Letters To The Editor

Lama in Kailua

Thank you to Don Chapman for his glowing article on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to the Islands and especially to Kailua High School. It’s been our wish to have more people know the great things that have been happening at our school (and at so many other schools) as opposed to all the negative press regarding public education.

Thank you also for his thoroughness in making our students and their ideas so much a part of the story. It’s funny, I often come home and tell my husband about all the great questions the students come up with in class and all the great discussions that we have, but it wasn’t until reading your article that he finally turned to me and said “Wow! The Kailua kids ask awesome questions!” (Me: happy, slightly exasperated sigh …)

Mr. Chapman really shines the spotlight on some of the great things happening in education today, especially public education, and for that I can’t thank him and MidWeek enough. I’m glad that the word is finally getting out about p4c Hawaii, Kailua High School, the hard work of teachers, and the awesomeness and effort of the students.

Mahalo for your warm-heartedness,

Kehau Agena, NBCT
Kailua High School
Teacher, Graphic Communication, AP
English Literature, Yearbook, Expository Writing

Lama kudos

I was unable to see either of the Dalai Lama’s public appearances, so thank you to MidWeek for covering each of his appearances here, public and private. I started to say that I’m envious of Don Chapman being able to attend all of his appearances, but that’s not the right word here, is it? Anyway, thank you for making me feel like I was almost there, and kudos to UH and Kailua High for the “Philosophy for Children” program. Hopefully it spreads to other schools as well.

Sherry Chan
Makiki

Truth in finance

Thank you to Dr. K.E. Hayashi, first for his war service to our country, and second for his excellent letter “Deregulation cost” on the result of a lack of regulation in financial matters. I’m sure this kind of response was not what someone as conservative as Susan Page (whose column on big banks’ credit card policies prompted Dr. Hayashi’s letter) wanted to hear, but there you go. The truth bites sometimes, and the truth here is deregulation usually doesn’t help the little guy.

Alan Walker
Honolulu

War and peace

As a young Filipina, born here, the daughter of immigrants, I was shocked to see the photo of an execution during the U.S.-Philippines War. It made me stop and read Bob Jones’ column “America’s Shame In Philippines.” I knew nothing about this war, and I must say that I am saddened that the country of my birth could do such horrible things to the land of ancestry, and that both countries have largely kept history under wraps. And it leads me to believe even more strongly that the message of peace and compassion taught by the Dalai Lama is essential for our world.

Lynette Cruz
Honolulu

Simon satire

Thanks for publishing Roger Simon’s “Dr. Politics” column. Nice to see the art of intelligent political satire is still alive and well.

Danny Sato
Honolulu

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