Long ago in a galaxy not so far away …
The Star Wars music booms, broad white words slide into space telling the plot, “Princess Rebecca continues to fight the evil battlestar Big Ag as it sprays the poison glyphosate on public parks and schools across the galaxy.
Glysophate, better known as Round Up, is deadly to human life and is threatening the galaxy. All seems lost as dark Lord Veta stands up for Big Ag’s deadly actions in the senate.
Princess Rebecca must prevail on the senate to dispell Lord Veta’s lies about the benefits of the poison, or the entire galaxy will wither and die … ”
Princess Rebecca’s rallying cry inspires the resistance. She stands on the senate floor and shouts, “The worlds will be screwed if we continue to kill the soil of our lands!”
That’s her big message, and a good one it is.
She is opposed by the benevolent ruler of the house, Master Hari Kim who says that he cannot support a ban on a supposed safe herbicide already in use.
He says, “We need to study this subject more before I ban it.”
Master Kim is oblivious to the fact the deadly effects have been studied for 50 years in every corner of the galaxy, Hari doesn’t get it. He’s been on Planet Hilo too long.
He vetoes the ban and glyphosate continues poisoning people across the galaxy. Big Ag has won for now, the caped minion Lord Veta is pleased. He is paid 20 pieces of silver galactic coins.
Princess Rebecca, temporarily defeated, is not one to give up. She storms out of the senate and shouts out the familiar phrase, “I’ll be back!”
In time she rallies the resistance and finally Big Ag (riculture), Lord Veta are defeated and glyphosate is banned forever. It will never again poison public parks or schools where children play.
Princess Rebecca and her partner, Blake Solo, jump into the Millenium I’o and zoom into space.
Star Wars Music blares, the credits roll up. The movie is over.
The movie called The Big Ban is based on true events. Princess Rebecca in real life is Rebecca Villegas, Hawaii County councilwoman, who in 2019 introduced a ban on pesticides on the island.
It was Bill 101. She saw the danger of spraying pesticides by schools and parks wanted them all to be gone but banning them all it was too much at once. The council, bowing to the whims of politics, voted it down.
The spraying continued but Ms. Villegas would not be stopped. Like the princess in the movie she kept fighting to save the island from harmful glyophosate. When Harry Kim left she saw her chance, the new mayor would go for it. She charged forth again.
She introduced the ban calling it Bill 91. There was one hold out against the bill, a veterinarian farmer on the council. He sided with Big Agriculture and despite overwhelming support for the ban, he voted no, wanting the spraying to go on.
Finally, the big moment came for the vote. Rebecca Villegas’ heart was pounding.
It was a string of yes votes, The vote was 8 to 1. The gavel came down, the bill passed!
As of July, the poison will no longer be used in parks here.
Rebecca had done it. She had help from friends, Blake Watson and councilwoman Ruggles, but She never gave up, and our island is safer now because of her heroic effort. Mahalo to you.
Princess Rebecca saved the galaxy!
Dennis Gregory writes a bi-monthly column for West Hawaii Today and welcomes your comments at makewavess@yahoo.com