Letters to the Editor – 6/11/14

Wrong dead horse

Regarding the caricature of the War Memorial Natatorium, our nation’s newest National Treasure, as a horse in last week’s Pritchett’s cartoon, contrary to what is shown, the natatorium horse is very much alive, protected by law and will withstand the latest delusional attempt to erase it from Hawaii’s landscape.

The real dead horse here is the $18 million demolition project that would bring noisy bulldozers to one of the world’s most-prized water-fronts.

The idea to demolish a war memorial to build a beach was born in the 1960s, right along with other not-so-brilliant ideas like demolishing Iolani Palace and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. That’s when the beatings began. We count at least 11 ill-fated attempts and $1.3 million in taxpayer dollars spent on studies to tear down the landmark.

And yet not a single permit has been granted to demolish the site or to build a beach there. Why? The law frowns on it. Obtaining permits for a demolition project for a historic icon in a sensitive marine environment is a hard and expensive road to travel.

But a restored/re-engineered natatorium is possible and was actually fully funded and permitted as recently as 2005. Hawaii’s leaders just need to give it a chance.

So it’s true, we are tired of riding the dead-horse idea to tear down a National Treasure, and are looking forward to laying it to rest.

Mo Radke,
President, Friends of the Natatorium
Honolulu

Leave it to pros

In her letter espousing religious instruction in public schools, Alice Johnson assumes most kids preached at by amateurs will avoid drugs and teen pregnancy.

I went to a public schools in Atlanta in the 1930s and every school day listened to a Bible reading and under coercion said the Lord’s Prayer. In one class, as a special treat, on Monday we were grouped by the particular brand of Protestantism we professed. Our teacher had a grudge against infant baptism and hated the “cult” that practiced infant baptism. Being neither a theologian nor eager to be ridiculed in public, I stood by myself rather than guess whether it was Baptists or Methodists she was denouncing. We had no Catholics, Jews, Greek Orthodox, Muslims, Buddhists, agnostics or atheists in the school. So the teacher fussed at me for my lack of faith. That is why I want religion kept out of public schools. Parents should teach their kids, as mine did, not to use drugs or impregnate teenage girls — not some unfrocked imbecile teacher.

Hugh W. Folk
Manoa

Hospice nurses

It is difficult for people to lose jobs they love. It also is difficult to let go of great employees. That is why the employees of St. Francis Healthcare System and I were deeply offended by Dick Adair’s cartoon that mocked our unfortunate circumstances.

We appreciate our nurses and other employees on our hospice team who deliver quality, compassionate care to patients and their families at the most physically and emotionally trying times. We would have appreciated greater sensitivity to our situation as we make organizational changes to carry on the legacy of the Sisters of St. Francis in the community.

We made difficult decisions to ensure we could continue to meet the community’s needs.

St. Francis Hospice is continuing to provide hospice care in the homes of patients, in nursing homes and at our inpatient hospice facility in Nuuanu. Our other inpatient hospice facility will continue to operate through the end of September. We will continue to grow our home hospice program and, like the Sisters of St. Francis, explore new ways to meet the health needs of Hawaii’s people.

Jerry Correa
President & CEO,
St. Francis Healthcare System

Mindful matters

I’m loving Alice Inoue’s new “Mindful Moment” column! It’s the perfect little reminder that you can keep with you all week.

Personally, I think society is collectively headed toward a more mindful/spiritual outlook on life that’s less about what we own, have or do, and more about who we are in our hearts and spirits.

And I’m glad to read this kind of stuff in MidWeek!

Stevie-Lyn Kim
Honolulu

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