• What does maverick mean to you?
• Little protection against corporate greed
• Long live the status quo
• Carvalho would provide change
• Yukimura for sustainability
What does maverick mean to you?
To me the term “maverick” refers to an intransigent steer whose unpredictable behavior is something that cowboys would rather not deal with.
However, in discussing John McCain and Sarah Palin’s desire to be known as mavericks with my son-in-law, he had an entirely different take on the expression.
He felt that the term, maverick, as applied to people, meant a person who was independent in his thinking and therefore might be considered an ideal agent for change.
I’m afraid that a lot of my younger fellow Americans feel the same way.
Semantic differences between generations can be very exasperating.
Harry Boranian
Lihu‘e
Little protection against corporate greed
I would like to respond to the TGI article, “Superferry, burials focus of DLNR chair visit.”
First I would like to say that Gov. Lingle is going to be long remembered for her robust role in circumventing Hawai‘i state law to help out the interests of a corporation.
That is going to be her legacy.
So it is a little troubling when you read that Department of Land and Natural Resources Chairperson Laura Thielen is a member of Gov. Linda Lingle’s own cabinet.
It reminds me of the current mess on Wall Street. Some Republicans are all for the free market and no oversight of corporations making tons of money, but when these same corporations stop making tons of money, some Republicans seem to like to step in and help those same corporations through grants of hundreds of billions of the tax payers’ dollars.
Who thinks that makes sense? Don’t answer, I already know who. If this letter gets printed, an echo chamber wanna-be will be quick to repeat the talking points de jour (after a quick sermon from the fairly unbalanced news team).
It makes you wonder whose interests they are looking out for at the end of the day. Certainly not most of the people who support them.
Laura Thielen also goes on to show exactly how much respect she has for Native Hawaiian burial sites. You have to read what she says and what she doesn’t say to understand that.
Basically Thielen says that you cannot change a law to protect your ancestors graves, but you can change a law to protect the monetary interests of a corporation.
Believe me Thielen and Lingle, we understand.
Is it any real surprise that when someone is elected to office, whether it’s a governor of Hawai‘i or a mayor of Kaua‘i, that they will put into place people that they personally like, people who they think will benefit them and their own personal agenda (which may not be in the best interest of the people who voted for them)?
And if these same politicians wag our own personal flag of choice, we try to ignore the seemingly small things they do, which lead to bigger and bigger things, that we will end up supporting as soon as there is any opposition, even though in our hearts, deep down, we know these things will negatively affect Hawai‘i for years to come.
It happens over and over again. And we keep letting it happen.
Opihi, reef fish and limu are disappearing by customers taking the Superferry to Maui, according to reports by people working at the DNLR.
For many people of O‘ahu, the plunder of Maui, the Big Island and Kaua‘i is exactly why they will continue to support the Superferry corporation.
For these people, the Superferry corporation is handing out treasure maps to Maui when they board.
The next yummy treasure maps will be of the Big Island.
Dennis Chaquette
Kapa‘a
Long live the status quo
The sheepeople have spoken. Long live the status quo. Viva group think. For a more detailed look at the society see the movie “Idiocracry” available at your local library.
Michael Wells
Kapa‘a
Carvalho would provide change
Let’s talk about “status quo.” On the front page of Monday’s issue of The Garden Island, there was a column headed “Yukimura: Carvalho equals status quo.”
My dictionary defines “status quo” as “the existing state of affairs (at a particular time).”
On the “Poll results” print-out (TGI, Sunday) of the top seven candidates running for the County Council, five were incumbents. Even though Ms. Yukimura is a candidate for mayor, I believe she is still a member of the council and a member of the so-called status quo.
Thus, it seems that the voters still prefer things the way they are rather than change. As I recall, Mr. Carvalho has never held an elective office before and would be a welcome change from one who has maintained the status quo for many years.
With all the past letters and editorials in the Forum calling for changes, it would seem that many of those voting do not want any changes. Is there any way a survey could be made to indicate what percentage of the voters either subscribe to, or read, our sole daily paper? This might bring forth a means for conserving ink and paper by eliminating many of the pro-change writings.
Joe Stoddard
Kapa‘a
Yukimura for sustainability
Sustainable is the word. That is what JoAnn Yukimura represents to me.
I worked with her during the Hurricane Iniki recovery after Sept. 11, 1992. I was on the FEMA recovery team for the Eastside of the island.
Sixteen years ago, JoAnn developed a recycling process for the hurricane waste because she knew if all of that debris went into our landfill, we would have no landfill space left. Recycling after disasters was unheard of at that time and generated international recognition, inquiry and a visit by several nations to Kaua‘i, asking “how did she do this?”
Now ask yourself, where is the continued progress on this very same issue, 16 years later? What kind of leadership has undermined, neglected or shut down all of the progress that JoAnn’s administration made for sustainable living, even in the midst and after a major disaster? Do we want progress on sustainable living or more neglect and damage to the only ‘aina we have, our beloved Kaua‘i?
If you want sustainable conscious living, increased and powerful change, and true devotion to ‘ohana and the ‘aina, there is but one choice, JoAnn Yukimura as our next mayor of Kaua‘i.
Kay Snow-Davis
Kapa‘a
