No need for assault weapons
The recent mass murders of schoolchildren at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, is appalling and shouldn’t take place in a civilized society. I challenge all gun owners to justify, in this public forum, why it’s OK to sell a weapon, like the AR-15, to non-military and non-law-enforcement citizens.
Michael Diamant, Koloa
Cartoon was not fair to Trump
Knowing how much The Garden Island revels in bashing/hating Trump, it came as no surprise to see the latest attack inMonday’s paper (Feb. 12) in the form of the “Trump Parade” political cartoon. Although despicable/deplorable were left out ofthe list of descriptors, the message was clear: Hate all things Trump.
I’m sure TGI and most of its liberal readers long for the good ole days of America hating, lead from behind, anti cop, antimilitary, anti business, divisive, race bating rhetoric of the past administration. Keep everyone down and filled with rage,dependent on an all powerful government who picks the winners and losers.
I realize that the recent Trump inspired tax cuts and pay bonus’s are simply “crumbs” that should be ignored. There are thosewho live on Kauai, and across the land, who appreciate any and all pay increases they get. Let’s not forget that not a singleDemocrat voted for these tax cuts or pay increases.
Fear not Kauai, the path to equality (equally poor) and social justice (socialism) is simply one election away, just vote for moreDemocrats. We too can have even bigger deficits, more corruption, more division. Yes, we too can have food shortages, toiletpaper shortages, state controlled media (already do), political prisons, etc. Look no further than that once prosperous countryof Venezuela, or Cuba, North Korea, etc. Bastions of liberty and freedom that they are (not really), portrayed so often by theleft as the role models we should emulate. I’ll take MAGA anytime.
OK, bring on the hate mail.
Bernard Verkaaik, Kapaa
HDF not fooling anyone
Terrific spin job by Amy Hennessey, as usual, in Wednesday’s TGI (Feb. 14). Read the Johns Hopkins letter about Hawaii DairyFarms’ dairy plan and find out their fears and concerns are not confined just to the largest herd size HDF is planning — andabout the devastating effects even a smaller operation would have on the Mahaulepu ecosystem.
The number 699 is a number that puts HDF one cow below CAFO status, which relieves HDF of bad optics and regulatoryhoops related to being an industrial waste factory.
Fact is, even they admit they will need a supplementary herd equal to at least half the 699 to have enough lactating cows tokeep 699 producing (now we’re up to 1,000-plus but they won’t say where they’ll put them). Here’s a quote from the Hopkinsletter: “Although Ulupono Initiative acknowledges that additional regulatory review, permitting and public input would berequired to expand the herd, some of the infrastructure required for an expansion is included in the current proposal andFEIS.”
Oops. Don’t be fooled. Pierre Omidyar is a man who knows economies of scale. If only he’d realize this is one plan that is outof scale with the site he’s picked — and that being a community “partner” might mean listening to the folks who actually livethere, and work, and breathe, and drink and bathe.
Steve Lauryn, Koloa
