Roth decision so sad
Well, I guess we are now heading down the slopes of Maunakea at full speed. Our Big Island prosecutor has decided to step aside from prosecuting the criminal cases for the law-breaking protesters on Maunakea. His reasoning is that he has a son working for a mainland company that has ties to TMT.
Mr. Roth, you are an elected official charged with upholding the laws of the County of Hawaii. You swore a oath to uphold those laws. Your son’s position has no relationship to your sworn duties and the duties of your office. You chose to run from the case because the pressure is too much. OK, turn it over to the next in charge. Resign your office and go and join the rest of the law breakers. Do not suppose for one minute that we can not see through the shibi you are fertilizing the field with.
Just come out and say it. “I want to be on the mountain.” Then clean out your desk and let the responsibility fall to someone who can do the job. Big Island people stand up before it’s too late. So sad in Kona.
Barry Christian
Kailua-Kona
Mess result of one society deciding it’s superior
Don Baker’s letter regarding Hawaiian cultural treatment after the takeover is a little disingenuous, as was done everywhere that one culture took over another culture, the first efforts were to assimilate the native populations by discouraging cultural practices, including the native language, that’s a fact.
Ted Johnson’s letter kind of hits the nail on the head, humans are the worst of all invasive species and on many levels, we are all the same, including Hawaiians.
When one society decides that their cultural practices are superior to others, we end up with the mess we have right now.
Hawaiians were here for a relatively short time. No one knows what Hawaii would be like in 2019 had the takeover not happened, none of this makes the loss of culture and identity any easier for these folks to swallow.
Anyone who is interested in this issue should read “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” by Dee Brown, a stark lesson in how we have treated other cultures.
Duane Sherman
Ocean View
Hotel: Request was for safety’s sake
We appreciate the opportunity to respond to the letter to the editor written on Sept. 18.
On behalf of Fairmont Orchid, we respect the public’s right to access Hawaii’s shorelines and apologize if our request was misunderstood. As safety remains a top priority for our team, we do request that individuals who choose to bring their own lounge equipment to the beach lower their umbrellas on days when the trade winds are strong, as it poses a safety hazard when they’re not properly secured in the sand. We appreciate your understanding and aim to extend the spirit of aloha to guests and other visitors.
Kelley Cosgrove, General Manager of Fairmont Orchid
Waikoloa