Aloha Iz...

Aloha Iz letters are reprinted from the
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Saturday, June 28 issue.

Iz is gone but his music
and spirit will never die

It was with much sadness that I learned of Israel Kamakawiwoole's death. Having known Iz for more than 20 years, I have seen his musical gifts grow and mature over time.

His love for the Hawaiian people and Hawaii in general will be greatly missed by us all. His music will live on in all of our hearts for a very long time.

Aloha, Bruddah Iz. You have finally found the peace that you truly deserve.

David Tasaka
(Via the Internet)

Waikiki Shell should be
named after entertainer

The recent passing of Bruddah Israel Kamakawiwoole has Hawaii in mourning. His life, music and love for the islands cannot be expressed in mere words.

I would like to suggest to the City and County of Honolulu and State of Hawaii that we honor this Hawaiian legend by changing the name of the place where he shared his song and love with so many people: from the Waikiki Shell to the Israel Kamakawiwoole Waikiki Shell.

There would be no greater monument to a man who shared so great a love for Hawaii and the people of Hawaii.

I respectfully request that a resolution be introduced in time for adoption at the regular meeting of the Honolulu City Council on July 9. I request the honor to be the first to testify.

Christopher Souza
Pearl City

Singing the praises of
late and great 'Bruddah Iz'

On this beautiful summer afternoon, as I listened to NPR, I heard that familiar cherubic voice singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," as only Israel could.

I rushed to the radio, threw a tape into the recorder for my husband to hear later this evening, and heard the devastating words: "Israel Kamakawiwoole died this morning."

Hawaii has lost its treasure and all of us who ever had the great fortune to hear this gentle, loving spirit of aloha are devastated.

Aloha, Israel and mahalo nui loa! You changed the world.

Jane Spencer
Flagstaff, Ariz.
(Via the Internet)

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School uniforms won't solve
education problems

A few schools in Hawaii have jumped on the school uniform bandwagon. Popularized by President Clinton, uniforms have received national attention as an effective school reform policy.

However, to date, results stemming from empirical studies on school uniforms have been inconclusive. Most of the reported benefits have been based on unsystematic, anecdotal evidence.

In one of the only nationwide studies on the topic, David Brunsma and Kerry Ann Rockquemore (1997) at the University of Notre Dame, using the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS:88) database, reported that school uniforms did not produce any direct benefits.

As a result, I am concerned about the public's perception of uniforms as a cure-all for problems facing schools. They will not directly raise test scores, increase school pride or decrease discipline issues.

The beneficial effects associated with school uniforms may be realized if they are used in conjunction with other complementary reforms. As such, school communities should not view uniforms as a panacea but as a means toward achieving an improved learning environment.

Alan R. Shoho
Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership
University of Texas-San Antonio
(Via the Internet)

Women inmates in Texas
were discriminated against

I would like to share my opinion on the subject of discrimination, as it pertains to those females selected to be sent to the Crystal City Correctional Center in Texas. It is appalling to hear responsible state politicians make ludicrous statements that the maternal influence on children was no different than that of children deprived of parents who were male convicts.

Where were all of the women's groups at that assertion? Check the statistics on how many men abandon their offspring versus the number of women who are single parents.

It appears that no person has challenged the selection process of those inmates deported from their home state. I am quite sure that, if they had been sent to Mexico or Bolivia, there might be more concern shown.

At the time the women were sent to Texas, statements were made that listed certain criteria for not being sent, such as escape attempts, medical problems, pending litigation and conduct. This means that women who met this criteria got to stay in Hawaii and have access to their families.

Again, let's review the word discrimination. To listen to those politicians, they would have one believe that "lucky you leave Hawaii."

Donald Donnarumma

(Via the Internet)

Pity victim, not defendant,
in overpass homicide case

In reference to the Gabriel Kealoha case, I have heard accounts of the incident leading up to the pushing of Officer Miller to his death on the freeway. When it first happened, witnesses saw Kealoha with his hand around Miller's neck, and the officer was lifted up and thrown over the railing.

Unfortunately, for a long time we were only able to hear one side of the story. How easy to put the blame entirely on the victim and not put any on the accused.

It takes two to make a confrontation escalate to the point of one being hurled over the freeway. I'm sure that if Kealoha had not been aggressive toward the police officer, none of this would have happened.

It sounds as though Kealoha didn't realize until too late that this was an off-duty officer. But then no one other than Kealoha really knows what transpired. The other side of the story is not available.

Naturally, his parents can't believe that their son would do this. All parents think that their children would never do something like this.

Kealoha will serve only 10 months for taking a person's life away forever. Bank robbers spend more time in prison than that. That is a very short time compared to the life term that Office Miller received.

Adrienne Wilson-Yamasaki
Wahiawa
(Via the Internet)

Story reaps no response
from key community voices

What amazed me was how, in just a few days, Forbes magazine writer Seth Lubove so completely and precisely assimilated forces dragging Hawaii toward an economic black hole.

What did not surprise me, however, was the reaction or lack thereof from the entrenched majority party. The governor deflected the entire article as a promotion for Maui Mayor Lingle's prospective run.

Where are the voices of business and government? Are those in power so committed to protecting their entrenched status so as to ignore the massive change needed? Is "Hawaii leadership" just another oxymoron?

Also not surprising was the apparent lack of concern by the populace. Despite the protests of Lowell Kalapa, the barrage of negative statistics and the oratory of state Sen. Sam Slom, most of us seem to pretend that either there is nothing happening or there is nothing we can do about it.

Perhaps we should adopt the ostrich as the official bird of Hawaii.

Richard S. Morris

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Same-sex archive

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