• Theft at Kalalau adds insult to injury • Anti-GMO protesters are protecting our land, families • Second Amendment calls for gun regulation • $6 per gallon gasoline is on the horizon • No sympathy for Coco Palms theft Theft
• Theft at Kalalau adds insult to injury • Anti-GMO protesters are protecting our land, families • Second Amendment calls for gun regulation • $6 per gallon gasoline is on the horizon • No sympathy for Coco Palms theft
Theft at Kalalau adds insult to injury
So, just add insult to injury to the unfortunate victims of Mother Nature when their rental cars were vandalized by thugs having knowledge of the terrain.
With all this publicity somebody knows something about this crime. Stay tuned for justice.
Sandra J. Abrajano
Chicago, Ill.
Anti-GMO protesters are protecting our land, families
This letter is in regards to “Anti-GMO crazies think they’re above the law” printed Feb. 20.
I am a concerned citizen, not an expert. I read books and studies about what can contribute to cancer. My understanding of the “genetically modified organisms” industry is, in part, an experiment on how to splice plant DNA.
In the process making some hybrid plants that are more tolerant to pesticides and herbicides involve dousing the plant with a large amount of these poisons to see which ones will survive.
Our land has been sprayed with poison since the sugar cane days.
Even aerial spraying of pesticides was a common practice.
Do you think this is a good thing?
Is this something we want to continue doing for another 100 years?
I say enough already!
The studies are out and pesticides can contribute to cancer. Pesticides once in the body can mimic the hormone estrogen. Too much estrogen can cause cells to over formulate. Too many cells can lead to tumor growth.
So when the anti-GMO people are protesting, maybe what they are doing is trying to protect their children and loved ones from an industry that can contribute to cancer and other health problems. That doesn’t sound crazy to me. Continuing to poison our land, water and our people, now that sounds crazy.
Here’s a quote for you: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” It’s by Albert Einstein.
Linda Bothe
Kalaheo
Second Amendment calls for gun regulation
Ironic (isn’t it?) that Walter Lewis’ published opinion on the Second Amendment was followed the next day by Marwin Juan shooting his 3-year-old son in Honolulu.
The Second Amendment includes the preface, “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state …”
“Regulation” includes banning assault rifles.
“Regulation” includes banning 30-round clips.
“Regulation” means gun owners have to have liability insurance for the misuse of their gun.
“Regulation” means background checks.
“Regulation” means licensing, to be renewed every year, with an update to the background check.
“Regulation” means training on how to care for firearms.
Lastly, if people want to own a gun, then they need to be a member of a “well-regulated militia.”
John Zwiebel
Kalaheo
$6 per gallon gasoline is on the horizon
In an editorial in last Wednesday’s The Garden Island, it was predicted that we might have $5 a gallon gasoline since it will have to be purchased from the Mainland now that Tesoro is leaving. I think that price is way too low and that we may see $6 per gallon gasoline if Tesoro is allowed to leave without finding a suitable replacement.
The U.S. government forces airlines to provide flights to remote cities, why can’t they force Tesoro to stay on O‘ahu since we are certainly a remote part of what is claimed by the United States? I would think that with the military here and its needs, there is not just public interest at heart, but also defense interests.
Other questions come to mind as well. As with any refinery, there is always an amount of environmental damage caused during the import of oil and the refinery process.
Just what will Tesoro be required to do in the way of cleanup and why aren’t they required to do that now?
Has Tesoro made an effort to find a purchaser for their refineries here? If not, why not? And if so, what will be the continuing obligation of Tesoro from an environmental standpoint?
Finally, what has our governor done to ensure that we will have gasoline for our automobiles? I’d like to hear from him on this issue.
I guess it is time to buy an alternate fuel vehicle. Unfortunately, they are substantially more expensive than the one I drive now. Maybe I’ll just have to be satisfied paying $6 a gallon .
Marjorie Gifford
Princeville
No sympathy for Coco Palms theft
My husband and I came with the roofers from O‘ahu in 1992 to rebuild and restore Kaua‘i, and we did and stayed. My uncle was here in 1957 as a makeup artist with “South Pacific” and stayed at the Coco Palms. They had a wonderful time.
I heard many stories about the fabulous place it was. And for 20 years it has sat rotting and decaying for all of us to see. No one cared, no one did a thing!
Now you expect us to care that finally someone got four solid koa doors, and stole them, probably saving them from rotting, too. Are you serious? It’s about time someone did something and removed things that really are valuable. You are fools for leaving $200,000 worth of doors in an old, rotting building and the conch shell hanging and all the beautiful things that made it what it was.
Now the caretaker, who obviously isn’t doing his job, let something of value be stolen, even if it was in there 20-plus years.
You need to tear the place down, salvage all the beautiful things that are still there.
Do the people of Kaua‘i a favor: We don’t feel sorry for you. Someone just decided it was time to do something to salvage them. I am not a thief or approve of thieves and robbers by any means, but the owners and the insurance people who’ve been paying and keeping this property an eyesore and a sad state deserve what they get.
I don’t think its now front page news. Someone was right to remove something so beautiful from a dump. Get your act together, people.
Tear the place down. Do something to love this island’s beauty and not grumble when it’s sat there so long.
I’m amazed it took 20 years.
Tina Bartlett
Princeville
