Schools instead of radars
I really enjoyed Kip Goodwin’s Jan. 12 editorial piece about the stupidity of constantly preparing for nuclear war.
For sure, the Westside does not need another monster radar blaster. O‘ahu doesn’t want it, so they are trying to pawn it off on West Kaua‘i. Don’t we have enough microwave radiation with all our computers, cell phones, smart meters and what not? This thing is microwave on steroids.
Instead of spending 2.1 billion dollars on a radar blaster that will be obsolete by the time it is built, how about we take the federal money for Kaua‘i and build a few more schools, give teachers a big raise and hire a bunch of addiction counselors?
Gordon LaBedz, Kekeha
Quarantine the sick, let the rest of us go
Approaching 400K deaths in US from COVID-19, we are now approaching the number that die from cigarettes every year. No lockdowns there.
I remember when my grandfather got TB. No lockdowns there. He was required to go to a sanitarium and be quarantined until no longer infectious. It seems to me that the appropriate response to this virus would have been a similar approach.
Quarantine the sick, perhaps even the positive tested, and it also seems to me that military bases would be the appropriate locations. Medical facilities for treatment could be expanded and/or moved to these locations, freeing our hospitals.
Let the rest of society go about their business, thereby avoiding the economic fallout and collateral health damage of these lockdowns. One thing is clear: Our hospitals and society were totally unprepared for such an event just as we were and are unprepared for a massive solar burst as happened in the 1800s. If that happens, all society will come to an end due to our reliance on computers and technology.
If we could so rapidly build an atomic bomb to end WWII we certainly could do the above IF our “leaders” and the people demanded it.
Michael Wells, Moloa‘a
Putting the ‘p’ in ‘pestilence’
Select the best word(s) to fill in the blank:
The putz _________ a putsch.
Provoked; preached; pushed; prepared; plied; pumped; personified; presided over; parented; promoted; perpetuated; presumed; pulled; peddled; planned; propagated; patroned; pegged; partnered; prompted; passed; propelled; preferred; prosecuted; prodded; played; performed; passioned; powered; programmed; pitched; proclaimed; plugged; permitted; pervaded; pressed; or, promulgated.
Jed Somit, Kapa’a
They just don’t get it
Some 244 years ago, the American colonies were under the control of the royal elitist class in England. Civil rights were crushed, free speech controlled and unfair taxes levied, all to benefit the crown and to maintain power.
This led our forefathers to write the most important document the world has ever witnessed, that started with the words WE THE PEOPLE. WE THE PEOPLE were the farmers, ranchers, bank clerks and explorers, and these words lit a flame of freedom.
The bankers, ship owners and other powerful elite remained faithful to the crown, hoping the revolution would fail and not decrease their hold on power. But, instead, these words led to the creation of the most powerful country the world has ever known. WE THE PEOPLE made the steel that built the skyscrapers and laid the railroads. They built the ships and planes that helped us resist aggression in two world wars. They spearheaded every major scientific and medical discovery and helped conquer many dreaded diseases. America became the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.
Today, the kings and queens and royal courts have been replaced with a new elitist class. They are the media giants, Silicon Valley powerhouses, snobbish politicians, self-described “morally-superior” educators and corporate boards.
But nothing has changed.
They strive to control our free speech, our thoughts, and look down on those that dare defy them. Those who disagree are “deplorable,” “trailer trash,” “racists,” “white supremacists,” even “Nazis.” They use their power to destroy us using the internet, deny us employment, destroy our reputations and, at times, even put us in physical danger.
The last four years have NOT been about Donald Trump. He simply relit the flame of freedom for WE THE PEOPLE. He reminded us that WE have the ultimate power, that WE are America and WE must continue to fight to keep the freedoms that were bestowed upon us by our ancestors alive and well. We must strive to keep our country strong, to keep our manufacturing jobs here for our prosperity and safety, embrace the diversity of our people and respect and cherish that which was given to us by the many generations that came before. WE THE PEOPLE has no race, no color, no religion, no gender.
And NO, this is not a call to arms or violence. It is a call to use the power of our voices, our votes, our economic power and our legal freedoms to resist the elitist class and all they stand for. For them, it is simply power to control. For us, it is the right to be free! Let your voice be heard, your vote be counted and use your economic purchasing power to say “WE THE PEOPLE” are in control. Remind them that every farmer is as important as every political elite, that every store clerk is as important as every snobbish professor that would look down on us. Every factory worker, steel worker, every bank teller, every store clerk, “WE ARE THE PEOPLE,” and we are as important, if not more, than any elitist snob that would work to take our freedoms away, debase us or silence us.
