Letters to the editor: 06-22-19

West Hawaii Today presents both sides

Peter Weber’s assertion that WHT is partisan because they print Ken Obenski’s opinion is blatantly devoid of facts! In fact, WHT prints op-eds of folks that are very right-wing defenders of Trump and the G.O.P.

WHT does report on issues of local, state, and national interest. To say that local and state Republicans do not reflect the attitudes of the national GOP is obviously false to anyone who listens to remarks by Republicans who ran for state and national office in 2016. They are like Siamese twins to the national party while claiming to think for themselves.

And oh, by the way, your opinion was printed in the WHT, wasn’t it, Peter?

Leslie Iijima

Waikoloa

No to TMT

I watched the press conference on June 20 of Gov. David Ige, Attorney General Clare Conners, DLNR head Suzanne Case, and UH President David Lassner on Maunakea and the Thirty Meter Telescope.

I felt it was very offensive for the state to destroy Hawaiian structures on Maunakea, especially without first having any dialogue with the people involved who built the structures. All of the government officials in the press conference talked about continuing the conversation, but their actions spoke much louder than their words.

There is no conversation.

Not once did any official mention the word “sacred” in conjunction with Maunakea. The government officials’ body language and facial expressions spoke volumes of their complicity in wrongs being committed against native Hawaiians. And frankly, I think the state official actions and the press conference did a disservice to what they are trying to accomplish.

In short, they poured fuel on the fire of injustice to the Hawaiian people and they have helped build the movement that says “respect the sacred.”

I ask all the government officials involved to please reconsider the course ahead. And I ask others, especially people of different faiths, to stand in solidarity with Hawaii’s host people to protect and respect Hawaii’s most sacred temple. No TMT.

Jim Albertini

Kurtistown