Editor’s note: This letter was sent in November, but was not published. A letter by the author referring to this letter was printed on Dec. 16
Norm Chow and previous coaches have done a very good job at coaching the University of Hawaii football teams. Many having done outstanding jobs. It’s easy for UH to fire someone they say has not performed well, but have any of the “powers to be” (Board of Regents, etc.) at the university ever come forward to expose to the public the real reason why the university’s football program has always failed or been on the verge of failure? It is not money, which the university just throws around unwittingly.
The reason is simply because there is no talent to be gotten by recruitment in the islands or from the mainland. Why play here, in Hawaii, when one who has talent can be recruited to play with a top rated college on the mainland? Just look at all the Hawaiian talent playing diversified sports on the mainland, this season alone.
So why, Mister University, do you and the press continue to baloney yourselves and the people and keep firing coaches when the cause is, simply put, a lack of talent to compete with the mainland colleges? Hell, not being a betting man, I would bet anyone that there are a couple of high school teams that would beat today’s UH football team.
UH and those of us in Hawaii have to accept that all that football money would be better spent on such sports of importance as volleyball, swimming, shooting and others. Sports that the UH could win.
On another tangent, does anyone care that the traffic congestion keeps building and worsening every year here on the Big Island? Again, it is no secret that it is because of such entities, to name but two, like the Burial Council and the Archaeology Commission under the State Historic Preservation Division, who both need their leashes shortened.
Our Constitution (Fifth and 14th Amendments “not to be deprived of property”) means that when you own property it is yours to do what you wish with as long as it follows written law (as in subdividing, etc.). It does not say that one must build a shrine or a monument and maintain it for some other family on your fee simple property.
Take, for example, the widening of Queen Kaahumanu Highway from Kealakehe (Honokohau Boat Harbor) to the airport. If things had proceeded as originally planned, this first portion would have been done years ago. More than likely, two other increments would have followed and been completed to where the widened highway could probably now be in the area of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai and hopefully in line to move further on toward Kawaihae.
This same thing has happened and is still happening to the supposed Kailua Village bypass that has been in limbo for some 50 years (that is half a century) while you, the citizen, suffers a continued growth in congestion.
The Kailua bypass has become verboten. The politicians, the Chamber of Commerce, village association and you, the people, won’t even touch that subject with a 40-foot pole. All because of some bones that are not even bones of an alii. What does one think would have happened if bones were found in the way during the construction of the Kings Trail around the island, huh?
The mayor could learn a lesson from our illustrious president and during his incumbent years work on his legacy by pushing legislation to stop this half century of dillydallying and get the Kailua bypass in motion. Like in football, get the play in motion, forward motion.
Talking about congestion, here is a closing question: What would the roads and highways be like if all roads and highways were made to go around every bone found in this country?
Hugo von Platen Luder is a resident of Holualoa.
My Turn opinions are the views of the writer and not necessarily of West Hawaii Today.