• Society • Lifeguard pay should be same as Fire • Mahalo lifeguards • Voting with our wallets Society Although our democracy may be the best form of government, past and present, in our world, this is not to say
• Society • Lifeguard pay should be
same as Fire • Mahalo lifeguards •
Voting with our wallets
Society
Although our democracy may be the best form of government, past and present, in our world, this is not to say that it can’t be better (to say it can is considered a form of heresy and is deemed to be un-patriotic).
I have been convinced that ours and all past and existing social structures are based on universal coercion (coercion on a massive scale). And for us, the freedoms we brag about are really given to us by our “leaders” so who is to say that our “leaders” can’t take one or more of them away?
In reality, each of us is a resource of a state. The officials of the state depend on each of us to contribute wealth (taxes) for ill-conceived plans and to be potential cannon fodder when fighting nonsensical internal and external battles. Therefore, I’m hypothesizing that all existing social structures are primitive and are capable of several orders of magnitude improvement. Based on evolution, we (humans) are in the early stages of development and to think different is, to me, the ultimate form of self delusion and arrogance.
The proof is obvious. Just observe our present state of involvement in world affairs (wars, poverty and ad-nauseam) and our economy. And observe the similar condition of all other nation states. There must be a better way!
Ralph Tamm, Lihu‘e
Lifeguard pay should be same as Fire
Our ‘ohana and the KBA wish to commend Dr. Monty’s tireless efforts in association with the Kaua‘i lifeguards from Kalani to the youngest team member are all self-made heroes many times over outside of their individual ‘Job Descriptions.’
Over the last 40 years, many of these team players have raised an island-water-savy group of a different professional sort. Kaua‘i can boast multiple state/national/world title holders in surfing, bodyboarding, etc., as well as huge amateur industry movement.
On the other hand, there are the wai/kai/‘aina-ignorant, seemingly invincible, problematic populace requiring repeat teaching efforts. Lucky we live Kaua‘i , when the combinations include Fire, P.D., EMT/MICT’s, medical professionals and the difference these folks make on whether one is hospitalized, medivac’d to Queen’s, or sent to the morgue. Lifeguard pay scale should equal Fire-EMT.
Debra Kekaualua, Kapa‘a
Mahalo lifeguards
I am writing this letter regarding the lifeguards in Hanalei Bay. A typical gorgeous day off for me hanging at the beach. Quiet, sunny, beautiful breeze, fun surf between Pinetrees and the Hanalei Pavilion. In my beach chair people watching, two visitors walking the bay jump in for a swim.
The surf is coming up, 4 to 6 ft. with some 8 footers, they are having a rough time getting back into shore. “Pico” from the Pinetrees lifeguard stand and one of the other lifeguards from the Pavillion, (couldn’t see that far to see who he was) paddled out, safely rescued the couple who obviouly were shaken up when they retuned to shore.
These lifeguards rock! I am proud of what the do for our community everyday, especially during these winter months.
Lala Gorman, Hanalei
Voting with our wallets
We wrote to Gov. Lingle in June urging her to sign the Civil Unions bill, right after we returned from a wonderful vacation on the beautiful island of Kaua‘i.
We try to vacation in Hawai’i often, in part because of the state’s support for gay rights. Because of her bigoted decision to veto the Civil Unions bill, and her cowardly reasoning that it should be voted on by the people (does that mean we should put the equal rights of Jews and women up to a vote as well?), we will not be returning to Hawai‘i until equality for gay couples is granted.
Hopefully, Gov. Neil Abercrombie will undo the harm you have inflicted on gay couples in Hawai’i.
Gay spending power is estimated to be around $750 billion in the U.S., and we vote with our dollars. My family decided to take a vacation instead of spending Thanksgiving at home, and when Hawai‘i was suggested, my husband and I quickly “vetoed” that decision because of Governor Lingle’s, with our family concurring.
Instead, we had a wonderful vacation in Spain, a country that grants marriage equality to gay couples and treats everyone equally. We spent almost $20,000 for a week’s vacation there, money that could have been spent to stimulate Hawai‘i’s economy.
But because of Gov. Lingle’s veto, we spent our money where we are treated as equals to everyone else.
Roger and Brandon Mueller-Kim, Dublin, Calif.
