• Too much GMO • GMO and you • Be thankful • Get real Too much GMO I was ecstatic but surprised when Bill 2491 was introduced at the county level! This, my fellow Americans, is what the Founding Fathers
• Too much GMO • GMO and you • Be thankful • Get real
Too much GMO
I was ecstatic but surprised when Bill 2491 was introduced at the county level!
This, my fellow Americans, is what the Founding Fathers had in mind when constructing the Constitution.
This country’s foundation is in states’ rights — in local-level government. It saddens me that some council members don’t have the guts to tackle controversial issues and want to kick them to the state or federal level. Our Republic was designed so that issues would first be dealt with at the local level. Why? Because that is where it affects us.
Kauai is affected by the presence of GMO crops and the associated pesticides. Those in Washington only hear the lobbyist’s side of the issues, since “We the People” don’t have the deep pockets or time that the biotech companies do to explain our side!
That is why this country was set up for local-level governing. We, with all issues, should be governing from county-state-central, not central-state-county. This is the only way we get protection from Goliath!
Some argue that we are taking a great leap backwards by not embracing advances in agricultural technology.
We are not against technological advances in food science but there are too many unknowns in the human physiology and how we chemically interact with genetically altered foods — right now we feel like a petri-dish.
Let the biotech companies go into neighborhoods that want them, but we don’t, and it is our right to restrict or reject them.
Because council members like Gary Hooser and Tim Bynum live with us, breathe the same air, have children who attend local schools and eat local produce, that governance at the local-level is preferable.
We are not faceless! We are not nameless! We are neighbors! I hope all council members take heed of this and realize that the position they hold has more impact on our day-to-day lives than what Washington has and be willing to tackle the controversial issues prior to sending them on to politicians who don’t know us!
Kelly Sato
Kilauea
GMO and you
I urge the County Council to have the heart and strength to pass this GMO bill, and work to further limit the reckless bioengineering experiments being conducted here in Hawaii.
GMO crops threaten our diversified agriculture through the cross pollination of normal plants, soil contamination, diversion of our precious water for research crops in arid areas, contamination of our water through pesticide and chemical fertilizer runoff, and evolution of pesticide resistant weeds and bugs. Why do you think these companies come here to Hawaii?
We are out in the middle of the Pacific, and when their experiments go wrong, they won’t be contaminating the Mainland now, will they?
Some countries are now labeling GMOs, and the real smart countries are outright banning them.
How could you possibly support this technology that you and your children are eating without even knowing it? This is not normal evolution.
Don’t you think we should have the right to know what we are eating? Let’s not play god here with peoples’ food, health and environment.
Please stop and think what we are doing to each other and our world.
Sara Steiner
Pahoa
Be thankful
The loss of the Arizona firefighters brings to my mind just how hazardous the job of firefighting is and how much I personally appreciate the terrific job our Kauai Fire Department does.
Now that I’m on the subject of gratitude, we can all give a vote of thanks to each of our community individuals, whether they are county employees or not, who are putting in time and effort to help keep Kauai such an incredible place to live.
We often disagree, but so many are giving selflessly of themselves that they deserve our gratitude. Now if we could just reduce the subdividing of land and get the transient accommodations under control, we might be able to salvage some of what is left of Aloha.
David Dinner
Hanalei
Get real
Mr. Strickland assures us of what gentle dogs the pit bulls are, then he warns us not to get too close to his dog or there could be serious consequences.
I heard of a pit bull on leash who grabbed a small dog, also on leash, by the neck because the dog barked at him. The owner had no control over the pit bull.
So let’s get real about this situation for the good of all dog owners.
Toni Wagner
Anahola
