Juvenile offenders need focused care
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to juvenile justice. To ensure that we achieve the best possible results for our children and our community, the judiciary, legislative and executive branches formed a working group to identify ways to reform our criminal justice system.
The group recently submitted research and policy-driven findings to be considered during the 2014 legislative session (House Bill 2037). You can visit the Judiciary’s homepage, at www.courts.state.hi.us, to find a copy of the report.
Eighty percent of youth involved in our justice system suffer from substance abuse, and many face mental health issues. Some of the recommendations include refocusing our efforts on substance abuse needs and clarifying eligibility criteria for those who require mental health treatment.
We need to get to the root of the problem and provide the treatment juvenile offenders need in order to stop the cycle of recidivism.
R. Mark Browning
Chief Family Court judge, First Circuit (Oahu)
Sanctions bill would sabotage Iran talks
As the historic Iran deal goes forward, the world is further from another war in the Middle East.
I want U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono to oppose the Menendez-Kirk Iran Sanctions Bill, which would sabotage our diplomatic progress. Their dangerous bill would impose new sanctions and provide the warhawks in Israel a pretext to launch a pre-emptive attack on Iran.
Let’s deconstruct the warring mindset and obstruct war’s cheerleaders.
Michael A. Ceurvorst
Lawai, Kauai
Obama’s talk about ‘war footing’ ignored
Did any of Hawaii’s people who viewed, heard or read President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address think that its most important part was, "America must move off a permanent war footing"?
If so, they were disappointed by no mention of it in the Star-Advertiser’s Jan. 29 front-page summary, reprinted commentaries from The , and its own editorial ("Obama’s pen won’t be enough," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Jan. 29).
Does this indicate acceptance of a perpetual role for Hawaii as an economically dependent, war-fighting military base to project American power into the Asia-Pacific region and world? Or does it invite Hawaii to become a constructive contributor of non-military security, political, economic, social, cultural and environmental alternatives to serve the well-being of Hawaii’s people, the nation, the region and the world?
Glenn D. Paige
Tantalus
Let OHA make use of its Kakaako lands
In 2006, the Legislature caved in to a small group of noisy protesters and shot down Alexander & Baldwin’s generous proposal to invest $700 million in Kakaako Makai.
Besides cleaning up the toxic waste dump, the company would have erected 20-story condos — a modest height by today’s Kakaako development plans. But surfers and environmentalists successfully persuaded the lawmakers to ban residential projects.
Fast forward to 2012.
The state hoodwinked the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs into giving up $200 million in ceded lands revenue in return for the now-worthless parcels. State officials — all smiles — celebrated.OHA Chairwoman Colette Machado called the deal a "victory."
OHA has since come to realize that their "victory" was really a disaster, and will ask the Legislature for permission to build (probably high-rise) residences. But the protesters have not disappeared.
This time around, the Legislature should come to the aid of our Hawaiian people.
C. Richard Fassler
Manoa
Kakaako’s future not looking so good
Even though I have walked the short distance from Kamakee to Piikoi streets on Waimanu Street many times, the front-page photo in Saturday’s Star-Advertiser was startling ("Too much, too fast?" Star-Advertiser, Jan. 25).
Is this all we can expect from the Hawaii Community Development Authority?If this is the development that has been sold to us as the "new Kakaako," there isn’t much there to give a lift to one’s spirit. All it is is mirrored-glass multi-story buildings clustered cheek-by-jowl with multi-story parking garages.
A very little bit of cosmetic greenery does not make a pedestrian-friendly urban experience.Multiply this many times throughout Kakaako and what do you have? An alienating environment engendering hostile feelings about one’s neighborhood.
Is that the kind of community we want for the future of Kakaako?
Ed Sullam
Aina Haina
All presidents fail the perfection test
In response to "Obama doesn’t deserve a library" (Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 25): Using this logic, many presidents shouldn’t have their "monuments to failure."
For instance, President George W. Bush failed to act on pre-9/11 intelligence and more than 3,000 civilians perished.Or how about the intelligence failures linking weapons of mass destruction and al-Qaeda to Iraq?Or Abu Ghraib? Or Hurricane Katrina?
The Obama administration has culpability with Benghazi and "Fast and Furious."And while human losses are tragic, there were only five deaths associated with these incidents; 9/11 had 3,000.And the IRS scandal was perpetrated by low-level employees, not the administration.
Bush began at a 4.2 percent unemployment rate and ended at 8.3 percent.President Barack Obama has decreased it to 6.7 percent.The debt has risen by $6 trillion under Obama, but only 18 per- cent of the GDP. Under Bush it rose 28 percent.
Bottom line: No president is perfect, but they all deserve a library.
