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Carroll and guests Michael and Carolyn Golojuch talk about civil rights, hate crimes, and gay issues. A caller compares gay rights to the civil rights movement in the 60's that had similar issues. Another caller asks some good questions about being gay.
The Golojuchs announce the upcoming Gay Pride Parade on Saturday, June 1, 2013. The parade starts at Magic Island at 10 a.m. followed by a celebration with entertainers and food at the Kapiolani Bandstand at 11 a.m. (Link for more information here,) They
also note that PFLAG (Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians and
Gays) meets once a month at First Unitarian Church on Pali Highway. For
more information call Carolyn at 779-9078, or visit www.pflagoahu.org.
The second hour Carroll's guest is Richard DeConti, one of the show's regular listeners and callers. They discuss public transportation and politics, and the effect it has on citizens with disabilities. The Handi Van has had many problems and complaints over the past few years, including a contract to buy and replace old vans. Carroll shares a story about
a woman, Marilyn Robello, who reportedly
received a head injury when her wheelchair became dislodged. Allegedly, the driver did not immediatley call 911 or assist her as she called for help.
Richard also talks about steel on steel rail vs. light rail, the politics behind the choice, and what HART (Hawaii Area Rapid Transit) is now doing with the project. Were standard practices used to approve and develop a quality project? Richard tells us quality management must come first. If politicians should decide to listen to the critics, they may hear things they don't want to hear, but they may
make choices that will help the
overall project. There are still many problems and questions about the rail project, such as how many seats in the cars, how to collect fares, and how rail is affecting bus routes now and in the future. Obviously, the project was not clearly thought through.
The action group, Citizens for a Fair ADA Ride, is trying to address some of the problems, including the loss of bus routes and the problems with Handi Vans. Link here for more information. There was also a big story about Handi Van problems in today's StarAdvertiser. Check it out.
