Students from Kaimuki High School campaign
outside the State Capitol
During tomorrow's General Election, all children in grades K through 12 will be eligible to vote on a Kids Voting Hawaii ballot. What am I voting for?
All students will be able to vote for Hawaii candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, the United States Congress, and on certain islands, mayor.
In addition, those in grades 6 through 12 will also be voting on the following issues. The last two issues are discussed on this page.
1. Do you feel that school is preparing you for the future?
2. Should juveniles be tried as adults for adult crimes?
3. Should the student representative on the Board of Education have voting rights on the board?
4. Should the driving age be raised from 15 to 18 years old?
5. Should it be unlawful for adults to smoke in confined areas with children under the age of 18 years old?
6. Do you feel safe at school?
7. Should a doctor be able to assist a terminally ill patient in taking his/her own life?
8. Cock fighting is illegal in Hawaii. Should it also be illegal to be a spectator at a cock fight?
9. Do you believe that there is a connection between people who are cruel to animals and people who are violent to humans?
Study the issues and candidates. Discuss them with your parents. Weight the pros and cons. Then make your vote count!
QUESTION: Do you believe that there is a connection between people who are cruel to animals and people who are violent to humans? Cruelty shows
no concern for othersYES: If a person can be cruel to an animal, then I'm sure they can be cruel to a human. After all, an animal is not much different from a human. Animals need care, food, water, shelter and a lot of love. Humans need the same thing.
I also believe that most people who are violent to humans might have started out being cruel to animals. These kinds of people may not have had enough love. Any type of cruelty is usually brought on by watching or experiencing violence in the home.
I feel really sorry for people who would hurt others because they need help. It is sad that they feel the only way to express their pain is by taking it out on others. These kind of people are holding in a lot of anger and hate, but don't know how to talk about it.
-- Rebecca Johnson, Waipahu Intermediate School, 7th grade
Animals have feelings just like us and we shouldn't hurt them just because they are not "smart" like us. I think that if a person hurts animals, that person might hurt people too.
It is very inhumane to kill animals. Animals deserve to live as much as humans do. Recent studies have shown that animals can help people to live longer and help fill lives with more love and devotion.
-- Samantha Edu, Ilima Intermediate, 8th grade
I definitely think that there is a connection between people who harm animals and humans. Children who begin harming or killing small animals, birds, etc., show aggression and tension, sometimes caused by his/her family.
When the child grows up, the anger inside him may be so bottled up that he might start to direct harm toward humans, possibly even people who resemble the family member that caused his childhood frustration.
-- Jessica Swanson, Kailua Intermediate, 7th grade
People who hurt animals
are very cruel,
They're almost apt to hurt
people, and that's not cool.
No man or animal
deserves to be hurt, we should watch
for these people,
we need to be alert.
-- Kiarra Hymes, Ilima Intermediate, 8th grade
QUESTION: Cockfighting is illegal in Hawaii. Should it also be illegal to be a spectator at a cockfight? Innocence is in the eye
of the beholder when it
comes to chicken fightsNO: I do not believe that it should be illegal for an individual to watch a cock fight, as long as the individual is not betting or participating in the cock fight in any way.
In the first instance, "spectator" is a very vague term. Microsoft Bookshelf '95 defines "spectator" as "an observer of an event." What if that observer passes by the cock fight, stops to see what is happening, and is arrested for being in vicinity of the fight? Who is to say that the situation would not occur?
Also, arresting citizens for surveying a cock fight would infringe upon their rights of freedom of assembly and freedom from arbitrary arrest.
It is more practical for the government to continue prohibiting betting on cock fights, rather than restricting the community from venturing into certain areas and infringing on their inalienable rights.
-- Teri Tsutsui, Pearl City High, 11th grade
I do not believe an individual's mere presence at a cock fight is illegal. This stand is due to the way I view cock fights -- as a cultural tradition.
I strongly believe Hawaii should promote, rather than discourage cultural identity. My proposal is to legalize cock fighting and commercialize it to the level of professional wrestling and boxing.
The state would profit economically and culturally from this, and the sport would be more easily regulated.
-- Jordan Higa, Pearl City High, 11th grade
YES: It should be illegal to be a spectator at a cock fight. If there is no punishment for being a spectator, then people would be more inclined to attend such events and organizers would continue to arrange them.
If spectators were arrested, it would be a powerful deterrent. Fewer people would attend, less money would change hands and this illegal activity would be less attractive to the organizers. The fights may even die out.
Also, a cock fight is not an open event, where anyone could happen to be in the area. Cock fighting is illegal so events are generally held in secret. Spectators are people who have deliberately attended.
Say you are part of a gang that committed a robbery, you'd get arrested even if you didn't hold the gun or grab the money. Why should it be any different for things like cock fights? Everyone present is participating, whether or not they are betting. Why should their wrongdoing be excused?
-- Jason Fowler, Kailua Intermediate, 8th grade
I think that being a spectator at a chicken fight should be illegal because spectators know that the fights are against the law, and yet they still watch it.
It is as if they are encouraging the chicken fights to continue, and to allow this is breaking the law.
-- Charde Garcia Kaaiai, Waipahu Intermediate, 7th grade
Anyone involved with this kind of gambling should be fined a large amount.
Cock fighting is bad in many ways. One of the reasons is because the roosters will get hurt. Another is that instead of people using their money to buy things they need, they gamble it away.
Although cock fighting is a cultural tradition in the Philippines, cock fighting participants should get punished in America because this is not the Philippines.
-- Jenalyn Aguado, Ilima Intermediate, 8th grade
Yes, because they are hurting animals when they make them fight. Someone who watches on the side is just as guilty as someone who bets on the fight.
-- Ku'uipo Nihau, Keaukaha Elementary School, Hilo, 6th grade
ALOHA KIDS! You are about to see how your voices really do count! In about 24 hours the results of the KIDS VOTING HAWAII experience will be announced to the public. KIDS VOTING MESSAGE
By Lyla Berg
You’re invited
to a party!You will hear it FIRST, announced by our youth reporters, if you are at Restaurant Row tomorrow from 5 to 8 p.m. We will have balloons, two big-screen TVs to watch the returns, and lots of music and entertainment to keep the excitement high!
Robert Higgins will share his mime talents and Billy V from FM100 Morning Jam will be on hand to MC. In addition, hear and enjoy Mike Cote and Jesse Brown, Rodney Villanueva, Brado, Alea, Roy Sakuma's Joy, Kulia and Pure Heart. Pure Heart will also be available for autographs.
The Office of Elections has reported that more adults have registered to vote in this election than before -- 601,404 people to be exact! KIDS VOTING HAWAII would like to believe that the young people had something to do with that large increase in potential voters! Now, the next important step is to get an adult to go to the polls and vote with you tomorrow.
I have visited many schools during the past few weeks to attend rallies, assemblies, classes and meetings. I am touched, impressed and excited about the enthusiasm that I see wherever I go. Our state will become stronger with each of you sharing ideas, becoming active in your communities, and expecting the best from our adult leaders. LET'S DO IT! Vote tomorrow and then join us at Restaurant Row for the celebration!
Lyla Berg, Ph.D., is the executive director for Kids Voting Hawaii. For more information about Kids Voting, call 523-VOTE (8683), or on neighbor islands call 1-(877)-543-VOTE. Visit the Kids Voting Hawaii web site at http://www.kidsvotinghawaii.org.
