Letters | 11-2-14

Will Monsanto’s million dollar ad campaign fool you?

Will Monsanto’s million dollar ad campaign fool you?

Are you wondering why Monsanto is spending millions of dollars for those relentless fear-inducing radio and TV ads plus a TV show to fight Maui County’s genetically modified organism moratorium initiative? Is it because Maui has been ground zero for GMO testing and seed production for more than 20 years, mostly without public knowledge and now it has its hooks in so deep with the local farming community’s economy it believes it can scare them with the possibility of not existing anymore?

Monsanto is hoping for a dumbed-up, mindless public but, according to a recent Consumer Reports study, with 70 percent of Americans not wanting GMOs in their food and another 92 percent wanting to know if it is in their food, Monsanto is likely even more afraid. Where else would it be able to start a new GMO seed operation elsewhere in the U.S. now? Nowhere, I bet.

One of its major misleading assertions is about destroying farming altogether and especially since Hawaii needs its food crops. Monsanto crops aren’t about feeding Hawaii — they are virtually all patented seed crops, which leads to another misleading scare tactic. Its claim (voiced by ex-public servants — not current ones) that farmers could be hit with jail time and huge fines should they be found to accidentally have some GMO seed contamination makes me laugh.

In reality, it is Monsanto which is terrorizing non-GMO farmers by seeking out those who do not wish to buy their patented seeds in order to find evidence of accidental contamination and sue them.

The only thing I do agree with is that we should go online and read the initiative. You will find that it does make perfect sense and the strong use of the words “everyone and all” regarding the infractions are necessary in order to avoid loopholes in the law.

If you are thinking that this is merely a Maui problem, think again. With lawsuits pending on Kauai against its recent anti-GMO law and another possible suit to occur on Hawaii Island, Monsanto is counting on this current statewide ad campaign to confuse and influence public opinion on all islands as well.

But you won’t be fooled, will you?

Linda Raquinio

Ka‘u

E-cigarettes? Let’s work on the real issues

First off, I do vote for Dru Kanuha, but I’ve got to ask: What has all the smoking stuff got to do with running the county?

The fact is kids are going to find a way to get cigarettes and smoke. That has been going on forever and it is a parent’s concern. Let’s not become a “nanny” county.

There is still no real evidence, yet, that e-cigarettes are as foul as some try to make them out to be. I quote Mr. Dru Kanuha, “they feel their air is violated by the use of these devices.” Who the heck is they?

I say, if you’ve got to worry about something, worry more like Hugo Von Platen Luder said about the stupid leaf blowers and the guys that use them and cause real pollution plus big noise.

My point is there is more important stuff for Mr. Kanuha to go after and figure out for the people that vote for him than a smoking issue. Like fixing the homeless issue, the roads, or better yet, getting the roads built such as Queen Kaahumanu Highway. What happened to Alii Highway and now the Hokulea bypass road is again stalled?

All of you brought up in the ocean should go and get together with Mayor Billy Kenoi, the surfer, and remove the rocks from Laaloa (Magic Sands) and make it pristine like it was in the old days as a canoe landing.

Go solve all that pilikia and get things rolling.

Don’t worry Mr. Kanuha, I’m going to still vote for you, but you’ve got to work for all of us on the real issue.

Vernon Zane

Kona Palisades

Mahalo to students for cleaning path

When most boarding students who return home from school break head straight for the beach, not so with the Kamehameha students from West Hawaii. They joined forces with their parents and gave a big helping hand on Oct. 4, when they helped with a beautification project at the Makaeo Jogging/Walking Path. The southern section of the area needed work done to get the weeds that had taken over because of the sporadic rains we had been experiencing.

At the end of the time they had allotted to this project, the area looked beautiful and, I know, the students and parents were proud of the help they extended to keeping the path looking so beautiful.

The Kamehameha students have undertaken the beautification project at the site for three consecutive years during their break from school in early October. These students are learning the meaning of becoming responsible citizens of the community. Many thanks to them and their parents for the dedication and help they have extended.

Betty De Roy

Friends for Fitness

Kailua-Kona

GMOS must be banned from islands

Farmers on Maui are facing a ban on genetically modified organisms. Like Big Island farmers, they complain they will lose their livelihood if they can’t grow GMOs. Well, too bad for them.

The farmers are using the same logic and the same complaints as say, marijuana growers and opium farmers. Like GMOs, pot and opium have supported abundant economies, and like GMO farmers, pot and opium farmers complain all day long that banning their crops causes them to lose their livelihood, but too bad. These crops, like GMO (on Maui as a start) are deemed harmful and thus are outlawed.

At present, the Hawaii County Council wants to ban e-cigarettes because, “the possible negative effects have yet to be discovered.” Why didn’t they apply the same reasoning to GMO that carry the very same warning about negative effects. Where is the ban on these crops? The council members are such hypocrites.

An interesting side note, Napa County in California has banned genetically modified farming, its officials know it will ruin the wine grapes. Now Maui County wants a ban — it will catch on.

Jobs, farming and otherwise cannot be based on bad things. God knows what twisted morality allows alcohol and tobacco to be legal, but outside of these two hypocrisies, the rule is that bad things are made illegal.

Losing their livelihood or hurting the local economy is no reason to allow farmers to grow potentially dangerous crops. There are more important considerations than making money for local merchants. The public’s health is far more important and so is the problem of widespread plant mutation.

Prostitution, crack cocaine, car theft, GMOS — all could provide jobs for the community and help sustain the local economy, but harmful effects to society cannot be tolerated. As more detrimental things are discovered about GMOs, they may soon be tagged as illegal. In some places, they already are.

Don’t be swayed by the GMO farmers crying in the TV ads about losing their jobs. According to the rules of society, they aren’t supposed to have those jobs in the first place.

Dennis Gregory

Kona