Kanaka maoli who want to slow down motorists on Kuhio Highway in Anahola in order to press for support of the restoration of the Hawaiian monarchy may be headed into a public relations pothole. One thing motorists almost universally agree
Kanaka maoli who want to slow down motorists on Kuhio Highway in Anahola in
order to press for support of the restoration of the Hawaiian monarchy may be
headed into a public relations pothole.
One thing motorists almost
universally agree on is that traffic delays are a drag. And the one that
supporters of the monarchy want to cause Nov. 11 is liable to backfire on them
if drivers are more peeved by the slowdown than interested in the cause of the
demonstrators.
Sovereignty advocates have proposed stopping traffic on the
highway at each end of Anahola long enough to hand out literature to motorists.
Kaua’i Police officials, who have been briefed by organizers, haven’t agreed to
the plan and are mindful of the potential for disgruntled drivers. Police say a
peaceful demonstration is paramount.
Impeding the flow of traffic on a
public road certainly can be peaceful as long as cool heads prevail. But it can
also be inconvenient, irritating and counterproductive. Kanaka maoli should try
other ways of building support of their quest.