WE THE PEOPLE will not be silenced, controlled or forgotten! WE are America!
They just don’t get it, but they will !
Barry Dittler, Wailua
I kind of like the idea of a defense system for the island of Kaua’i. Western part of the United states that is populated by people using county and state funds. And it can detect incoming missiles from anywhere in the pacific Ocean. If you had China’a Xi Jinping military any where in the Pacific Ocean with in miles of Hawai’i, the military can use Kaua’i as a place to detect this on coming strangers in our waters. Really Keep Kaua’i safe. I think the idea of China and their military is too damn eerie. Especially when China is so close to Hong Kong, of which seek western politics to government. Why does Hong Kong wish democracy? Tired of the communist regime in CCP mainland China. So i think strengthening this type of military might in the Kaua’i area only heightens our awareness in the Pacific Ocean and will do wonders for the military defense system. Federal aid, but it will do wonders for our local economy. How? We become a little more like Hong Kong. Both democracy and having a military mindset to their economic approach. Way to go Hawai’i. You’ll be a Hong Kong also.
Well spoken Mr. Dittler
I fully agree with Mr. Dittler’s statement.
Patrick H Flores, Wailualots
Well said.
After Trump who, or what, will be the new Boogie Man created by the ruling class.
Thank you Barry Dittler! That was the most important letter written to this newspaper in the past year!!
Michael; How do you determine who should be quarantined? Since we know many who carry the virus are asymptomatic, how would you decide who should be locked away? Since Trump thought the whole thing was a hoax, there was never a National Testing plan that could weed out all of the folks who tested positive. Even if there had been, since we know the incubation period can be up to 14 days, someone could test negative but still have the virus and spread the virus. Sorry, your plan doesn’t work for many reasons.
I sure didn’t see many people of color trying to overthrow our government on Jan 6th. By “We the People”, you mean white people obviously. When folks are trying to protest against police killing unarmed black people, they are “thugs”. When white folks start an insurrection and take over the Capital, they are “patriots”. If you put gold paint on a turd, it is still a turd.
James,
Whether attacking the capital or burning down businesses and looting, simply put, that type of violence is wrong and I condemn it all !!! And if you read carefully I clearly stated that “WE the people has no color , race or gender attached”. This idea is not based on color, and any attempt to do so just falls into the left’s attempt to divide the country by race. Obviously, you have fallen into the trap. And , if you look at the crowd at the rally , there were people of all colors, races and genders in the crowd ! No matter what color those that attacked the capital they were wrong and should go to jail. So , stop spinning everything with a racial outlook , open your mind and understand that I was speaking for and to ALL people !
You mention the “new elitist” class of “media giants, Silicon Valley powerhouses, snobbish politicians, self-described “morally-superior” educators and corporate boards.” Wasn’t one of the first things your boy Trump did was give huge tax breaks to this very same “elitist” class of billionaires and corporations at the expense of “we the people”? Hasn’t he gutted thousands of regulations allowing these corporations to destroy our sacred environment that should be enjoyed by “we the people” so these elitists can make more profits? You can’t have it both ways. I agree that “we the people” need to take back America from these greedy billionaires and corporations and make them pay their fair share of taxes and prevent them from destroying the environment. We need to reign in these elitist corporations and hold them accountable. We need to reinstate regulations that protect “we the people” from this corporate rape of our environment in the name of profit.
James, how do you know that I even voted for Trump ? My only reference to him was that the last 4 years were NOT about him, but the idea he brought forth that the average person, not the Zuckerbergs, or Dorseys, or Bezo’s, are the power and sole of America. As for the tax cuts, they were percentages. 5 percent of $ 70,000 is $ 3500. Higher income levels got 2 %. 2% of a million is $ 20,000. So, yes, it seems they got more .But, since the average American saw a $ 6,000 tax reduction, the Biden plan to undo the tax law will hurt everyone , as well and the economy. How much did YOUR taxes go down ? As for corporate tax cuts, we were bleeding corporations to countries overseas. Companies like Black and Decker moved their offices to Europe for the lower tax rates. The US had the highest corporate tax rate in the world at 35%.In Ireland, it is 15% ! And remember, 95 % or the corporations in America employ less that 500 people, many closer to 50. A corporation does not mean a mega company like Amazon ! I , myself, own a small corporation in NY. The saving in my corporate taxes allowed me to hire 2 people at very good salaries. If Biden succeeds in raising the rate, one of those jobs may not exist. Most of the regulations eliminated were not environmental regulations, but government red tape and general BS. Some were, but if we do not want our energy sources to be in the hands of the Russians or Saudi’s, they were necessary to encourage exploration for new energy . Our economy boomed the last 4 years before Covid (and please, do not tell me it was because of Obama), with the lowest unemployment in history.
