the current mess will help change priorities to focus more on academics, even though athletics certainly have their place as well.

Leslie E. Sponsel
Honolulu

UH executives should cover cost of fiasco

My ideas may not be original, but they perhaps could put a closure to this University of Hawaii-Manoa Stevie Wonder conundrum. First: Appoint both Rockne Freitas and Jim Donovan as co-athletic directors, enlisting both for their expertise and knowledge of the UH athletics department. They would keep their present positions and split the responsibilities and duties of the athletic director’s position. Their pay would remain the same and the national search for a new athletic director would be unnecessary, saving UH money.

Second: Cease spending money to determine what happened; let’s move on. Instead, impose a monthly payroll deduction from those senior UH officials involved. Also, the Board of Regents could make a collective contribution to a special trust fund. The administrators and regents would then truly take responsibility for the use of taxpayer money for this fiasco and in the future. Third: Use the reimbursed funds for the non-income-producing sports to strengthen and promote these sports for the students.

Lloyd Nishina
Makiki

Preserve Natatorium for future generations

Eighty-five years ago, on Aug. 24, 1927, Duke Kahanamoku dove in to take the ceremonial first swim at the War Memorial Natatorium. In his wake came other Olympians, swimming celebrities and generations of keiki and kupuna swimmers.

The Natatorium was the jewel of Waikiki and the pride of Hawaii. It was both special and sacred — our official memorial to more than 10,000 from Hawaii who served and many who died in World War I.

Somehow, we let all this start to slip away. Somehow, the Natatorium deteriorated to the point where it had to be closed.

But it isn’t gone yet. It can still be saved. It can be great again. In fact, it can be even better than it was. We just need to work together to make it happen.

I’m old enough to have swum at the Natatorium with my grandfather. I’m young enough to hope to swim there again.

Donna L. Ching
Vice president, Friends of the Natatorium

Society has accepted same-sex marriage

James Hochberg’s defense of the recent action by the federal court, upholding the ban on same-gender marriage, is simplistic, prejudicial and does not reflect the wishes of the larger society ("Court correct to affirm marriage is between a man and woman," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 16).

First, the larger society now supports same-gender marriage, after years of education and the "coming out" of hundreds of thousands of gay and lesbian citizens.

Second, research shows that same-gender couples provide loving and stable homes to countless children. And he never mentions the divorce rate of 50 percent among heterosexual marriages, and its effect on raising children.

He is correct that the government doesn’t ask the applicants for a marriage license to prove love, financial security, or even the ability to find happiness. However, my application is denied just because of a genetic determination. If this isn’t government discrimination, I don’t know what is.

Robert F. Gentry
Honolulu

Windmills destroy beauty of Waimea

I understand the need for sustainable energy on our little island but I ask at what cost?

The massive wind turbines popping up all over Kahuku and Haleiwa have affected many view corridors and a most valuable resource — the aesthetic beauty of the country. How were some of these ugly wind turbines allowed to be erected in areas that distress the view corridors at Waimea Bay, Valley and Puu o Mahuka Heiau?

Do the landowners care more about profit than sustaining the beauty of the historic and culturally significant areas of Waimea Bay, Waimea Valley and Puu o Mahuka Heiau?

These gigantic wind turbines must come down and be moved to viable locations that won’t affect Waimea, a truly priceless and culturally sensitive site.

Kevin Turner
Sunset Beach