Sports give students boost in classroom

University of Hawaii Regent Benjamin Kudo is quoted as saying that "our primary purpose is to educate students" in the context possibly cutting UH-Manoa’s athletic programs ("Teams face ax if fiscal trouble continue," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 27). This implies that the athletics department is not supporting education at Manoa.

Some of the best students I have taught at Manoa were student-athletes. They brought the discipline required to succeed in their sport to the classroom and they enriched the educational experience by sharing the insights gained from participation in a competitive sport as well as life experiences that were often very different from the other students.

This unique and valuable contribution to the academic life of the campus is the primary reason for having student-athletes at the university. Generating ticket revenues and entertaining fans is a secondary consideration, and it is both demeaning and insulting to the student-athletes to imply that this is their primary purpose.

John Wendell
Kailua

China’s actions are not provocative

Ralph Cossa, president of the Pacific Forum Center for Strategic and International Studies, clearly lambasted China’s air defense zone as "foolish" and unenforceable ("China’s airspace claim provocative," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 27). Such bluster is unhelpful.

Actually, China’s zone looks like our own and that of dozens of other countries — a hundred miles offshore, we need to start knowing who you are. America’s policy on its zone, like others including China’s, warns of "use of force" in cases of "non-compliance."

Nor is it correct to refer to the U.S. sending two B-52s through China’s zone Monday as a "rebuke" to China. The United States does not consider it a rebuke if foreign aircraft not intending to land in the U.S. enter our zone. Neither, it seems, does China, which did not react to the B-52s. It was clear they didn’t intend to land in China. When it comes to airspace, a bit less hot air is needed.

Jay Henderson
Ala Moana

Taiwan generous in aiding Philippines

In the wake of super typhoon Haiyan, the Taiwan government pledged to donate $200,000 as a first response. Following the aftermath, Taiwan has deployed several flights of C-130 military planes to airlift relief supplies to blasted areas and send in a medical team.

Taiwanese nonprofit organizations have collaboratively contributed more than $7 million in form of diversified goods, including water purifiers, ready-to-eat food, tents, blankets, face masks and generators. Moreover, charitable medical teams and rescue personnel have entered the devastated areas to provide first aid.

Regardless of recent fishing disputes in the overlapping economic zones of two countries, Taiwan sympathizes with the loss of life and property and provided humanitarian relief to the Philippines when it was hit by Haiyan. On Nov. 12, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office released an official statement thanking Taiwan for its help. Taiwan has set a good example by helping those in need.

David Chen
Moiliili

HCDA ignores laws, smart planning

The autonomous Hawaii Community Development Authority is single-handedly destroying the vision of a model urban Kakaako community, viewing community involvement as roadblocks to be cleared for developers.Did the governor create the HCDA to defend developers?

HCDA executive director Anthony Ching wants to give public spaces to special-interest groups.Despite the Ala Moana Boulevard stench, developers are getting approval for sewer hookups. Arbitrary numbers are allowing 801 South St. Tower B to pass as workforce housing, which it is not.HCDA will soon have children dodging cars instead of balls, and running through lobbies (Ching counts lobbies as recreational areas) instead of grassy parks.Expect more congestion.

I’m for smart development. Community input is vital.Developers must invest in infrastructure.The HCDA must be investigated for disregarding existing laws and for poor planning.

Gail Yoshioka
Kakaako

Non-Hawaiians can ‘feel Hawaii’

Richard Borreca made ludicrous assumptions ("State’s top court could use Native Hawaiian insight," Star Advertiser, On Politics, Nov. 22).

Regardless of blood quantum, no person living today witnessed the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani, labored in an ahupuaa under a konohiki, or sat among the alii.

In fact, no one alive could have even known an older friend or relative who experienced Hawaii before Western contact. We are all products of experience, and experience does not differentiate us, as Borreca implies.

Moreover, "race" is a genetic myth: a bundle of arbitrary labels not definitive of any gene sequence or allele. Race is about historic coincidence, not science.

I am a seventh-generation Hawaii resident whose ancestors came in 1837, organized a school for the alii, created Hawaiian as a written language and founded many businesses and museums that locals still enjoy.

More important, I have called Hawaii home my whole life. To say I cannot "feel Hawaii" as much as anyone else is insulting and absurd.

Elise Anderson
Kahala

Why no restrooms on Fort Street?

We recently came back to Honolulu and were anxious to walk the streets again. We had lived there and left in 1982.

Our cruise ship docked at the foot of Fort Street, which was very handy to walk up to Chinatown. It was a Sunday morning and everything was beautiful.

That is, until we needed a restroom. Couldn’t find any. We remembered seeing a nice McDonald’s and knew there would be a nice clean one there. Bought our Cokes and asked for a restroom.

What? No restrooms are available anywhere on Fort Street?

The only one we could find was inside security in the ship terminal building.

That is ridiculous. You won’t see us coming back to your beautiful city soon.

Charles Johnston
El Paso, Texas