Tribute to a homeless friend
El Aina DaNine
I did miss her,
After all, she lived two years at the Kapaa
Neighborhood Center bus stop.
We all would pass her by,
Rain or shine,
(that’s hard, cold rain and hot shine)
u El Aina accepted so graciously,
The kindness of strangers.
I did miss her and wondered,
Is she finally safe and cared for in a hospital?
Has her son in Virginia been notified?
Have officials found her U.S. Army I.D.?
I chanced upon her yesterday
in front of Hanamaulu 7-Eleven
Propped in her chair with her drink,
Smelling like rose water,
Her smile, her purple clothes,
Her fantastical stories of judges, jails, hospitals,
And a clean bill of health from Oahu.
I had to stop, just to say hello,
Just to wonder how this gentle child of God
Manages to surprise everyone and
Play games with the system.
El Aina DaNine,
Mary Gannon Alfiler, Kapaa
Island unity under attack
Thank you for the article on the County Council meeting yesterday. I found the use of the phrase “overwhelming support” in describing the public present is very misleading. There were about 18 people who spoke, not all of them angry about the chair position going to Arryl Kaneshiro.
The recent election of both Mason Chock and Arryl Kaneshiro was approximately 30,000 votes. Fewer than 18 were in favor of Mason Chock to be chair. Do the math. Eighteen of 30,000 (or about 15,000) is minuscule, not overwhelming.
I think inflammatory language in the news is what makes readers suspect the entire article/paper.
I am not favoring either one to be chair. I just believe accurate reporting is important. As for the undemocratic attitude and behavior of many of that 18, it is disappointing to once again have our island ethic of working together attacked.
Judith Fernandez, Kapaa
Just saw her cruising around Walmart…
Judith; How many of the 18 citizens who spoke at the meeting were in favor of Arryl Kaneshiro as the new chair, as opposed to those in favor of Mason Chock? Were the overwhelming majority of those 18 speakers in favor of Chock? If so, then the article was accurate. Why did you write your letter? What was your point? It was unclear.
God Bless the MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH,
MEANWHILE THE UNLAWFUL OCCUPATION OF THE BELLIGERENT USA CONTINUES TO THE TUNE OF $$$$$ WASTED ON EGOCENTRIC politicians….
Go to the truth, because the personal is the political and learn well…..
HAWAIIANKINGDOM.ORG
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA!!!!!
Ms. Fernandez- You seem to think that questioning authority is not such a great idea.
If your idea of our island ethic of working together is rolling over when corporate interests (Kaneshiro) and racist attitudes (Kagawa) should be elevated to Council chair and co-chair when the people’s candidate Mason Chock garnered the most support at the polls you have something else coming.
Shame on Kuali’i and especially Evslin for kowtowing to these power-hungry politicians and enabling them to assume these powerful positions. These miserable incumbents never once attended a public forum about their views and policies. Congratulations to Felicia Cowden for voting in opposition.
Here’s a math primer. If 18 people spoke at this meeting and 16 of them objected to railroading the nomination through, 16/18 or 89% of the speakers objected. These people care about Kauai and the direction it is heading. If even half of Kauai voters care about the shaft being given to Mason Chock, that is meaningful.
If 200 people show up at the Kauai War Memorial at noon on Monday Dec. 3, when the next meeting is scheduled, and 175 of them show their disappointment, will you claim that Chock has the support of only those 175?
Hold a meeting like that at 7PM and you may end up with 1000 disgruntled residents.
I do not know a single voter who supports the Kaneshiro/Kagawa power arrangement.
I suggest that every upset voter get in the face of Kauali’i and Evslin and ask how they can possibly justify their position. THEY are the ones who are attacking the ethic of working together to further the interests of voters who provided Mason Chock with the majority of votes.
Question authority, Ms, Fernandez, and we will all be better off.
Kaneshiro and many others are really Republicans who say they are either Independent or Democrat. It really is a joke these days. It is so horrible to be labeled a Repub here on island that the politicians won’t admit it. And, I think many people are having the wool pulled over their eyes. Wake up people of Kauai, our island is being ruined by these developer, build at all cost type of people!
Kauai Boy, you must be a transplant. The election is over, stop crying.
Dear Mary,
She was cared for and the system failed her.
She refuses help from anyone to include her son.
She once had a paid ticket home.
She refused to go.
She is still VERY much in need of medical care but refuses it.
She is only fooling the gullible ones.
She believes as long as people give her supplies…it’s God’s way of caring for her.
She doesn’t surprise me.
She proves how very broken our mental health system is.
She is choosing to die and as you sit idly by and enable her.
She breaks my heart.