Kagawa simply being a straight shooter
I almost spilt my locally grown chamomile tea this morning as I read the article and slurry of comments about Ross Kagawa.
Yikes. Now Ross is being called racist. What a joke.
I are one haole and could have transplant stamped on my forehead. From my first meeting and continuous interludes over the years, Ross has been totally respectful, he listens, he cares. Egads, he used bad words. Yikes, bring out the pillory.
We live on a happy island. Even in the midst of stupefying traffic, we are kind to each other, as we wave our fellow drivers thru. We still say hello, howsit, wassup to everyone we pass whilst walking or to any with whom we make eye contact. Even stink eye contact. We know we are one island, one people.
As we live in mindboggling traffic, sky-high rents and taxes that bring us all to our knees, many citizens bring suggestions and complaints to our stalwart councilmembers. Perhaps a constant drip of complaints and whining. Sometimes it may get bristling. So what? Perhaps Ross shouldn’t have used a bad word. But one thing for sure, Ross Kagawa is solid. Ross is a good man and he cares about us all.
In the reality, as the island experiences a continuing demographic change there will be some disagreement. In the big picture — as far as elections go, Ross will get more votes, if everyone knew that he bristled at a person he perceived to be part of the “I got here yesterday, so I’m going to tell you how for live tomorrow” whiner brigade. This is a common perception that is held by most locals. And if Ross got huhu with a whiner, correctly or not … he will get plenty of voters. Plenty.
My experience and the real Ross is that he is a man of the people. He cares about all of Kauai. He is a strong guy. He speaks straight. He may be a little remorseful about saying a bad word, but on the other hand we should appreciate we have a man that speaks his mind.
And he ain’t no racist. Geezo. Get a %^& life. We are all in this together.
Ed MacDowell, Kapaa
First, it’s hard to take anyone seriously who starts a paragraph with this sentence: “I are one haole and could have transplant stamped on my forehead.” Let’s assume it was a typo for the sake of argument. The facts remain that an elected council member used profanity on his official County e-mail account, told this caucasian man to “go back to the mainland”, and acted like a hot-headed, racist bully. I expect more from my elected officials, who, by the way, work for us, not themselves. Moreover, Kagawa’s record of supporting unbridled growth and development ensures I won’t be voting for him. Finally, can someone explain to me why he voted against receiving $100,000 from the feds for environmental projects? I don’t see the downside of taking the money.
And by straight shooter, you mean a hole. Ross, answer your SurfRider environmental questionnaire.
So Ed, you “are one haole” eh? And you’ve even picked up some local vernacular, as well. Good for you.
But to fail to recognize that the past actions and public statements of Mr. Kagawa represent a deep-seated racist (anti-haole) attitude renders your opinion invalid.
If everybody who knows that Ross Kagawa reacted in an outrageous manner at a residents valid concern about roundabouts and traffic, and that causes them to vote FOR Kagawa and not AGAINST him, they are reacting not with their minds but with their equally racist souls, and they should examine their motives.
If, on the other hand, local voters choose to support those candidates who love Kauai and care about ALL concerns and will do what they can to change things for the better, we will ALL be better off.
Let’s vote for candidates with open minds and great ideas: Mason Chock, Adam Poversi, Felecia Cowden, and maybe Luke Evslin, as long as the latter appreciates the idea of changing over the fields controlled by the pesticide/herbicide testing companies to hemp production and all the accompanying added-value business opportunities for local folks that would create. Please look at the long-term advantages of a locally produced, locally processed, locally sold hemp products while the plants themselves remediate the poisoned soils.
Do not expect support for this idea from the likes of Mr. Kagawa. Or from Arthur Brun or Arryl Kaneshiro. They all seem to prefer the status quo. Their lack of foresight is regrettable and sad.
I saw Ross Kagawa being interviewed on a PBS television public affairs program. When he was asked how he would alleviate the plight of the homeless, he said the first thing he would do is separate out the ones who were born on Kaua`i from the ones who weren’t.
Ha! Not a racist? Then I am not sure what a racist is, then! He has shown that he doesn’t like transplants and he wants them off the island from his comments. His comments, and his actions, have shown that he thinks he is better than haoles. Seems rather racist to me!
Hard to not be a racist when you are one…hard to be professional when you aren’t…Kagawa has no class…I guess people find that to be a good trait…So they will vote for him…Sad…
Hey Ed aren’t you glad you wrote that letter. Try picking a topic that you might know something about. It would have been a whole different letter if you were in my shoes.
