• GMO legislation would drive away business • Pesticide exposure clarification • On Zimmerman and racism in America • GMO legislation would drive away business I am one of the commercial growers on Kauai alarmed by the potentially disastrous legislation
• GMO legislation would drive away business • Pesticide exposure clarification • On Zimmerman and racism in America •
GMO legislation would drive away business
I am one of the commercial growers on Kauai alarmed by the potentially disastrous legislation (ordinance 2491) proposed by County Councilman Gary Hooser. It is nothing less than an iron-fisted restriction on the way we operate our farms. If passed, this legislation may drive us from the island, taking with us the jobs we provide, the taxes we pay for schools and government services and our other contributions to our local and state economy — amounting to millions of dollars annually.
We are already regulated and supervised by state and federal agricultural authorities. More than that, we are dedicated to following farming best practices and the safe use of crop protection chemicals. We live here and raise our families here. We wouldn’t engage in anything or use any chemicals that would put our families at risk.
We cannot afford to lose another major agricultural industry on Kauai. More than 600 jobs will disappear. Does our government really want to drive away the jobs we provide, the taxes we pay and the economic contributions we make to Kauai and Hawaii?
Please, before the County Council considers this ordinance, ask them what they have in store to replace our farms and the significant amount of dollars we contribute to our community and state.
Randy Yokoyama
Lawai
Pesticide exposure clarification
I was at the Saturday meeting in which the attorneys representing the Westside community presented pesticide data. An article in the Sunday edition (separate from the meeting) covered the use of pesticides extensively.
However, after reading your article, there are a couple of impressions that I believe are misleading and I would like to clarify.
The first has to do with the levels of chlorpyrifos detected relative to the California standard. It is correctly pointed out that the levels found are 24 times below the California standard. However, the sampling technique used determined only long-term averages with no indication of the peak values.
So, for example, if a child was exposed for one hour a week, the ratio between the effective exposure during that hour and the weekly average would be 168 (24 hours per day times 7 days per week).
So during that one hour he would be exposed at a rate 7 times greater than the California standard. The other is that it was made clear that there is no acceptable level of exposure to children, even considering the California standard.
A collection method that is only able to obtain long-term averages and misses the peaks is only half of the story. We all know that short-term exposure to high levels can be far more devastating than an equal or greater exposure spread out over long periods of time.
Bob Rosen
Lihue
On Zimmerman and racism in America
Now that jury of his peers has quickly acquitted Mr. Zimmerman of the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the media reports angry protesters taking the streets claiming racism. Look closely at the pictures …
Please, after 50 years, can’t we get this behind us, America?
Media reports:
1. Witnesses testified Martin was sitting on Zimmerman’s chest beating him in the face. Martin was not weaponless: a strong young male with his fists is a formidable weapon. Neither was Zimmerman, lucky for him, unlucky for his attacker.
2. Expert witness testified that the angle of the shot, and other evidence, was perfectly consistent with the above scenario.
3. Zimmerman legitimately feared for his life and defended himself.
4. The former police chief there testified he was forced out because he would not investigate and subscribe to the liberal-racist agenda.
So, when did the media report, if there was anything to report at all, when a Caucasian American was shot, beaten, stabbed and protesters protested? Or an Asian American? Or a European American? Or the occasional Mexican American (please, nevermind the Mexican border wars, its own unique battlefield)?
One reason is that these groups were at work earning a living and paying taxes (mostly). Think: would you leave your employment to take to the streets, missing a paycheck or sick days?
Another is that such protests, although mediagenic, accomplish little except to grossly exaggerate alleged African-American racism in America. It does exist but is fading fast.
In California, Arizona (home to that toughest sheriff in America, Joe Arpaiao, who is regularly re-elected), and Hawaii, in my few non-working hours, happily and equally play golf with all races and all had a good time.
Maybe that’s just the Hawaiian melting pot, or aloha, or something.
On Aug. 16, I will have the pleasure of dining in my home and a Hanalei restaurant, with an Asian woman and an Indian (as in East Indian) who are old friends and colleagues. Just Americans, hard-working, enjoying the friendship, respect, and old times.
Think about it, and please, spare me and the readership vitriolic charges of racism and diatribes. Go to the beach and chill.
Tom Rice
Princeville
