Letters for Monday, December 18, 2006

• How dare go!

• Apply principle across board

• Change is inevitable

• There will always be noisy neighbors

• Let’s start by not pointing fingers

How dare go!

So that dastardly, free-enterprise-driven, upstart go! Airlines is cutting inter-island fares again. Where is the Kauai County Council when we need them?

The council should immediately ban go! Airlines from Lihu‘e Airport on the following grounds:

• go! Airlines will encourage more people to travel to Kaua‘i thus further compromising the rural way of life.

• go! Airlines is trying to drive “mom and pop” airlines out of business with their predatory low fares.

• go! Airlines is too hard on the Kaua‘i environment with all the additional noise and jet exhaust fumes it causes.

The fact the airport is owned by the state of Hawaii should not impede the County Council; that would be far too logical.

San Clemente, Calif.

Apply principle across board

If a principle is valid, then it applies in all cases. Otherwise it is not a valid principle.

So if government is capable of making better business decisions than businesspeople are, such as the size of businesses, and the appropriate number of large-sized businesses, then there is a readily available solution to traffic congestion on the island.

If there were fewer gas stations on the Garden Island, there would be fewer vehicles on the road.

A good place to start would be to reduce the cluster of three stations in Lihu‘e near Pizza Hut on Kuhio Highway. There are three stations. That’s too many. Only one is needed.

Government, using its police power, could have two of them demolished, then plow up the area for the planting of crops.

That would preserve the rural atmosphere of downtown Lihu‘e.

Lihu‘e

Change is inevitable

There have been numerous letters and guest editorials denouncing big box stores as destroyers of our rural lifestyle.

I grew up in a remote, small, former gold-mining town in Southern California. The nearest “supermarket” was more than 65 miles away on dangerous mountain roads. In our town were two very small markets, “mom and pop” style. They charged high prices for everything, except maybe the penny candy.

Yes, the surrounding area was beautiful, mountainous and peaceful. Yes, the lifestyle was “rural,” with most of the surrounding area in cattle ranches, apple farms and small family farms.

With all of that, we drove every week the 65 miles to shop.

There were no Wal-Marts or Costcos then, but it was worth the drive to save money. Most residents also drove to the city to do their shopping. I’m certain, that if Wal-Mart had existed and wanted to build a store in Julian, that some of the residents would have loudly decried the loss of our “rural lifestyle.” But most, as is the case on Kaua‘i, would vote with their feet and shop the Wal-Marts and Costcos if they were available.

Julian, by the way, is still largely rural, but has grown exponentially since I left more than 30 years ago. People from the city, in search of that “rural lifestyle,” have moved in droves to Julian. Growth is rampant, but the town retains its historic appearance. It looks like a town built in the mid-1800s because it was built in the mid-1800s. One of the old markets has burned down, replaced by a more modern version.

Change is inevitable. The natural world around us is ever-changing. Those who would try to keep things “the way they always have been” are destined to stagnate. That’s fine for them. I do not wish to stagnate, either physically, mentally or financially.

I will add that Costco, Wal-Mart and Kmart are not built on agricultural land, but on land that has been zoned “commercial.” They are all commercial entities. Enough said.

Lihu‘e

There will always be noisy neighbors

The bill in front of the Kaua‘i County Council regarding vacation rentals and the effect on the welfare of the communities on Kaua‘i is so minor in comparison to the real issues that confront us all.

The lack of adequate infrastructure (e.g. traffic jams), lack of the necessary rezoning and cooperation to build more affordable housing (we have plenty of rentals), lack of good paying jobs for our children and the lack of alternative energy sources are just a few of Kaua‘i’s real issues that need solutions immediately.

Let’s not allow this vacation rental bill to cause more punitive actions that will only take away some of the hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars that the tourist industry provides for many of our people and businesses here on Kaua‘i. No matter what the final wording is on this bill, I don’t think anyone really believes that it will make rents cheaper, real estate prices go down, guarantee good neighbors or make our communities any safer. We need to aggressively address the real issues because there are just too many more important problems to find solutions for.

Why don’t we focus on better planning for the future and put our system to work for the good of the citizens of Kaua‘i. Let’s also try to keep an eye on the big picture so that we can put forth our best efforts to accomplish those goals that will make a big difference for all those who will come after we are gone.

Kapa‘a

Let’s start by not pointing fingers

Concerning the original letter (“More on the ‘n’ word,” Letters, Dec. 14), I believe that no one should use any racial slur or any labels. This world should be big enough for everyone to live how they want to live, believe what they want to, although I know that is not always true.

But to assume that a particular slogan on a T-shirt or a bumper sticker provides a glimpse into one’s mind is ridiculous. Most times a shirt is a shirt, a sticker is just a sticker. How about getting to know the person before making a judgment call?

I am not denying the fact that “locals” can and have been disrespectful to visitors, the environment, their community, that’s not to say that visitors, tourist, recent transplants haven’t done the same. “Pointing a finger” at them or those does no one any good. It is up to all of us, as individuals to make changes in this world, starting with ourselves.

Kapa‘a