In 1998 we set aside our political, religious, and ethnic differences and worked together to protect the sacred institution of marriage. We need to continue working together in that same spirit of love (aloha) with the courage to stand up for what's right (kupono)! Only then can we overcome the many challenges we face-such as improving education, protecting the environment, winning the war on terrorism, and strengthening our economy. In this spirit of aloha, I offer to serve you in Congress. I humbly ask for your support.

I genuinely appreciate being invited to meet you.

As Alan mentioned in his introductory remarks, I am a candidate for Congress representing Hawaii's second congressional district. It's a district that includes rural Oahu and all the neighbor islands.

I've been involved in public life in Hawaii for many years. I'm frequently asked, why am I willing to be involved in the public arena?

The short answer to that question is this:
When I was 17 years old, I almost died in a surfing accident. My grief-stricken mother had arranged for a priest to perform the last rites.

As with each of you, these were people who came from all walks of life, from every corner of this great land of ours. They were our fathers, our sons, our mothers and our daughters - our friends, and our neighbors. They were ordinary people ...

Congratulations and kudos to the Governor and her administration, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, the Board of Education, the Department of Education, and everyone else involved in the recent, successful negotiations regarding teachers' salaries.

As an educator who has worked both as a teacher and an administrator, I understand the complexities and difficulties of such negotiations.

My wife Carol, who was present during the negotiations representing the Board of Education, confided in me that the most important ingredient was present on all sides: mutual respect.

Personally I believe our teachers deserve and need much larger raises if we are to truly improve our children's education. On the other hand, Governor Linda Lingle and her administration has the difficult task of improving education within budget limitations.

If we continue to work together in the spirit of aloha and kupono, the education of our children will steadily improve. If, however, we get trapped by partisan wrangling, our children's education will always suffer.

We have to always try to remember that our children are not Democrats or Republicans; they're just kids and they just want to learn.