Ethnic jokes part of Hawai‘i
Born and raised in Hawai‘i and having grown up with the comedy of Frank, Mel, Andy, Rap and, most-recently Augie and Jo Koy, I understand that the perceived intent can diverge sharply from the actual intent, not just in stand-up comedy, but also in everyday life by the rest of us.
Because of the diversity of ethnic groups who live here, we who grew up here in Hawai‘i can admit that every ethnic group has characteristics that can make you chuckle.
If we take ourselves and each other a little less seriously, we can reduce the misunderstandings over intent and ultimately form real relationships instead. Lightening up a little takes a lot of courage, but in the long run it’s worth it.
Wayne Delos Santos, Lihu‘e
Our current COVID-19 policy is a joke
OK, now I am convinced that Mayor Kawakami and his administration are even more messed up than I thought.
I wondered why there was no precise data on requirements for returning residents on the county site for COVID restrictions. Everything was geared for tourists (little Powerpoint graphs).
Now I know, as it is a total farce with absolutely no science behind it! A tourist can get a negative test 72 hours before arriving, go to a “resort bubble” and pay over $400 a night to stay there, test negative in another 72 hours and be out of quarantine.
However, a resident, even with a negative test in the same 72-hour, pre-flight period, is required to quarantine for 10 days in my COVID-free home! Why can’t I go to the War Memorial testing site and get a test 72 hours after arriving like a tourist ? Apparently, the county is more interested in the comfort and convenience of tourists than of the residents who pay their salaries.
Or, you can take a test on the mainland, fly to an outer island like O‘ahu with high COVID rates and stay 72 hours (like we can all afford that), take another test, and if negative, fly here with NO quarantine restrictions! Please explain what sense this makes. Seems like a ploy to feed business to the island hotels to me.
Prior to leaving five days ago to attend my sister’s funeral in Central New York, I diligently filled out and electronically signed the special “Kaua‘i county” online arrival form, and I also got a negative test here. I had filled out the New York arrival form (hard copy), handed it in at Syracuse, showed my negative test, and was on my way in less than a minute.
Prior to leaving for my return, I took an approved test (negative) 48 hours before my flight (waste of time and money, I now realize). Upon landing in Lihu‘e, I find that I was supposed to have received some QR code on my phone that I never got. Another “glitch” in their “fine-tuned” system. One hour later, after struggling with personnel who seemed to know less about the system than I did, I finally was able to leave.
Thankfully, we will be entering into the statewide “Safe Travels” program on April 5. In my opinion, the county should NEVER have been given the right to “opt out” of this system for the messed-up, out-of-control fiasco we have now. I hear people joking about Kaua‘i being a “third-world country.” Now I understand what they mean!
Michael Peyatt, Wailua
