Hawaii biased against bias

Hawaii law is clear in prohibiting sexual discrimination in public accommodations, as Aloha Bed & Breakfast found in state Circuit Judge Edwin Nacino’s ruling.

The judge ruled in favor of Diane Cervelli and Taeko Bufford of Los Angeles, who were denied a reservation in 2007 at the Hawaii Kai B&B after owner Phyllis Young asked them whether they are lesbians.

Young’s attorney argued that rejecting the pair was Young’s First Amendment right.

Nacino’s ruling made clear that the obligation of nondiscrimination in housing extends to the private sector.

Plan for the end; you’re good to go

It’s a topic everyone should deal with, but nobody really wants to think about: planning for the end of life.

So it does make some sense to create a special observance for the issue, nationally dubbed National Healthcare Decisions Day, April 16. Compassion & Choices Hawaii hosted an informational exhibition Tuesday at the state Capitol.

But the nonprofit organization extended the event to a week-long educational effort, so people who want to get some information on creating end-of-life documents can contact the group (email: smorrison@compassionandchoices.org), and the staff will help organize an "advance directive parties."

In case you think this all sounds too sober a subject to cover at a "party," well, you’ve got a point. But Compassion & Choices wants folks to lighten up on all this. They’ve even titled their document toolkits, "Good to Go." Hey, crying won’t alter reality, so might as well laugh.