Pat Larson
Ewa Beach
GMO debate driven by money and fear
I applaud Hawaii County Councilman Gregor Ilagan for his efforts in the Big Island GMO debate. We should all be grateful that he made his decision based on as much information as possible. It shows he cares for his entire community.
This issue is about money and fear. If people want their crops non-GMO, they should contribute to a fund to protect farmers from crop loss. They’ll have to in one way or another — unless we all micro-farm, or make prisons grow our food, so that our prisoners replace illegal immigrants as the cheapest labor source.
Ricardo S. Dellera
Aina Haina
Snowden defended the U.S. Constitution
The U.S. Department of Defense oath of office: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same …"
The National Security Agency is an agency within the Department of Defense. Civilian employees of the NSA take the above oath, andI assume Edward Snowden, working for an NSA contractor, was required to take this oath.
I believe that defending our Constitution from government illegalities, as defined by the First and Fourth Amendments, takes precedent over all other U.S. laws. Otherwise, why do we require the oath?
Snowden did a great service to our country at the risk of his life and well-being. He should be honored as a self-sacrificing hero for defending our Constitution as promised.
Bill Russell
Mililani
FROM THE FORUM
Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.
“Kiss members add spice to Maui restaurant preview,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 27:
>> Just what Maui needs: more cheesy establishments run by profiteering outsiders. That said, I’m a longtime Kiss fan, I’m talking 1973.
>> Paia is a beautiful town and this restaurant is another reason I would love to take my family out there to visit.
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“Heeding public’s call, local president sought,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 27:
>> The search committee is paralyzed with fear. They’re afraid of making a mistake by hiring the wrong person. Keeping interim President David Lassner solves their problem.
>> Keep Lassner in place. Let him continue to focus on fixing the crumbling campus and internal squabbling. What we really need is not a new, high-profile mainland president, but a more accountable and less political Board of Regents, people who will be in a position to drive the legislators and governor, not the other way around.
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“Kapolei soldier killed in insurgents’ attack on Afghan base,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 28:
>> Rest in peace, soldier. My condolences to your family.
>> What is wrong with our military when it cannot provide adequate security at its own bases? When the enemy attacks our military bases, you know we are not winning the war.
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“Senators pull plug on cooling all schools,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 28:
>> Have the legislators hold their sessions in classrooms across the state so they can get a firsthand experience of what our keiki go through when classes are in session. Enough wasting money on studies.
>> Make sure those meeting are during the day, when it is the hottest and most unbearable.
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“Legislator jousts with U.S. high court over political spending,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 29:
>> Ah, the perfect legislation. Unconstitutional. Unenforceable. Sends a message. Unfortunately, the message it sends is that our Legislature is weak, ineffective, not grounded in reality.
>> Better to have a resolution to urge Congress to take action. On the state level, I’d like to see an effort to have more competition in political races and more voter participation. The good action to take here would be to have publicly financed elections.
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“Panel OKs UH repairs oversight bill,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 29:
>> Added bureaucracy! Yay! Not added employees to get the work done, but added “oversight.” My god these people have not a clue how things actually get done in the world. Every answer is more administrative positions instead of actual people doing real jobs and real work.
>> Anybody else besides me old enough to remember when that Alexander Liberman sculpture was fire-engine red? (Anybody old enough to remember when fire engines were red?)
>> Here’s what I remember. I graduated 45 years ago but visiting the campus now is like walking back through a time warp. Items that were broken then — windows, bathroom fixtures and stall doors, ceilings and floors — are still there and still broken. It’s like the 45 years have not happened.
>> Did they ever finish repairs on Hamilton Library? Seems like it took 30 years to remove asbestos and repair leaks.
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“OHA seeks approval to turn Kakaako land into residential area,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 30:
>> Years ago, when Ron Iwami led the protest against development of Kaka‘ako Makai, I congratulated him on a lasting legacy of open waterfront. He wisely said, “We won a battle, not the war.” Here come the condos. Gov. Neil Abercrombie gets his union votes, the waterfront disappears and Ron was right. Bye-bye, Honolulu.
>> When one accepts ownership of a property, they are responsible for using due diligence concerning the zoning, taxes and surroundings. Now, after the fact, they want all the rules to change for their selfish purposes. Shame on OHA and shame on turncoat Abercrombie.
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“Kauai Council approves program to tackle ‘the cat problem’,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 30:
>> This is not the way to control feral cats. This is all about money. If the goal is “to help tackle the overpopulation of free-roaming cats on the island,” there are other, more effective ways to do this. Cat owners will not register their cats, and this new, dumb law will have no effect and is unenforceable.
EXPRESS YOURSELF
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