For many people, the most enjoyable feature of The Garden Island is the Forum page, which includes columns from commentators principally on national affairs and informative, insightful and educational letters from readers that are largely devoted to local affairs. I
For many people, the most enjoyable feature of The Garden Island is the Forum page, which includes columns from commentators principally on national affairs and informative, insightful and educational letters from readers that are largely devoted to local affairs. I frequently turn to that page first before reading the news of the day. I am privileged to write for the Forum a column biweekly that addresses mostly local issues concerning our government.
When anyone writes about public affairs, the author’s views and statements can be the target for responses by others with different views. I would like in this article to offer comments about some of the matters that have been discussed in letters published in the Forum.
Several weeks ago a letter appeared that provided the writer’s opinion about a column written by Donald Lambro, a political correspondent for the Washington Times newspaper. The writer disparaged the views expressed by Mr. Lambro as being “rife with misinformation and statistics that were produced by the sore losing right wing pundits who have no factual data to support their skewed ideology,” and then he concludes by telling Lambro to go back to his cave and to quit whining.
Although his remarks could be made more civilly, the writer is certainly entitled to his views. The well being of our society, however, depends on the exchange of ideas. Our president was elected with 53 percent of the public vote and has earned the right to govern our country, but that does not mean that the other 47 percent must go into caves and cease making comments. As the French author Voltaire once said “I may disagree with everything you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Freedom of speech is a precious right and we must honor the right of everyone to make known his or her opinion.
Apparently someone reads my columns, because from time to time there are letters about them. Much of my writing relates to areas of our county government that I believe could be improved. It is interesting to me that only once have I ever had any commentary whatsoever from any government official on any of my subjects. However, when I write anything that concerns the issues relating to native Hawaiians that does not fully conform to their views, responses are regular.
A while back, I wrote a column about the case now pending in the United States Supreme Court in which the state appealed the Hawai‘i Supreme court decision to limit the state’s rights to convey the ceded lands. While information concerning the case had been in the news media, mostly it was incompletely expressing the contentions of only one party. My purpose was to set forth fairly the history and the arguments of both parties in the case.
However, when articles on native Hawaiian issues appear, they invite responses. Two of them were printed in the Forum. The writers of these letters had every right to offer their views and their militancy is admirable. But their letters would have been of greater value if they had resisted the urge to stray into points that were not discussed.
Responses violate the rules of fair comment when they greatly expand the scope of the subject or make a series of inaccurate and unjustified contentions concerning the original remarks. When making a response to the writings of another, it is a cardinal rule of fair comment that the author should avoid misstating the content of such writings and then using the misstatements as the basis of developing their own arguments.
This month a series of articles have been published from students of in the eighth grade at Island School civics class of Philip Steinbacher. The letters were well organized and offered thoughtful opinions on Kaua‘i public affairs. It was richly rewarding to reflect that the education of our teenagers includes this valuable contribution to their coming citizenship.
The TGI editors do a fine job of screening and selecting letters to be published in the Forum as space does not permit them all. It was gratifying to see the addition of a couple of extra columns one day last weekend. I will offer only one minor comment. Occasionally letters are written that endorse someone for public office. One appeared recently containing support by the Sierra Club for a candidate for director of KIUC. Several other support letter for this candidate were also published.
In my view, the Forum is far better suited to discussion of issues and comments on local conditions than partisan pitches for individual candidates. In the last election’s race for the council there were 22 candidates. If multiple letters were allowed for one, then fairness would dictate that the others get comparable treatment. And that would be unwieldy.
The Garden Island’s Forum page provides an outstanding opportunity for citizens and others to register their views on community matters of importance to them. All readers of the paper should be encouraged to offer their comments and we should honor and appreciate the freedom to articulate our thoughts that has been provided.
• Walter Lewis is a resident of Princeville and writes a bi-weekly column for The Garden Island.
