Hong wrong
As a Harvard alum and lover of truth, I must point out that Ted Hong’s letter to the editor (Your Views, Nov. 6) about the Harvard affirmative action lawsuit is completely mistaken.
How is Harvard displaying a policy of Asians need-not-apply when the largest ethnic group of students who actually are admitted and attend are Asian? The numbers reflect a bias in favor of these students, but not because they were Asian, it is because of their ability as students.
The issue is diversity, and here again Mr. Hong is completely mistaken: To promote diversity, the Harvard Admissions Committee (on which I served for a year) considers other factors besides academic ability, such as the cultural or racial background.
When I was in grad school, among my classmates were the first Australian aboriginal student and the first Inuit student. With their rural and impoverished backgrounds, they never would have been accepted on mere academic ability, but they added something very special to our mix and to our educations.
It is not that Asian students don’t add to the mix, it’s that when you already have a very large number of Asians attending, the next additional Asian student becomes much less likely to add diversity than a different type of student, especially when they are from a group not yet represented.
Mr. Hong … check your facts and your attitude.
Carl Oguss
Hilo
‘Flip the script’
The Associated Press-NORC’s new poll found that 61% of American adults know little to nothing about the Inflation Reduction Act, while two thirds think the federal government isn’t doing enough on climate.
As the Tribune-Herald reports, even Biden’s supporters seem uninformed about this milestone in the fight against climate change. Where is the disconnect?
The Inflation Reduction Act’s opt-in clean energy incentives are a major step in the right direction. But if less than 40% of Americans know about the Act, its power is diminished. We need a climate bill that will inspire and galvanize the American public. A federal carbon fee and dividend would do just that.
Taxing carbon emissions and returning the revenue to the American people would flip the script and make renewable energy the default choice — not fossil fuels.
Every American would see at least one direct benefit: extra cash in their pocket.
Perhaps more importantly, the renewable energy transition would become a clear national priority and reinvigorate the economy with new jobs and a renewed sense of national purpose. A climate bill like the Inflation Reduction Act that most Americans don’t know much about won’t cut it (emissions, that is).
Colleen Sack
Honolulu
Tree event a success
On behalf of Waimea Outdoor Circle, I’d like to thank the National Arbor Day Foundation and State Farm for their very generous support of our first ever Arbor Day Tree Give-Away at Ulu La‘au Waimea Nature Park on Saturday, Nov.5
We were so pleased to be a part of this Statewide Outdoor Circle Arbor Day event, providing 150 beautiful grafted fruit trees to the public free of charge.
We look forward to seeing all of these shade- and fruit-producing trees planted in our local communities and hope for another successful event next year.
Cheryl Langton
Waimea Outdoor Circle
