It is understandable, even laudable, for WHT to publish the various views of the community it serves. But the monthly “Constitution Corner” column by Mikie Kerr is the archaic and irresponsible rant of one person, originating from a few extremist, mainland wingnuts, not a community viewpoint. It belongs in the funnies section or by the enjoyable “Laughter Therapy” column of the good Dr. Bintliff.
Ms. Kerr’s recitations about our Constitution are grossly inaccurate, obscure and obtuse, contrary to historical and legal precedent, and contrary to over 100 years of both Republican and Democrat legislation and platforms. Not even the propaganda mill Fox News puts out such stuff.
For instance, Ms. Kerr’s April 20 column, “The income tax and how we got there,” refers to dismissed arguments of 100 years ago — no one seriously doubts federal taxing authority (to pay for roads, the military, Social Security and everything else). The debate is about how much tax and how to spend it. The extremely few misguided souls who throw out some crazy excuse for not paying their fair share of federal taxes end up with liens or in jail.
Thankfully, we don’t now live in the white, middle class, married, suppressed national voting isolated U.S. world of generations ago, for which Ms. Kerr’s writings nostalgically seem to yearn. The U.S. is diverse now, and other than in Hawaii, where no racial group dominates, a multi-ethnic democracy in which no particular ethnic group is in the majority and where political equality, social equality and economics that empower all, has not yet been fully built. Ms. Kerr should embrace the reality of diversity and should work for policies of social and economic equality. Ms. Kerr, being old, like me, is not an excuse for ignorance and a retreat into the “good old days,” which never were.
We need to talk together, compromise, unite to get things done together. Forced divisiveness, manufacturing false fears, attempts at voter suppression, misrepresentation to and misleading citizens and voters, crazies out of their minds with conspiracy theories, blaming and isolating the other guy, needs to cease.
If anybody reads and believes her screeds, Ms Kerr is contributing to divisiveness, chaos and “fake news,” contrary to an objective of working together on the national level to get things done.
WHT should encourage civil discussion of community viewpoints for the promotion of good government, not the periodic archaic and inaccurate rants of a singular extremist. That should be left to the occasional letter to the editor.
Mark Van Pernis is a resident of Kailua-Kona.
