Trump using coercion to acquire Greenland
Regarding the article on March 24 (in West Hawaii Today), “Greenland officials express fury over Trump’s plan to send delegation,” Greenland is a self-governing region of Denmark. Greenland’s foreign and defense policies are made in Copenhagen.
Denmark is a member of the International Criminal Court. It signed the Rome Statute on Sept. 25, 1998, and ratified it on June 21, 2001.
The ICC has jurisdiction over crimes such as aggression, which includes the use of force or coercion to annex or occupy a territory. If the United States were to take military action or use coercion to seize Greenland against its will, this could potentially be considered a crime under the ICC’s definition of aggression.
It’s pretty obvious that Trump is using coercion by stating his intention to use the U.S. military if necessary to annex Greenland.
Greenland should stop permitting U.S. officials and military to enter their territory, and Denmark should tell Trump to remove the military equipment and personnel at the bases there. If they refuse to leave, that would be aggression and/or coercion, wouldn’t it?
The ICC should issue a reminder to Trump of its jurisdiction in Greenland. Greenlanders should make clear that they will be prepared to turn over any individuals they can to the ICC for prosecution.
Haven’t we had enough of this foolishness? Is this even what MAGA voters thought they were going to get?
Aaron Jacobs
Kailua-Kona
More must be done to fight climate change
Climate change is no longer a distant threat. It’s here, and it’s threatening our people, environment and future.
Sea levels and temperatures are rising, and our coral reefs are dying, winters are getting hotter and summers are reaching extreme temperatures. Trade winds are disappearing, rainfall is decreasing and wildfires are becoming more frequent.
Without intervention, Hawaii could lose 70% of its reefs by 2050. Yet, we are still not doing enough to address climate change.
The 2023 wildfires on Maui showed just how unprepared we are for these changes. Hawaii must take immediate action to address climate change. The state should invest in renewable energy, like solar, wind and wave power to reduce fossil fuels usage. They should also impose stricter rules on pollution and chemical runoff, which harms marine life.
Individually, we can also make changes. We should do more research on what sunscreen we use and opt for reef-safe sunscreen, cut down on single-use plastics, and support local and sustainable agriculture.
This can all help lower our environmental impact. Using public transportation, thrifting and just being more mindful of our consumption can also make a difference.
Jenna Nishida
Hilo
Donald Trump is a ‘heartless bastard’
The Republican Congress recently witnessed the worst behavior displayed by a president and vice president in our lifetime. Their response was to certify the most embarrassing behavior by a head of state in world history.
I wish to apologize to our democratic partners in Europe. What occurred (during Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the Oval Office) was a display of dictatorial power by an American president.
He is not my president, nor does he represent the wishes of the American people.
We have all witnessed what a heartless bastard this man is. He’s been bought and sold by the tech trillionaires, mercilessly firing hundreds of thousand of hard-working Americans with families. He is threatening our long-held allies with tariffs and idle threats!
Meanwhile, this bastard preys upon his loyal followers, selling them “bibles,” meme coins that are worthless, and filling the airwaves with his lies on Fox News.
It is time for us to stand up to this dictator. He is not representing our country in any way.
Please protest in public. Stand up for American democracy. This man is the anti-Christ.
Thomas Keelan
Waimea
