Letters: 2-22-16

Planned Parenthood would be good in Kona

And I pray that these people use some sense when trying to stop Planned Parenthood from reopening in Kona.

This organization isn’t about abortion, it’s about trying to stop it. Only 3 percent of the budget goes to abortions and if there is no planning, then there will be more abortions, not fewer — 35 percent of funding goes to provide contraception.

Hello, folks. If you don’t get pregnant, you don’t need to consider abortion. Planned Parenthood also funds cancer screening, STD testing and treatment and other women’s health services. I am “a concerned woman” and I am praying that Planned Parenthood does re-open in Kona.

Phyllis Hanson

Kailua-Kona

Cease the use of PTP as graduation requirement

As a student at Kealakehe High School, I am urging the Board of Education to cease the use of Personal Transition Plan (PTP) as a graduation requirement.

PTP is defined as “an individually designed and custom tailored plan of action for each high school student to move successfully from high school to postsecondary and/or career venues” (Department of Education). That’s a broad requirement, don’t you think? Kealakehe only took PTP one step up to make Principal Murakami look better, not to push their students.

The school obligation requires students to complete and upload seven “best works” a year, which was lowered from a staggering 14 best works a year, paired with a reflection of said work. At the end of senior year for class of 2019 (freshman this year), they should have 28 best works along with 28 reflections, 48 pieces of work uploaded total. Isn’t that a bit much?

Toward the end of senior year, students are required to undergo a PTP interview and must meet specific requirements in order to walk the line with their graduating class. Students are required to follow a strict dress code, share two of their best works (what’s the point of uploading 28 if nobody’s going to see them), and answer any questions asked. And if you fail PTP, kiss graduation goodbye.

It’s not fair to deny graduation to students who worked hard to obtain their credits but messed up their PTP. The stress of college and their upcoming adulthood life should be enough, but then they get slapped in the face because they didn’t wear a nice enough shirt to their interview? If it were solely up to me, I’d transfer to any other school because nobody else has such a rigorous and overrated PTP.

Sincerely,

Naia Bentley Hemsher

Kailua-Kona

Why trash paradise?

As a delighted repeat visitor to the Big Island from the snowy mainland, I am appalled and heartsick over the litter and trash I see everywhere.

You locals: how can you foul your own nest?

You visitors: how can you foul the paradise where you visit?

As the King of Siam said (movie, King and I) “Tiz a puzzlement.” Why? Why?

Donna Potter Phillips

Spokane Wash.

Park closures compared to dengue map senseless

Now that South Kona has been lowered to level orange (moderate risk) in the denge fever outbreak and North Kona being red (high risk), why haven’t Hookena or Honomalino beach been reopened ? I haven’t seen any beaches closed in North Kona where many people seem to be enjoying the beach as if nothing is going on. So what’s happening? Is there really an emergency on the island or just an emergency in South Kona?

David Miller

Honaunau

What Mr. Tom Beach doesn’t know about TMT and Mauna Kea

In a letter on Feb 17 in WHT, Tom Beach asks, “What is it about sacred that TMT advocates don’t understand?”

Mr. Beach goes on to accuse TMT advocates of “stepping on the necks” of protesters and desecrating their sacred place. He claims that TMT advocates “warp the law” and “get people with guns they will enforce the law.”

Mr. Beach calls Mauna Kea the church of the protesters and that TMT will be a desecration of their “holy place” and restrict their “religious freedom.”

Mr. Beach does not seem to know that a small area at the summit of Mauna Kea was set aside by the state of Hawaii in 1964 and leased to the University of Hawaii as a science reserve for astronomy.

Mr. Beach does not seem to know that for the past 60 years that Mauna Kea has been developed with roads and power to accommodate several major astronomical observatories built in that science reserve.

Mr. Beach says “the TMT people seem to think they can just come into another’s church and take over.”

Mr. Beach does not seem to know that TMT is following the path of previous observatories and has satisfied all the state requirements to locate a new observatory in the science reserve. TMT first applied for a permit to locate on Mauna Kea almost eight years ago.

Mr. Beach does not seem to know that the State of Hawaii has established strict environmental rules that must be satisfied by observatories on MK.

Mr. Beach does not seem to know that Mauna Kea is managed by the University of Hawaii through the Office of Mauna Kea Management (OMKM). They are charged with enforcing the environmental standards and providing infrastructure for the users of MK.

So now we know the answer to Mr. Beach’s question: “What is it about sacred that TMT advocates don’t understand?”

Mauna Kea is not sacred. No group of people have the right to designate a place sacred, that belongs to all the people of Hawaii. We know that Mauna Kea is not pristine as some suggest but has been a valuable and beautiful place for science, culture, hunting, skiing, hiking, for over six decades under management of the OMKM.

Jerry Smith

North Kohala

History lesson on sacred

I take exception to Tom Beach from Kamuela and his rant about the sacredness of Mauna Kea. I was born in Hilo in the mid-30s, my mother was born in Waimea (Kamuela was the post office) and her mother was born in Laupahoehoe during the reign of Kalakaua. I have a special feel for Hawaii Nei. I love to see the beauty of this island, the majestic mountains and the surrounding ocean. If Mauna Kea is sacred, it is perhaps sacred only to the Kilo Kilo (Hawaiian astrologers). The TMT is a fitting tribute to this sacredness; it is the best place in the world to view the heavens.

When you explore Hawaiian history, you can only marvel at the knowledge of the sky and stars the ancient Hawaiians had without the use of telescopic aids. For instance, if you study their calendar you would be amazed how they correlated the Makalii (Pleiades) with the winter solstice to calculate their new year.

As you know, the Kapu was abolished before the missionaries arrived and so there was no longer a Hawaiian religion. Also prior to the great Mahele, no one owned land except the Moi (king) and no makaainana (commoner) could proclaim anything as “sacred.” What you had on the mountain proclaiming sacredness were lawbreakers disrupting a legitimate undertaking on Mauna Kea.

What is it about sacred that the protesters cannot understand?

Bob Green

Waikoloa