Dec. 8 is another memorable day

On Dec. 8, may we remember two young Hawaiians killed 71 years ago on the remote island of Howland, victims of a Japanese air attack.

Joseph Keliihananui and Richard Whaley were among 134 young men from Hawaii sent by the federal government to colonize islands in the equatorial Pacific.

Today, fewer than a handful of these brave men, collectively known as "Hui Panala‘au," are left, and sadly, one just passed away on Nov. 24: Mannie Woodrow Phillips of Lancaster, Calif.

Before the last of them leaves this Earth, may they someday receive the recognition they deserve.

One of the most poignant tributes was in April, when some 100 fifth-graders at Kamehameha Schools presented a play that included the story of this great group of men.

The performance ended with a check for $1,766 — bake-sale earnings to purchase gravesite vases for Joseph and Richard.

Noelle M.K.Y. Kahanu
Director of community affairs, Bishop Museum

Kahle ridicules Hawaii’s heritage

My heart was saddened by the cancellation of the "Gift of Hope Charity Concert" featuring Moanalua High School’s orchestra and New Hope Oahu’s singers.

Mitch Kahle has suffocated our beautiful island and hampered a potential donation to Mercy Ships, the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world."

Hawaii was once a Christian nation. It saddens me, a Native Hawaiian, to see Kahle do this to us. He has ridiculed the time-honored values of our alii and our people.

Nona Lee
Manoa

Council ignored animal advocates

Letter writer Wynnie Hee recently said certain City Council members ignored the majority of testimony supporting Councilman Tom Berg’s proposals on genetically modified organisms and the Public Land Development Corp. ("Council ignored GMO testimony," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 1).

Animal advocates had the same problem at hearings for Bill 57, which would have required the Hawaiian Humane Society’s public notification of all animals slated for euthanasia.

HHS bitterly fought the bill, claiming an additional $1 million was needed for "website," "housing" and operations, while avoiding Berg’s questions on specific costs for euthanasia.

Despite overwhelming testimony detailing HHS’ secrecy and lack of accountability, refusal to submit to audit, and euthanasia of healthy animals, Council members Breene Harimoto, Carol Fukunaga, Ikaika Anderson and Joey Manahan completely ignored the public while blatantly voting to oppose with HHS.

Cinde Fisher
Nuuanu

Anti-GMO crowd hijacked hearing

So Wynnie Hee rushed down to Honolulu Hale to testify in support of a GMO-labeling resolution, but no opponents to the measure even bothered to show up ("Council ignored GMO testimony," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Dec. 1)?

Maybe that’s because the resolution was not on the published agenda. The hearing was just another orchestrated performance by outgoing Councilman Tom Berg to push his unpopular agenda. Those at the hearing were forced to listen to the misinformation perpetuated by Occupy Honolulu activists who spent most of their time rehashing 50-year-old grudges against companies and the Vietnam War. But hating corporate America is not a good enough reason to pass bad legislation.

The federal government has jurisdiction over labeling of our foods. After 17 years and 3 trillion servings, there is no health or safety reason to label GMO foods.

Alicia Maluafiti
Ewa Beach