Criticism unfair to aquarium director
Former Waikiki Aquarium directors Leighton Taylor and Bruce Carlson were out of bounds concerning the Waikiki Aquarium ("Why did the Waikiki Aquarium lose its accreditation?" Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, May 17). Generally, the incumbent director would not talk about his predecessors, and the predecessors would not talk about the incumbent.
Today’s Aquarium acknowledges the contributions of former directors, including Spencer Tinker, Taylor and Carlson, but the facility is in need of maintenance and remodeling. Current director Andrew Rossiter has his hands full to fund expansion and remodeling, as well as an influx of students and visitors.
"Accreditation" as a must is a myth. Accrediting organizations charge large fees to "bless" institutions with the beloved certificate.
Mahalo for allowing Rossiter to comment ("A vital conservation and research center for the Pacific," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, May 17). The Waikiki Aquarium is a research facility, educational institution and community resource for Hawaii residents and visitors.
Willis H A Moore
Editor and manager, Hawaii Geographic Society
Politicians would roust homeless
I am willing to bet that if all those illegal campers with unlicensed dogs, unregistered bikes and trash on Atkinson Drive and Ala Moana Boulevard were to camp out on the sidewalk in front of any of our politicians’ homes, they would be moved by tomorrow.
Larry Mackey
Waikiki
Police officer’s actions disgraceful
Honolulu police officer Vincent Morre pleaded guilty in federal court for depriving the constitutional rights of two people while acting under color of law ("Police officer admits assault," Star-Advertiser, May 20).
What else could he have pleaded? His disgraceful actions were captured on a security video.
Why were the two other policemen with Morre at the time not charged and/or fired for their failure to intervene in the incident?
Morre plans to resign from the HPD. Why not fire him instead? That way he will not be eligible for a pension.
Hopefully, the federal judge handling the sentencing will deliver a stiff sentence. The crimes committed by Morre calls for a maximum of 10 years in prison on each incident.
There are many good officers in the Honolulu Police Department. Why put up with someone like Vincent Morre?
Tony Gonzalez
Former Honolulu police detective
Makaha
Mauna Kea will outlast arguments
One million years ago, Mauna Kea was born on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles from the nearest earthly continents.
Some 500,000 years later, Mauna Kea peeked up from the ocean waves into the air. For hundreds of thousands of years after that, plants, animals and birds that had the strength and fortitude made the journey to Hawaii, to colonize the new land and make it verdant.
Finally, 1,500 years ago, brave Polynesian voyagers arrived on this land to make it their new home. A thousand years later (a hundred generations for the Hawaiian people, but only a heartbeat for Mauna Kea), other humans arrived, from the far reaches of Earth — and within another hundred years (less than the blink of an eye), humans from all over the world had made Mauna Kea, and these islands, their home.
Today these small beings squabble and fight over who "owns" this great mountain, and who has the right to decide its future. One million years from today, this mountain will still stand, majestic and serene — and all these arguments and pilikia, from tiny humans on its surface, will be long forgotten.
Joel Aycock
Hawaiian Acres, Hawaii island
Spiritual expression a voice to be heard
In part, Kenneth R. Conklin’s criticism of the Thirty Meter Telescope protesters rings true ("Protesters use claims of sacredness for political agendas," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, May 21). However, another truth outweighs his own.
It is the truth of an abiding spiritual connection.
All of us recognize and value highly our spiritual connections to places and people — perhaps places we have never been and people we have never met.
Expression of our spiritual connections is nothing to be ashamed of. It is not an embarrassment as Conklin would have us believe. It is a sacred voice — a voice the protesters have the courage to shout from the mountain top.
Charles Kerr
Kalama Valley
Hawaiians always embraced science
Ancient Polynesians, including Hawaiians, used their knowledge and study of the stars for navigation.
Shortly after the death of Kamehameha in 1819, Liholiho abolished the kapu system and the practices and trappings of the old system were immediately and systematically destroyed.
Starting with Kamehameha I, the Hawaiians valued the knowledge and technology brought by Europeans and Americans. Kamehameha’s purchase of sailing ships and weapons and hiring of seamen made it possible for him to conquer Oahu.
Subsequent rulers hired advisers from various countries to help move the nation forward.
Kalakaua recognized the importance of technology and in 1886 Iolani Palace became the first royal residence to be lit by electricity.
I suggest that if the Hawaiian Kingdom was still in power it would enthusiastically support the installation of telescopes on Mauna Kea.
I wonder how the Mauna Kea "protectors" would be treated if the old ways were still in place.
Bob Gould
Kaneohe
How to write us
The Star-Advertiser welcomes letters that are crisp and to the point (~150 words). The Star-Advertiser reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Please direct comments to the issues; personal attacks will not be published. Letters must be signed and include your area of residence and a daytime telephone number.
Letter form: Online form, click here E-mail: letters@staradvertiser.com Fax: (808) 529-4750 Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI 96813
|