Thumbs up to Kelly
Kelly Greenwell (My Turn, July 24) is right on. His wisdom may seem out there. But he is so correct on Maunakea. He has seen more than most of of us here.
David Hirt
Waikoloa
Coercion not the way forward
How can we, who do not own the mountain presume to tell those who do own the mountain what is righteous for the mountain and for the owners of the mountain. It is extreme arrogance that allows such a presumption. We must set aside the claims for scientific exploration and progress and educational opportunities. The state, the county, the DLNR, Hawaii Supreme Court, the body of western law, the governor, the University of Hawaii do not own Maunakea. Hawaiians own Maunakea. The government people with guns could and still might force Hawaiians to surrender their ownership of the mountain to the government. That does not supersede the Hawaiian’s righteous claim to their mountain. The paternalistic attitude of the state is similar to a slave owner’s claim to know what is best for the slave. Wrong.
Hawaiians should and must ask their entire statewide membership and decide what is right for their mountain. Those who wish to use the mountain should respect their decision. Any other course is not righteous.
I have faith that Hawaiians know what is righteous for their mountain.
That is the just way to proceed. Coercion is not the way forward.
Tom Beach
Waimea
Officials with no spines
As an lifelong liberal Democrat, I can’t seem to get the image burned into my brain of the spineless Lt. Gov. Josh Green bowing down to the lawbreakers of Maunakea by bringing up Band-Aids and cotton balls in the obvious photo op. Does Green plan on setting up an infirmary up there? Green said he has family up there. Oh, really, Josh? And who were they?
It wasn’t your wife or kids but maybe someone you met once who you now call family because you want everyone to like you. We all know you want to be governor some day and you want to pretend you’re on everybody’s side.
And later, the fearful Gov. David Ige waltzes up to the mountain and exchanges breath with some teenager in a loincloth. What an embarrassment to our state. I was flabbergasted that our governor and his sidekick Green would even talk to the lawbreakers.
And now movie stars are getting in on the action. Doing photo ops with protesters. Maybe TMT should pull out, leave Hawaii Island as the county with the highest per capita of welfare recipients in the state. And all the protesters up there, did they take leave of absence from their jobs?
Wow, I hate to say it but makes me long for the days of Linda Lingle. She would have cleaned up the mess up there quick.
Tombo Lono
Milolii