“WE THE PEOPLE, amen!”
Barry, The last four years have been a disaster. In your description of your fellow Trump supporters you left out “ignorant”, “racist”, “naive”, and “hateful” among other terms. Your guy is a loser and a criminal. Good riddance. He didn’t even build a wall, and that was his main promise.
Lawaibob,
Well, this is what I was speaking about. The only answer from the left is hate speech, name calling and vitriol ! The article was not about Trump supporters, it was about all Americans no matter what race , or gender finding their voice to keep our rights that were granted by the constitution safe. Do you think that the Jeff Bezos, Zuckerberg or Dorsey should have control of our free speech ? That CNN or MSNBC should be able to control what news we hear. I am 69, been through 12 presidents and I have never seen such control of ideas in this country. Sure, in China, North Korea, Russia , Cuba or Venezuela,where the state media controls every idea , but in America, never before. THAT is what I am against, for all people in this country to have freedom, no matter who they supported.
Mr Dittler,
I’m sorry but this last 4 years has been about nothing but Trump, a garden variety crook, small time New York real estate business person born with a silver spoon, bully , you know what grabbing misogynist , racist, conspiracy leader in birtherism AND that was before he got elected!
A perfect candidate and tool, unwitting or not, for foreign countries wishing to destroy our way of life where we do strive to live by the American Constitution.
Also, I would like to point out that not all people of we the people enjoyed the pursuit of life liberty and happiness such as women and anyone of skin color not white 2 centuries later. That inequality being the subject of the BLM movement that took to the streets to protest for countless past indiscretions, the one we all witnessed on TV of George Floyd, and future bad acts.
What snows me more than anything is how Trump et al have convinced the half of America that he gives one iota for “the people”. We have ALL been pawns of his one way or another but Trump’s whole life has been about him and him alone.
We all knew he was a crook, whether you liked him or not, of the worst kind and January 6th proved it out!
And now here we are, a pandemic brought on largely due to the current president, a collapsing economy due to the pandemic, our Capitol under siege, and our standing in the world completely different from when Trump came in and we would be a laughing stock if not for the fact that this is America, the beacon of democracy with all it’s flaws but still undeniably the best thing going for “the people”.
Doug, apparently , you missed my point entirely. As I stated, this last 4 years was not about Trump, but the idea that the average American citizen is what is important. He simply awakened an Idea our founding fathers ignited 244 years ago. The capital attack was abhorrent and I condemn it , period. Yet, were told that it takes years to get a covid vaccine, and it got done in 8 months ! How did Trump cause the covid pandemic ? They are now finding out that it was here in September from samples taken from blood donations. The Chinese hid this from the world, period. As late as March, Dr Fauci and the WHO were saying it did not spread person to person ! By that time, it was simply too late to stop it. The federal government does not have the power to control the actions of individual states (this is called states rights) , so the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the individual governors and their response. One last item. The George Floyd incident was a shame and the officer will pay the price. But , we , as Americans also paid a price. Billions of dollars of damage, thousands of businesses burned to the ground, thousands of stores looted, tens of thousands of jobs lost, and entire cities in flames. If you believe that this is a logical, sane response to ANY situation, any more than the capital attack was a sane response to their grievances, then I feel sorry for you !
WELL SAID, Barry. VERY WELL!
I think many of “them” DO already “get it”. They just have a real hard time admitting it. But, you’re absolutely correct! They will!!!
Oh, WE “get it” alright…..
A fake COUNTRY built on slavery and genocide of others just like the illegal occupation of Hawai’i starting 128 years ago, TODAY.
Not going to take it anymore…. IS THE MESSAGE.
We the people are organizing worldwide …. and say BRING IT ON!!!!
Onipaa Aloha Aina!
