• I’m not fooled • React to the travesty • The lazy un-rich? • Kaua‘i not so green • Beautiful walk I’m not fooled Are we to believe the riders on this ferry are going to be “friends and family”
• I’m not fooled
• React to the travesty
• The lazy un-rich?
• Kaua‘i not so green
• Beautiful walk
I’m not fooled
Are we to believe the riders on this ferry are going to be “friends and family” paying huge fares as not to inconvenience folks here or on O‘ahu and Maui or are afraid to fly? I think not.
Are we to believe that the same number of people and cars will be going the other direction so as to offset the imbalance? I think not.
Are we to believe when the car and camper rental companies finalize an agreement with HSF, that they aren’t going to come over here in droves and not use the cars that are already here? I think not.
Are we to believe the businesses that come over here aren’t going to negatively affect business here? I think not.
Let’s face it, when people come here, they will be on the move, and with six boats a week, just wait until they all decide to cruise up to Ke‘e, Ha‘ena and Tunnels at the same time, especially with possible bridge work being done.
That will be interesting. “Let’s all go to Koke‘e.” Think about it: can you say, “bumper to bumper,” even worse than it already is to and from the Westside?
My opinion, and that’s all it is, is everyone has a right to come here, but to think this thing isn’t going to turn into the H-4 freeway and not create massive problems, you are only fooling yourself.
Fool me? I think not.
Marsh Henderson
Kapa‘a
React to the travesty
The legal system has again shown itself to be broken on Kaua‘i.
How can a child molester get one year?
This is an absolute failure. Our system will not stand up against the worst kind of crime against our children. Shame on the judge for making excuses for this sick behavior. The “remorse” of the perpetrator gets him off with a slap on the wrist? What if he had killed the child? Remorse would have gotten him five years?
Some crimes are just worse than others.
This is the worst.
The people of Kaua‘i, and especially the children, deserve protection from violent, intentional crimes.
Perhaps a trial for violating her civil rights would come before a judge who would hand out an appropriate sentence to this kind of criminal.
$150 of victims compensation? Was that done to slap the victim and the family in the face? If so, it worked.
Outrage is too mild a word for how all right thinking people should react to this travesty of justice.
Rick Goding
Hanapepe
The lazy un-rich?
Gordon Smith essentially called garbage collectors, waitresses, teachers and construction workers “lazy or incompetent” because they are not rich (“Weir not an elitist,” Letters, Nov. 13).
If that is not elitist, I don’t know what is.
His letter displays a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of capitalism. That is, in order for one person to become rich, another person — or people — has to be poor. Most regular working folk are not particularly interested in profiting at another’s expense, and instead find fulfillment in honest work, hoping for no more than a comfortable living. Unfortunately, these days, it is becoming ever harder to achieve a comfortable standard of living through a full-time job. Indeed, thanks to rabid conservatives like Smith, the hardest working people in our society are sinking deeper into debt and struggling to keep roofs over their heads.
Smith and his allies should be grateful, however, that working people — those lazy incompetents — continue to plug along. It would be a pity if the “elitists” had to mop their own floors or trim their own hedges.
Katy Rose
Hanalei
Kaua‘i not so green
People love coming to Kaua‘i. Why not. Look at the island; it’s beautiful. But how long is it going to stay that way?
Even though I’m only 18, I’ve lived here my whole life and it makes me sad to see that no one is really putting in the effort to save our beautiful island. Yeah, people say, “Keep Kaua‘i green.” But why don’t they do something about it? Why isn’t our governor trying to help save our special island?
As you drive down to Anini you will notice a big chunk of the mountain being ripped away for some vacation rental house. (Which is another problem for us locals, but I won’t go there in this letter).
For all the construction workers who dig holes on the island, don’t you feel guilt in some way? To me no money in the world is worth hurting the island. I understand it’s their way of making money, however I see a lot of old run-down buildings in Kapa‘a and Lihu‘e. Why don’t they just re-construct the old buildings? Why are we building more and more hotels and places to accommodate the tourist? I know that most jobs over here depend on tourists, but pretty soon there won’t be any locals here to accommodate those tourists due to cost of living etc. And I must say, “Shame on Waipouli Beach Resort for building on the Hawaiian bones.”
You don’t see anyone building on World War I veterans burial sites, so why build on Hawaiian burial sites? After all it was their land first, and, no, I’m not from a Hawaiian ethnicity so I’m not necessarily only barking at the white man. But why are people building more hotels? Why not fill up what we have now? Kaua‘i can’t take all of these erosions coming from man.
Remember the island isn’t getting any bigger, it’s actually getting smaller.
Kate Moss
Hanalei
Beautiful walk
Congratulations to the Kauai County Council for the wonderful coastal walking path from Kapa‘a to Kealia Beach. As a longtime visitor, it is one of the best things that has happened on the island.
More people are using it every day and it is great to see joggers, bikers, mothers with baby strollers along with the many walkers.
We look forward to the pathway extension for our visit next year. It is one of the most beautiful walks in the world.
Russ and Wendy Tripp
Albany, Oregon; Centralia, Wash.
