RIMPAC poses threats to environment
This year, when we all are on guard for natural disasters, the U.S. military has decided to host the largest ever RIMPAC games, just off shore of Kauai/Hawaiian Islands. Activities like practicing blowing up ships, with guest military from Japan, New Zealand, to name a couple within miles of our beautiful aina.
This is a call to all our citizens, surfers, biologists, volunteers, fisherman, boaters, we all have a voice! Instead of grumbling about the few (comparable) fish the monk seal might or might not take from the net, let’s get involved in downsizing at the least, the RIMPAC games (potentially killing 10,000 fish, if not more).
If you still aren’t motivated, consider attending a viewing of “Sonic Seas”: a film about these military type activities going on.
Schedule: June 29 at the Koloa Neighborhood Center
July 13 Kapaa Library
July 20 Princeville Community Center
July 21 Hanapepe Storybook Theater
On Sunday July 1 at 1 p.m. there is a “teach-in” about Navy Sonar and our coral reefs.
Remember, we don’t know if global warming can be reversed. The time is now to get involved.
Jacquelynn Lott, Kalaheo
Don’t separate children from parents
Families belong together! From Family Court in Honolulu and child welfare services in Hawaii and California, I spent over 30 years of my career working to keep children with their families. As director of the Department of Family and Children Services in Santa Clara County (Silicon Valley), one of my first priorities was to close a beautiful multi-million dollar Children’s Shelter where children had been kept for months at a time.
Research showed that keeping children in these types of facilities, no matter how beautiful, is not best practice and not in the best interest of children because of the trauma experienced by the children.
I am very concerned about the increasing separations of thousands of immigrant children from their parents for long periods under President Trump’s administration’s immigration policies. This separation is inhumane and should not continue! In fact, statistics of the last six weeks have shown that 91 percent of the parents referred for prosecution and whose children were torn from them were only charged with misdemeanors because this was their first illegal entrance into the United States and there was no question of child abuse.
Let’s make compassion a priority and help to protect these children! Please email our Congressional members and urge them to fight and reduce the pain caused to children by this practice that is hurtful to families.
Norma Doctor Sparks, M.S.W., J.D., Koloa
