Civil unions, equal rights In our state of Hawai‘i, New Year’s Day started with a joyous group of people celebrating their civil unions. These couples have been together far longer than many of our celebrity couples — some of whom
Civil unions, equal rights
In our state of Hawai‘i, New Year’s Day started with a joyous group of people celebrating their civil unions. These couples have been together far longer than many of our celebrity couples — some of whom want to make marriage a joke, a revenue opportunity or a “just for now until a better one comes along” ceremony.
To see such committed couples receive the legal protection that is granted to other people under the guise of marriage warms my heart.
As the mother of a gay man, friend of many LGBTQA people, I support the equal rights for each citizen.
Hillary Clinton recently stated at the United Nations Summit: “Being LGBT does not make you less human. And that is why gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.”
It is very sad to see a letter such as the one from Pastor Ramon Kauhi Garza (Jan. 1) express such hatred and untruths about the civil union and equal rights laws. There is no evidence that the “homosexual activists” are working toward assaulting any religious values, family structure or traditional marriage. All we want are the same rights provided to all other people.
We do not want to destroy your religious values. We respect your right to worship as you please as long as it does not infringe on our rights to do the same.
We respect your family structure as we expect you to respect ours.
We respect marriage and expect to have the rights and responsibilities of marriage for our families and friends.
As you look at our desire for worship, family and marriage, do you see that our wants are the same as yours? Hmm. Maybe we are more alike than anyone realized.
The lawsuit brought by Emmanuel Temple and Lighthouse Outreach Center was thrown out by the Hawai‘i Supreme Court. Our rights — and yours — are being protected.
It is now time to go forward in peace, to make our world one of mutual respect in spite of our differences and make our state and country a better place for all.
Melissa Egusa
Secretary, PFLAG-Kaua‘i
‘Oma‘o
Discrimination
After reading the same-sex civil union article, I felt compelled to give my 2 cents.
As a person in a same-sex relationship for 19 years now, I can tell you that my partner and I are waiting for the day when there won’t be a patchwork of laws or rights or whatever you want to call it.
At this point, we don’t want or care about the crumbs that society is throwing our way. There are more than 1,000 legal benefits afforded married couples. Why should we settle for less than what heterosexual couples have available?
We already signed up as reciprocal beneficiaries. Now, we’re supposed to unsign for that and sign up for something else of another name. Then, when the feds wake up to the inevitable, should we get on board with that one?
It would be nice if the federal government and states could agree on things, such as immigration, same-sex marriage and legalizing marijuana. Just my opinion. Thanks.
Delpha Menor, Kapa‘a
Solving Kauai‘s transportation woes
Congratulations, Debra Kekaualua (Letter to the Editor, Jan. 3) for once again highlighting the inability of our government to open our cane haul roads to give alternate means of travel around out island.
I vividly remember your testimony before the council many months ago telling how you have driven buses and taxis on Kaua‘i and, thus, you have been there and done that and your words and advice should be listened to.
Why is it that most of those in power are reluctant to listen to “free” advice that so much of the time has credibility and feel that thousands of dollars given to consultants is the only answer to solving our island’s problems?
We spent $90,000 on a consultant in the Kekaha “gift” of an $850,000 landfill community problem and, due to no resolution by this consultant, we kissed off that fee and re-appropriated another $90,000 to find the solution. The same wasted funds went to the consultant to tell us that the Kalaheo coffee operation was the best place for the new landfill.
Debra pointed out that a contractual taxi plan (used by the Big Island) to pick up elders and ADA people could be far cheaper than running our huge buses around, sometimes with few passengers. We are subsidizing our bus operation with about $800,000 per year, so why not at least try the taxi system?
And, yes, Debra, this administration and a few members of the council are pushing hard for a multi-modal DOH plan to “shove down our throats.” Buses, bikes, bike paths and walking make up about 5 percent of our commuting public, so why “shove” this multi-modal transportation system down our throats while we ignore the needs of 95 percent of those using their vehicles for transportation?
(The notion) that people will “all” live in an area where they can walk to work or shop (as proposed in this type of system) is a myth. They want the freedom to live wherever they want, and they will use their vehicles to get there.
Once again, I challenge any member of the council or administration, including the mayor, to tell me that they will — on a full time basis — use a bike, bus or walk wherever they go — to work, to shop, to the doctor or for whatever. Their message is continually, “Do as I say, but don’t do as I do.”
Get those cane haul roads open starting with the long-time controversial “emergency” road from the Wailua River to the Hanama‘ulu turn off. The “temporary” Kapa‘a bypass road is a shinning example of a successful operation put in place years ago.
There are hundreds of cane haul roads just like this one that can be used for the same purpose, and all it takes is the leadership to make it happen. The Kapa‘a bypass, being a former “road,” didn’t need an EA or an EIS to build. It started and finished in about eight months, not years.
Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a
