• Sagum stood tall • Sagum doesn’t support people • Superferry civility • Simply put, ‘Leash dogs’ Sagum stood tall There has recently been a lot of talk and editorializing about the rift between Neighbor Islands and O‘ahu manifested by
• Sagum stood tall
• Sagum doesn’t support people
• Superferry civility
• Simply put, ‘Leash dogs’
Sagum stood tall
There has recently been a lot of talk and editorializing about the rift between Neighbor Islands and O‘ahu manifested by the Superferry controversy.
Once again the noisy minority is getting all the attention. I am one person, but I speak now for many more than the xenophobic protesters enveloped in nostalgia and hysteria. I am ready to welcome any and all from O‘ahu. Granted, I’ve long had an attitude fueled by professional visitors from O‘ahu who appeared to act like feudal lords visiting the serfs in the provinces.
That attitude has made a major sea change. It has, because during this controversy, I had to turn to O‘ahu for my political representation. Here, at home on Kaua‘i, myself and those I speak for now, were not only not represented, we were misrepresented by three politicians in particular and others. God bless those O‘ahu legislators and those who showed support for their actions. According to SMS research polls (not Superferry’s QMark Research pollsters), Superferry sailing while the EIS is being done was supported by 64 percent statewide (7 percent, maybe) and 53 percent on Kaua‘i (3 percent, maybe). Higher percentages said they would probably use the Superferry. We knew this all along because the majority in any society does not commit or applaud the abhorrent behaviors we witnessed. If it did, we wouldn’t have a society. Our self-righteous political triumvirate not only ignored the majority, they ignited the xenophobes with dishonest statements about illegalities. I should also say, “God bless Rep. Roland Sagum.” He stood tall by representing us. Roland would also make a good senator for most of us; not just some of us. I’m asking those who supported Superferry in a legal and dignified way to now support Senate Bill 184, which was carried over to the next session. This bill would give us the right to recall any chucklehead we vote for, including the current three from the Senate, the House and the council.
Peter Antonson
Kapa‘a
Sagum doesn’t support people
Republican Roland Sagum, D-16th District, voted in favor of overthrowing a Supreme Court justice’s decision upholding Hawai‘i’s Constitution.
He said, “Of 5,000 e-mails he received, 90 percent were in support of Superferry.”
Another lie designed to mislead the public into believing he did something in support of the people. I personally met Sagum and also overheard him bragging several weeks ago it was a done deal. He is anti-environment and really cares less about Kaua‘i’s delicate eco-environment.
And when I asked him if he knew what eco-terrorism was, he was clueless. You know, just like the guy in the white Ford truck who set fire to Southern California, causing billions of dollars in damage and thousands of people are now homeless. Eco-terrorism is defined by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Domestic Terrorism Section as “the use, or threatened use of violence of a criminal nature against nature to make a point or as vengeance.”
Nope, he doesn’t know or understand that, neither do our representatives in O‘ahu who are hoping to get rid of their homeless and divert them to Kaua‘i’s beaches. Like Gov. Linda Lingle said, “This will be our new H4.”
Guess what? It’s nearly election time, and many people will now be very motivated to vote you out.
Natosha Muniech
Kalaheo
Superferry civility
I would like to thank Rep. Gene Ward, R-Kalama Valley-Hawai‘i Kai, for revealing the true perspective of the Superferry. He said: “We need to think like Kamehameha and unite these islands. We have to learn to get along together. We need to lower the decibels of incivility.”
This statement definitely sheds some light on why this issue is being forced upon the outer islands.
Kamehameha was anything but civil in his uniting of the islands. The Great Ali‘i was a master of deception. Read Hawaiian history, it appears to be repeating itself.
Nothing has changed since the islands were run by the “Big Five” except we are now entering the age of the “Big Six.” It was incredulous that our Legislature (except the brave few) were intimidated by the Superferry’s gang and threats. There seems to be a cloud of smoke concerning the EIS. There are many more issues besides environmental, there is also the economical. The environmental aspect is not only about the ‘aina and the kai, it also concerns the welfare and quality of life of the people living on the outer islands.
Economically speaking, the arrival of the Superferry has the potential to destroy all small businesses on the outer islands. It will bring in the big fish to eat the small ones.
The island of Kaua‘i’s infrastructure is in sad condition. We have one overused two-lane road that cannot handle the traffic at present. We are short on police/firemen/paramedics and hospitals. Our parks division is already stretched to maximum. Our resources are finite not infinite.
Kaua‘i still has open spaces, no gated communities, no super stores, access to all beaches and the pristine state park of Koke‘e. We have these assets because the people of Kaua‘i fought to keep it that way and will continue to fight to keep it pono. Other islands could have done the same thing.
The opposition is toward the Superferry, its potential negative impact and the unsavory way it was brought to the islands.
It is not about people coming to Kaua‘i.
E komo mai, please fly over and enjoy our beautiful rural island and help us keep it that way.
J. Kimo Reyes
Anahola
Simply put, ‘Leash dogs’
Tommy Thompson’s letter (“Rampaging dogs,” Letters, Nov. 2) hits on an important problem plaguing our pathways on Kaua‘i. Simply put, the owners of loose and aggressive dogs need to leash them. They set a poor example for the many responsible dog owners in our community.
The recent high-profile O‘ahu case in which a negligent owner whose loose and aggressive dog injured children was successfully sued and required to pay over $850,000 is a serious sign of the times. The message is, “Take ownership and responsibility of your animals or face serious consequences.”
There’s so much potential for more places for dogs to play off leash but it requires every dog owner to demonstrate responsibility and consideration. We hope that responsible owners and their dogs continue to get out and about and set the example, educate and insist responsibility of other pet owners, and pave the way for a more dog-friendly Kaua‘i.
Becky Rhoades, Executive director,
Kauai Humane Society
