Bare-faced double-standard
On Dec. 3, a bare-faced Mayor Harry Kim along with his entire office staff gathered closely to pose for a “class picture.” This is the same mayor we’ve heard for nine months relentlessly saying “we’re all in this together.” The same mayor we’ve listened to with constant Civil Defense updates telling us it’s now our kuleana to wear face coverings while maintaining social distance. This is the same administration who allowed several Hawaii Island men and women breathing freely to be arrested, fined thousands of dollars, harassed, and even required to wear an ankle bracelet. All this for simply breathing outside. Too many peaceful men and women have been ticketed, arrested and used to create state revenue for simply breathing without a mask.
What makes Kim (and his office of 11 employees) think they’re exempt from current prosecution? None of them look at all afraid or concerned about viral transmission. The rest of Hawaii Island is losing their homes or businesses. Most haven’t received unemployment while these pilau-ticians continue collecting paychecks and raises. This is all while the rest of us are being given weekly new restrictions (including more proposed fines).
Newspapers shamelessly printed Mayor Kim’s hypocrisy on their front page. Apparently, government employees are immune to COVID-19, and the “laws” they’ve created from thin air to profit wildly from it. More people are getting sick of these blatant double standards than are getting sick of COVID-19.
Corine Tilson
Kailua-Kona
Do as I say, not as I do
I read with interest the cover story on Sunday’s West Hawaii Today. The story of Harry Kim’s service to the Big Island was very heartwarming! Only problem is, the photo on the cover of Harry and his office staff is very disturbing and hypocritical – Harry is the single person in the photo with the most risk of dying from COVID-19 exposure (81 years old with six heart attacks), and, isn’t the mayor supposed to lead by example?
Let’s see, you and I have to wear a mask and social distance and not congregate in large groups — even for Thanksgiving and Christmas with our ohana. In the photo, not one person out of 12 is wearing a mask or staying at least 6 feet apart.
Absolutely disgusting. So now we know that Harry isn’t some great multi-year leader of Hawaii Island, but just a regular politician hypocrite, just like all of the Democratic “leaders” on the mainland.
They will tell you what is “good for you,” and you will do it. They don’t have to do it though, because they are “different” than you.
Wilson Pepper
Keauhou