Letters for Friday, February 2, 2007

• The new wave

• GMOs need closed lab

• It was long-term neglect Am I biased?

• Beach-rut blues

• Communists in Kaua‘i

The new wave

To all contributors to The Garden Island Forum page, I want to thank you all for taking the time to present your points of view. Whether I agree or not, it has been a source of much food for thought. It has also been amusing to see how people manipulate quotes, distort facts and draw conclusions based on feelings and scant evidence. It would appear that sometimes we get so locked into a way of thinking that all perspective is lost. We see what we want to see — period. No other possible explanations necessary, thank you very much.

After reading a recent letter (“Kaua’i has taken a stand,” Letters, Jan. 31) it occurred to me that the author was truly onto something … I can now envision a future in which support (or non-support) for an idea, a political candidate or even a law can be determined by motorist-sidewalk pollster interactions. It’s fast, simple and by using the powerful statistical analysis as outlined in “Kaua‘i has taken a stand,” totally scientific.

Think of the efficiency of such a “democracy,” to be able to so quickly quantify opinion and instantly speak in “one voice.”

No more bias, no more interpretation and no ambiguity, just pure rock solid analysis based on undeniable scientific principle. It’s the new wave …

P.S. May I also suggest a recount of our most recent elections. It appears that every candidate with a roadside supporter has a strong case for having won.

Kealia

GMOs need closed lab

In medical research, genetically modified organisms are studied in a closed laboratory. If something unintended happens, the organisms can be killed immediately before they spread. The islands of Hawai‘i may seem like a closed laboratory to the big Mainland chemical companies, but to those of us who live here and to the visitors who come here, we do not see ourselves as an “easily contained ecosystem.” Hopefully, these things are safe, but since there is virtually no research establishing the safety of these live organisms that spread with the wind, they must be strictly regulated until there is reassuring research. Once these organisms are spread, there will be no bringing them back.

Our Kaua‘i representatives deserve a letter of support for their work on HB 1454 and HB 1453, which encourage regulation of genetically modified organisms. Send an e-mail to testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov on these two bills if you agree.

Kekaha

It was long-term neglect

Am I biased?

Yes I am.

I watch with great interest the issues facing Steve Cummings. The latest in The Garden Island (“Accused dog owner refuses to give them up,” A1, Feb. 1) says that Mr. Cummings and another family member were trying to organize who and when would care for these 20 dogs. Is miscommunication the reason for three dogs starving to death and 17 others suffering the same fate? A simple mistake? I don’t buy it for a single second. This is not something that happens over the course of a weekend. This was long-term neglect, period. In my opinion, it would be the wrong move if Steve Cummings were allowed by the courts to take possession of these animals again. What would be different this time? Would he suddenly be overcome by compassion for his animals? Is it because he learned his lesson or is it because he got caught? I don’t think it really matters. These animals deserve better. If these were his hunting dogs then they undoubtedly toiled for him to put food on his table, and if they were just pets then they probably just wanted to provide unconditional love and companionship. As an animal/pet owner he has failed his obligations miserably. Laws regarding animal cruelty should include a stipulation that states if a person is convicted of animal cruelty then they should be prohibited from owning future animals. Yes, I am biased. Steve Cummings will have his say in court, but to me the outcome is obvious. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so.

Kapa‘a

Beach-rut blues

Last Thursday, as has become our custom for many years, we did a picnic “dinner” at Ke‘e, to watch the usually spectacular sunset. When we got there, the beach was largely a bunch of ruts, which we didn’t quite understand. Right at sunset, it was all cleared up when a four-wheel drive — with surfers on board — barged on the beach, forcing people to move as they made way to join their pals on the south end of the beach. So there was one of Kaua‘i’s treasures, messed up for everyone but a few.

If there are rules limiting trucks and ATVs on beaches, they need to be enforced. If there aren’t, they should be enacted to preserve Kaua‘i’s beaches for all, including us tourists.

Farmington Hills, Mich.

Communists in Kaua‘i

After reading Kristi Stephens’ letter to the editor (“Undermined,” Letters, Jan. 30) I couldn’t help but laugh.

She all but accused the Kauai County Planning Commission of being communists for their 5-2 vote to limit the size of big box retail stores on Kaua‘i. Her reasoning was that freedom of choice is our fundamental right and we basically have the freedom to do whatever we want.

Then why do we have laws prohibiting the sale and distribution of illegal drugs? Doesn’t “freedom of choice,” apply here?

Why not extend that “freedom of choice,” to strip clubs, massage parlors, and gambling casinos on Kaua‘i. Shouldn’t we have the right to pursue happiness in whatever way we see fit?

Of course we shouldn’t, because some activities are immoral, illogical, and just flat out wrong.

Our government is responsible to look out for our best interests and they are charged to ensure that our quality of life is protected.

Size limits on big box retail stores are not only smart, but necessary to preserve our special rural character. Scaremongers would try to make you think that this would prohibit any Mainland grocery or retail store from coming to Kaua‘i but that’s just not true.

It simply recognizes that there should be limits to the size of development on Kaua‘i and that this island is too special a place to be controlled by special Mainland interests.

This to me is what democracy is all about. Mahalo, planning commission.

Lihu‘e