• Don’t throw stones • Future threatened • Doing justice • Conflict of interest Don’t throw stones The chicken is the one animal that is used in more cooking recipes than any other. Why do people think cockfighting is cruelty
• Don’t throw stones • Future threatened • Doing justice • Conflict of interest
Don’t throw stones
The chicken is the one animal that is used in more cooking recipes than any other.
Why do people think cockfighting is cruelty to animals? The same people eat chicken on a regular basis. There are a few vegetarians and vegans that can stand their ground, but the vast majority of people are just so full of chicken manure.
If it’s OK to butcher a chicken, chop off its head, let it run around in agony, then continue to bleed it and pull its guts out in preparation for a meal, what’s the big deal about a chicken fight?
If I were a chicken I would rather be in a fight with another chicken than be beheaded by a human.
The cruelty is in not letting people enjoy themselves; if a cockfight can be entertaining why not enjoy it? Remember the old expression, people in glass houses should not throw stones.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
Future threatened
Flash forward a couple of years and you will behold a very different Kilauea town. As the gateway to the North Shore, you will be greeted by endless traffic jams, accidents and gridlock.
Just beyond one of the most dangerous and treacherous intersections of Kuhio Highway and Kolo Road at Shell station lies the entertainment center for the North Shore visitors. Make a very careful left hand turn to see a beautiful miniature golf center featuring a tour of Hawaiian flora (don’t we already have several famed botanical gardens that need our support and visitor traffic?). Now we are just finding out that we will have a new 300-seat facility for lu‘aus, movies and rock concerts. Just what we need.
Existing lu‘aus and their operators are coming out of an extended recession and need all the business they can muster. Can we really support another one on the North Shore? Movies are terrific for both visitors and residents alike, but if the Kilauea Theater could not make it after a very wholesome and lengthy try, what makes another so different, especially with no support businesses close by (ice cream, restaurants, stores, are all not within walking distances of this facility). Plus we have just learned of the potential for a multiplex multi-cinema to be built near the airport. I suggest that is a better location for a night out.
And that brings us to rock concerts! Wow, that is just the ticket. Great acts with expensive tickets and lots of cars and fueled fans cruising Kilauea town and the environs. Lots of partying and lots of noise, but heck, aren’t we all on vacation! Seriously, no, we are not all on vacation, nor do we all keep holiday party and later night hours.
We need to protect the quality of life our little town still has. Yes, development will proceed as the world encroaches, but let’s rally to protect what we can. This particular area of development has neither the resources nor the infrastructure for this kind of development.
Where is all the sewage going to go from the many toilets and commercial kitchen facilities? Where is the water going to come from, and where will the waste be deposited? Not septic runoff to our precious stream and waterfall leading to Secret and Kalihiwai beaches I hope!
And most of all, the noise! What happened to the peaceful and quiet evenings of Kilauea? When did we allow Manoa and Lahaina to encroach on our space?
I respectfully submit there are better, more appropriate and allowable facilities that already exist on Kaua‘i for these venues. (This property is zoned open space?)
Let’s preserve and protect the quality of life we have in Kilauea. And let’s show our aloha in welcoming our visitors to our town so they too can experience our quality of life — this special place and the peace and tranquility we all cherish.
Then we can go other places to visit and return home to really appreciate what we have, to harmonize with neighbors and visitors alike, and enjoy our peace and quiet and beauty.
Please plan to attend the Planning Commission meeting on April 27 in Lihu‘e. If cannot, please send letters to the commission and director. Now is your turn to help Kilauea!
David Baker, Kilauea
Doing justice
In his letter to The Garden Island on March 30 entitled “Problem solved,” Judge Laureta overlooks that Rolf Bieber’s “whistle blowing” made him the victim in the mayoral appointment process.
I singled out Mr. Bieber as the “hero” because he was the one person to step up to the plate and accurately accuse three people of violating our charter.
Did Rolf have help in making the case that Charter Section 20.02D meant exactly what it said — certainly he did. His colleague on the Ethics Board, retired lawyer Paul Weil (who the people are lucky to have as a representative for ethics justice), was there backing him as were many members of the public.
But Rolf took that first step, the trigger that got the thoughtful examination of section 20.02D started. Not enough good things could be said about former Board member Judy Lenthal for her dedicated service for our needy. She was one of those who unknowingly violated the section, but she holds no malice toward Rolf and later agreed with him.
Judge, your praise for Mayor Carvalho’s statement that Rolf was not reappointed for reasons of “balance” is poorly placed. Independence is the prime attribute for an Ethics Board member; the need for balance is not readily ascertainable.
Justice has been done in clarifying the meaning of Section 20.02D, but not in the denial of reappointment of a dedicated citizen.
Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a
Conflict of interest
It used to be: We don’t make the laws, we just enforce them. If you don’t like the laws, change them.
Now it seems more like: To serve and protect our jobs. (“Police chiefs pressured legislators on pot bill,” TGI, April 3)
Law enforcement agencies and their unions should not be involved in this issue since it is a conflict of interest.
Stan White , Dillon, Colo.
