Terrorism difficult to defeat
Terrorism is a religion based on hate, frustration, or greed. Terrorists around the world and throughout history have cloaked their sins with the aura of whatever religion, or ‘ism, that surrounds them. Unfortunately, most terrorism is committed by disorganized rabble and is as difficult to defeat as a contagion. The battle against them is like the battle against any other vermin — it can’t be won unless you kill every last one of them.
Ken Obenski
Kaohe, South Kona
Retain Mich Roth as prosecutor
I am writing is support of retaining Mitch Roth as county prosecutor. I have known and worked with Mitch for about 10 years. He was single-handedly responsible for a substantial grant from the federal government which many, many communities around the country were denied.
During the use of this grant we established or rejuvenated Neighborhood Watch groups all around the island. We held workshops on problem solving with communities, enhanced communication between communities and Community Policing, and taught workshops on facilitation of meetings to avoid chaos and misunderstandings. With this empowerment in place, communities increased reporting of suspicious activities which led to many drug houses being shut down.
He has been influential in developing methods to prevent and report crop theft which farmers can use, and attends Neighborhood Watch meetings regularly.
While courtroom time is important, there are many capable prosecutors in both the Hilo and Kona offices who do a great job. In real life, reduced sentencing is many times the most sensible way to achieve convictions and get bad actors off the street.
The county prosecutor is the voice of law and order, but it is also the liaison to the community to provide information on the law, to encourage participation in the enforcement process, and to see reporting crime and providing testimony as our duty as citizens.
Being “tough on crime” is not a compelling reason to change prosecutors when the one we have is doing a great job.
Louise Winn
Honaunau
Saddened by fishing ban protests
I was really saddened to read about Palikapu Dedman’s protest against the ban on fishing at Kaupulehu. Here is someone who could make a positive impact on the native Hawaiian community and he is being so selfish and negative, especially when he says “And if there ain’t no fish, that is not my fault, and they don’t stop me from my practice.” He also says that it violates his native Hawaiian gathering rights.
Years ago, when I supported the Protect Kohanaiki Ohana to curb development at Pine Trees, that argument was used a lot. I was unfamiliar with it so I asked Leinaala Keakealani what that meant. Leinaala’s family lived at Kaupulehu for generations and she said it was a Western concept, not Hawaiian. Before Western contact, the Hawaiians were ruled by the alii. If the alii placed a kapu (ban) on fishing at Kaupulehu, that was it. The punishment for breaking a kapu was usually death.
So unless you could make it to a place of refuge Mr. Dedman, you would have been a dead man.
Calvin Lai’s statement that he sees no depletion of fish at Kaupulehu is complete hogwash. In 1972, before Queen Kaahumanu Highway was built, I made a three-day hike from Puako to the Kona airport. What I saw when I camped on the south side of Kahuwai Bay at Kaupulehu was amazing. At high tide there would be a huge school of fish feeding on the reef. Hundreds of them with their tails sticking out of the water as they ate the limu. On the north side of the bay, I could stand in knee deep water and peel opihi koele off the rocks that were the size of small plates to roast on the campfire.
All of that is gone now. Never to be seen again. So let’s go ahead with this kapu on fishing at Kaupulehu. Let’s do what the ancient Hawaiians would have done, which is to preserve our precious resources. They were the ultimate conservationists. They could even take feathers from birds without killing them. Amazing. Why don’t you do something positive Mr. Dedman, like rebuilding, restoring or maintaining some of the beautiful fishponds that still exist on our island? That way you could stock them and take your lunch from there.
Cecilio Libadisos
Waikoloa