Only on in Hawaii do we maintain this Sixth Grade mentality of “I was here first”, “You transplants/Newcomers/Haoles are to blame for our problems…..including the price of homes, the traffic, etc., etc.”, “It’s us against them”.
Transplants,…..you know the ones that sacrificed their savings, time, endless planning, and took the leap to move, in some cases 5000 miles to live here. Hear me know, believe me later……..the Transplants don’t want to change anything. The Transplants are not the ones complaining endlessly about the traffic, because they have seen REAL traffic.
You can blame your worthless county politicians for the problems on this island. The ones that have the above mentality, that are elected with no credentials, real world experience, and have lived on this rock their entire lives and long for their youth…and how great it was back in the plantation days when everything was simple.
It doesn’t matter. Stop fighting supply-and-demand. The demographics are certain to change over the next 100 years. This will be an island of well-off and retired. The Tourist industry does not trickle down to the average Joe.
Watch any minutes from the County Council and Ross is set in his ways, and very combative…..with everyone.
If any of you commentators went to council meeting where Kamuela and Punohu reiterated that the Entire County is “ON Notice”. Jen Ruggles, today on Kkcr,Hawaii Island Counsel, and together we are ALL many more unafraid. We addressed kauai councils with CEASE AND DESIST the following wednesdat, next with flags, signage and verbally. No one has been “paying attention” for over 125 years Yet like Kupuna Ms Janice said in that video that “Hawaiians have no say, they were conquered”. This complete story proves the depth of the ALL Lies fraud, U.S. A. They even have incorrect metes and bounds! The thousands of transplants, newbies, piled onto tourism, it is no wonder people becoming ‘claustrophobic and mentally compramised’ similar to our recently increased suicide rates. (Medical career i saw many who literally lost their minds ‘fetal positionʻ contemplating only 30×33 miles island living Kauai circumference.
The reality of “Hawaiians having been conquered” show the depth of the ignorance that prevails in every Department, every mindset. The departments hring people who do not know or understand, the confusion continues.
The following week Council met with one of the cocopalms uncredentialed “owner” who is very annimated upbeat that “2020 up and running. he wil supposedly receive the visa funding, whch allows investors monied people not american citizens to invest in these projects in return for their green card.
Looks like none of the above have any empathy for the Hawaiians who have lost their kingdom to the stronger power of the USA. And here I thought these transplant haoles were all PC about Hawaiian sovereignty. Forked tongues maybe? Can’t trust ’em.
I got 1,000 students lined up to hear a topic on that, job search and driving a car. Easily done. In politics they call this sampling. Time frame, income, status, job title, interest/hobbies. Now go fill in the blanks on who these supporters are.
It’s not the transplants who are in bed with the builders. It’s not the transplants who are taking money from Syngenta and Dow. It’s the local Council members like Kagawa who are doing that and are blaming it on the haoles! Stop taking the money and stop the building! Fix the infrastructure first, and then think about building! There are plenty of jobs to be had in fixing the infrastructure, and it will take a long time! This island is very racist, and has been for quite some time. I find it funny that Kawgawa is telling the transplants to go home, when his family was a transplant at one time!!! LOL!
Last time I checked, transplant isnt defined as “angry white liberal totalitarian” so I don’t agree that Ross is a racist at all. I think Ross is justifiably annoyed by just the transplants who can’t seem to exercise humbleness and just enjoy life like everyone else. I’m sick and tired of the moronic obsession some of the commentators have with the employers on the Westside.
Really, go back to California and Oregon with your life savings and cry over there about your GMOS and pesticides and skyscrapers..
Very entertaining Ed. You got the Fringies to show up here and form an alliance with a right winger they wouldn’t let finish a single sentence in person! Very entertaining indeed!
Debra – Your son Punohu and his mentor cousin Kamuela are doomed to failure. When they get old and make, they will have accomplished absolutely nothing towards their goals. They are simply uninformed pawns being taken advantage of by people like yourself, Alison Lewis, Ruthann Caudill, the late Dawn Wasson & Wilma Holi, etc. They are barking up the wrong tree with puny yelps. The USA will NEVER give the State of Hawaii back to the Native Hawaiians and certainly a pathway through the local courts, as we have seen and they have experienced, has consistently resulted in the dismissal of their ill-contrived claims and embarrassingly amateurish court filings. Going the way they are now, they are but flies buzzing above the poi; expending energy and achieving nothing. Best they get a job and quit leaching upon others for they kau kau. Then they might find some dignity.