HAWAIIANKINGDOM.ORG
Wow, Barry, that last sentence sounds like a threat. More use of physical force to try and over-rule the majority again, perhaps? Remember, in this country we follow a constitution—you forgot to mention it in your manifesto—and it says we are a democracy, and that democracy operates by will of the MAJORITY. That means your side has to learn what we had to swallow hard and learn 4 years ago: ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. You don’t get to throw a destructive tantrum that kills people and disrupts the government when your side loses. What you do get to do is accept the results of a duly contested, and repeatedly recounted and litigated and audited and then litigated some more, and some more after that, election—and then move on.
Cane,
I will be the first to condemn the idiocy that happened at the Capital, and hope anyone involved is prosecuted ! And , this in not about the election or who won. It is what it is. It is about government and media control of what we hear, what we can say, what pronoun we can use. He or She is now it or they. Fail to follow the rules and they can fire you for “hate speech”. Get real, this is not the America I have lived in for 69 years !
And if you read carefully, I was specific that I was NOT calling for violence. I was calling for anyone that loves the freedom we USED to enjoy in America to rise up using our votes, our voices, our speech and our economic power to keep those freedoms alive. to stand up to the Zuckerbergs, the Bezo’s the Dorseys that control our ability to speak freely and say – NO, you can’t do that. This has nothing to do with politics, it has to do with freedom , of speech, ideas, and religion. By the way, how do you even know who I voted for ? As an independent, I have voted republican and democrat pretty evenly. Freedom in America has no party !
Mr Dittler you sound like a social conservative, and I share a number of your grievances, but libs just don’t scare me as they seem to do you—and the way that the right scares me. DJT needed a muzzle before he pulled another deadly, treasonous stunt and if Pence wasn’t gonna do it, well thank God for Twitter. The libs can be very annoying but they haven’t hijacked their party’s ship and sailed it into Whacko Harbor in the land of Q. If you’re for the party that backs Trump to get where you’re trying to go, then you own all that he’s done. A man in the ultimate position of leadership who disgraced his country. If you still back him after Jan. 6 you share in the disgrace.
Cane, interesting enough, I am an Independent ! On some things, like finance , I am in fact conservative. I am also liberal on other issues (FYI I am gay) ! I have voted for both parties in the past, as I vote for the person and their ideas, not their party .
Some on the very far right also scare me. But, the new , more powerful radial left is a great danger. If you don’t find comments such as “we should have homeland security take Trump voters children and put them into re-education camps” to be beyond terrifying, then you have become numb to the very radial speech from the left! Idea’s like this have no place in America, and are more like the Communist Chinese and the Uighers they have put in concentration camps ! Yet, radical ideas like this are growing. Do you really believe that the government should borrow trillions of dollars and give stimulus checks to people that are here illegally ? Or the , with millions of Americans out of work, and tens of thousands of businesses closed, we need to increase immigration ? Or that letting criminals out of jail is a good thing? Hawaii released 100’s of people in jail in the name of Covid – 53% went out and committed crimes again ! 23% were violent felonies !
So please do not put me in some category that you have pre determined in your mind that I belong in. I expressed an idea, Freedom of speech, period, and for every American, of every race and gender to strive to protect this and reject the lack of civility, no matter where it comes from. You have only to read the comments here to understand – some called me a “racist”, others claimed I was promoting violence, and a few just needed to spew nastiness, the weapon of the intolerant. They proved my point !
“we should have homeland security take Trump voters children and put them into re-education camps”
This is the second time you used this without a reference. Who said this and when? Who do they represent? This is a trump-like garbage tactic. Show some integrity and properly assign the garbage you decide to throw.
No Barry .. they will always be too divided to ever understand.
‘to resist the elitist class and all they stand for.’
What do think the Trumps are???
DUMB!
Moody,
See, you only verify the point I was trying to make. This last 4 years was about the people, of all races, colors and religions. It is about being able to enjoy the liberties we were given. The name calling from the left has done nothing to bring us together , only divide us further, which is what they want. they are using race to divide the county. Only in a divided country can they retain power.
Mr. Dittler. You are sadly mistaken if you believe the last four years was ‘About the people’. Trump did nothing but made the divide more visible and larger. We don’t have to pick sides because this will perpetuate the growing rift.
Also, the ‘Name Calling’ was not only from the ‘Left’, but from the ‘Right’ and ‘Middle’.
Agreed, that both sides are guilty ! Freedom of speech is not one sided, and civility has to come from both sides. But, those that called me a racist, and the few that felt that calling me names was appropriate proved my point about intolerance of ideas and the ability of everyone to feel safe to express their point of view !