Failing government
I am reminded of the president of the United States of America, in his inaugural speech, saying, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem” (Jan. 20, 1981).
It seems appropriate to think about these words during the present situation on Maunakea. Here we have 1,000 or more citizens (and not all of them local residents; some are from the Acme Rent a Protester supply company), who are against the construction of a state-of-the art astronomy device — actively breaking the laws of the state and county by blocking public thoroughfares — and government doing nothing about it.
Whether one is for or against the Thirty Meter Telescope, blocking public roads is against the law and the government is responsible for enforcing the law.
To that end, our government is failing.
Chris Tamm
Hilo
Man up, Ige
I simply don’t get it. Mayor Harry Kim and others are mooting a 60-day “cooling off period.” Of what benefit would that be, given the intractability of protesters against any point of view other than their own, and given that we just completed a five-year cooling-off period?
Our problem here is really much larger than the TMT issue. It’s this: Survival of a free, democratic, self-governing society depends on two social contracts.
First, citizens must accept the results of honest, fair and legitimate elections. Second, they must accept the rule of law to settle disputes. Without agreement to each of these, self-governing societies collapse, and mayhem ensues.
So here’s what I don’t get. The protesters have protested, quite legitimately, and the Hawaii Supreme Court has spoken: It gave TMT permission to proceed.
Yet, the protesters continue to protest, Gov. David Ige continues to procrastinate, Mayor Kim negotiates and everybody else vacillates.
It’s time for Gov. Ige to put on his big-boy shorts and man up. It’s time for Gov. Ige to honor his oath of office and enforce Hawaii law. It’s time for Gov. Ige to open the access road to Maunakea, allow workers to proceed to their jobs unhindered, allow tour operators to ply their trade, allow construction to begin and allow the vast majority of Hawaii Island citizens access to the benefits that TMT will bring to the island.
That is now the law of the land; the protest has been made, the case has been heard and the Supreme Court has spoken.
Alternatives offer only mayhem.
Skip Sims
Ninole