What happened, Mom?
When Ashley Kierkiewicz ran for Council District 4, her battle cry was, “I’m a mom!”
She came from the public relations world, so it would be interesting to see how she defends her opposing vote on Bill 101 after defending it so staunchly.
We came so close to an herbicide and pesticide ban on county property, so what caused “Mom” to change her vote?
Dave Kisor
Pahoa
Telescopes do not disrespect mountain
Could anyone please explain why buildings should not be allowed on sacred mountains?
Mount Fuji is considered by the Japanese to be a sacred mountain. More than 300,000 hikers climb Mount Fuji every year. It is a big tourist attraction in Japan.
Even though one can take a bus to Station 5 on the mountain, there are actually nine climbing stations on Fuji’s slopes. These stations can contain restaurants, souvenir stores, overnight lodging and even small hospitals! So, the Japanese have no problem with commercial buildings on the slopes of their sacred mountain.
Why is it that some Hawaiians are making such a fuss about a Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea?
Notice, that most of this ”protecting” of Maunakea is a fairly recent development and, interestingly, some of the leaders of the anti-TMT movement are directors of Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Also, OHA has been funding the maintenance of the “protectors’” camp illegally blocking the road to the top of Maunakea. This, even though OHA stands to get considerable revenue from the TMT when completed, which would also set a precedent for OHA to get revenue from the other telescopes already there.
So, what could be the possible motive behind OHA supporting the anti-TMT movement?
I have my own theory. Actually, it is a conspiracy theory. It turns out that some OHA directors are guilty of gross misuse of OHA funds. Some of these funds go to their personal financing. Some of these funds go to pay for directors’ lawsuits against each other and so on, ad nauseam. In fact, a large portion of OHA funds are misused this way, according to last year’s state audit.
One thing is for sure. These misused funds are not placing Hawaiians on their land — which is OHA’s primary job.
This year’s audit must have even worse revelations because of all the redactions in it. What possibly could be the real reason for all this secrecy?
What better way to deflect Hawaiian anger away from OHA, for all their delays in placing Hawaiians on their land and the misuse of OHA finances, than to organize a Hawaiian movement against the TMT? Deflection of public attention away from real issues toward intangible issues has long been a political strategy in the world.
The sacredness of Maunakea is not in question. In fact, all of the creator’s creations are sacred and should be treated with respect. The telescopes on Maunakea in no way show disrespect to the mountain.
I backed the Standing Rock “protectors” of the water, because they had a very real issue in preventing water pollution. The TMT poses zero threat to the environment.
The present telescopes allow access to the mountain for more people than before the road was built for the telescopes. Before the reign of King Kamehameha II, only the highest ali‘i were allowed on the mountaintop of Maunakea. Any commoner would have their heads clubbed in for going there.
Do some Hawaiians really want to go back to the illusionary ”good old days” — or move forward?
Herbert G. Dorsey III
Pahoa