• Save Borders • Hurrah, Hanabusa • Legalize it • Shane Farkash no shammer Save Borders The decision makers at Borders must have no idea that we are an island, and that closing their store in Lihu‘e will close our
• Save Borders • Hurrah, Hanabusa
• Legalize it • Shane Farkash no
shammer
Save Borders
The decision makers at Borders must have no idea that we are an island, and that closing their store in Lihu‘e will close our only bookstore for new books. We need to let them know the importance of this store, and fight to keep it open.
I created a Facebook page — Save Kaua‘i Borders — to rally Kaua‘i residents and visitors to fight the closure.
Chuck Lasker, Princeville
Hurrah, Hanabusa
Congress re-establishes the Patriot Act this week. Senators Dan Inouye and Dan Akaka voting for Bill HR 514 in the U.S. Senate while Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa voting against its companion bill in the House.
Rep. Mazie Hirono failed to vote.
Bogus legislation ensues designed to sacrifice American’s freedoms for so called safety is no different than policy practices in places like contemporary North Korea or Cold War era East Germany. Misfortune renders America’s exceptionalism dead. Meanwhile, expect expansion of the blue-shirted goons of the Department of Homeland Security beyond airports and ready yourselves for extra scrutiny of electronic communications.
The Patriot Act is particularly hypocritical when assessed for example by the extraordinarily lackadaisical security of US borders. Its design instead is a bloated police state where the 1st and 4th Amendments of the Constitution are gutted for stasi-like practices of spying on citizens and searches of innocent persons without warrant. Look no further than Secretary Napolitano’s “If you see something, say something.” campaign in partnership with big business to conjure totalitarian China or something out of the Nazi playbook.
Google “Susan Lindauer indicted on the Patriot Act” for an excellent example of the Patriot Act’s indiscretion. Do your own research into the vast lies and coercion and much, much worse that got us to this point today. I fear America has become less safe because of this policy in conjunction with foreign policy and domestic fiscal practices.
Ask yourself: Are you better off and safer today than 10 years ago? If you think so, then good for you.
I believe the Patriot Act simply cannot work for a country founded and rooted in freedoms. The people will eventually throw it off themselves if the representatives cannot. The foolishness must end.
Thank you, Hanabusa and like-minded legislators for having the courage to cast a “no” vote. I shall interpret it as a vote for liberty and true patriotism in the face of fear mongering and illegitimate government expansion and control of U.S. citizens.
Rolf Bieber, Kapa‘a
Legalize it
As a family physician, I can tell you that the overwhelming majority of people who drink alcohol and use drugs for medicine and recreation cause no harm to themselves or society. The small proportion of those that abuse drugs and alcohol, should be seen as patients, not as criminals.
If anyone has any doubt as to why this country continues the costly “war” on drugs, look no further than the front page of The Garden Island, Feb. 16.
Why do police and DAs advocate for the drug “war?” There is a large infrastructure of people, mainly in the government, who make their living because drugs are illegal.
It is not just the local pot growers and the Mexican drug lords who want the high prices that drug illegality provides for them. It is also the police and DAs who want to go after “moral crimes” instead of violent crimes and crimes against property.
If illegal drugs were made OK, we could lay off policemen, helicopter pilots, prison guards, district attorneys, public defenders, mandatory “treatment” programs and all sorts of folks who make their living fighting the so-called drug war.
Our island people suffer most from crimes caused by repeat thieves, violent offenders and family abusers. They are far more dangerous than people who smoke pot.
It would be a blessing to our island if pot were legal and Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Carvalho and Keith Kamita, deputy director of law enforcement, could spend their time and attention to protecting us from real crimes.
Gordon LaBedz, MD, Kekaha
Shane Farkash no shammer
I write to you to correct a mischaracterization of Shane Farkash in your recent article about whether certain Kaua‘i restaurants are currently using Kilauea goat cheese. When Shane Farkash worked at Casablanca, Shane made sure that Casablanca purchased Kilauea goat cheese and there were always a sufficient amount in the kitchen.
With regard to Kalaheo Steak and Ribs, Shane Farkash created the menu currently being used and requested that the restaurant purchase the items indicated on the menu. Part of the reason Mr. Farkash left Kalaheo Steak and Ribs was the refusal of that establishment to purchase the items necessary for the menu.
Shane Farkash in no way participated in fraud or deception in his work. Shane feels strongly that The Garden Island should make it clear to its readers that he had no part in the recent purchasing decisions by either of his former employers mentioned in the article.
Craig A. De Costa, Lihu‘e
