Intolerant Politicians

by Joni Kamiya, Hawaii Farmers Daughter, July 20, 2018

As a public servant, isn’t it one’s job to listen to all constituents in their community? In the case of the anti-GMO politicians, they are quick to ban and censor criticism. I’ve been banned by Rep. Kaniela Ing, Sen. Russell Ruderman, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Kauai County Councilmember Gary Hooser, and now Sen. Josh Green. There is no tolerance for dissent in these circles and in the current environmental movement.

What gets me irate is how those claiming to represent the community only selectively listen to certain people, the loud squeaky wheels. I’ve even had a conversation with a candidate, Scot Matayoshi, about agriculture and fishing issues, only to be left with no response. That this person is running for office in my area and won’t even return emails to a potential constituent is very troubling. In mailers and fliers, he’s asking to represent Kaneohe-Kailua but doesn’t even respond back after telling me to send him info on my concerns. There is questionable integrity when people do not follow through on their word.

I’m thoroughly disillusioned by politicians who claim to support an issue but then on record vote otherwise. If one actually is honest, they’d act in a fair and reasonable manner. In political circles, it’s smile in your face then stab you in the back. It’s also likely why Hawaii has terrible voting numbers because the public is disgusted by what’s happening.

Just a few months ago, it was announced that two more people were diagnosed with rat lungworm disease and climate change may increase the risks. Not only do we have rat lungworm, but preventable diseases like mumps continue to increase -- to 1,000 cases as of July 5.

I would’ve thought that Sen. Josh Green, as a medical doctor, would bring attention to this public health problem. He himself has photos of being vaccinated but doesn’t even mention much about this? Why? I bet that being openly supportive of vaccinations would leave his anti-GMO supporters confused.

Then again, this man has used the autistic community as his main cause. He’s told people that it’s pesticides leading to this condition. Instead of saying vaccines, he’s turned the focus to pesticides. Forget any facts that farming families don’t have higher rates of autism but he’s been plastering his social media about protecting the aina from “toxic pesticides.”

I have to laugh because he was quoted in a news story that the Department of Health better be spraying schools for mosquitoes when dengue fever broke out. Now wait just a second. This man wants no farmers spraying pesticides but he’s fine with spraying pesticides in the schools?!  Mosquito sprays aren’t water and will kill things -- but that’s acceptable?

I’d love to see the day when he stands up for the evidence and actually educates the anti-GMO/vaccine folks. It would be awesome to see him post the fact that vaccines don’t cause autism. I know I’ll never see that because it would cause major cognitive dissonance in his supporters. He’d be eaten alive by the anti-vaccine folks brutally after a post like that. Then again, he will just block them.

It’s sad that a medical doctor had decided to participate in misinformation. He also blatantly ignores the resurgence of mumps that is indeed a public health threat or the poverty that hits his own county. He is a medical doctor who took an oath to do no harm. By not being truthful to the public, he is part of chemophobia campaigns contributing to rat lungworm disease when people ignore the utility of pesticides.

As I drive around seeing his signs on people’s yards, I can’t help but feel sad that they want this candidate in office. He represents a Hawaii run by outside influences coming via non-profit lobbying that has no transparency. With his participation with the Center for Food Safety, Sen. Green stands with people who deny technology in agriculture to the world and even blocks the Thirty Meter Telescope. (What food safety has to do with a telescope is beyond me!)

If he gets into office, I’m fearful for what the future holds. He doesn’t represent the local people. He’s representing a Washington, DC special interest group. He’s almost like the Dr. Oz of Hawaii.

The environmental movement in Hawaii leads to many unintended consequences when science is rejected. Go organic, they say, and that leads to anti-GMO, anti-vax, which turns into suffering. Those same organic touters are printing flyers on non-recyclable glossy paper using corporate-derived inks. Hypocrites, stating that they care for the environment, are filling landfills with wasteful, non-organic paper products.

I know the last mailer I got is going straight to the garbage dump to turn into power when burned up.

Intolerance runs rampant in politics and it absolutely disgusts me. Matt LoPresti is yet another intolerant politician. His opponent is our long-time supporter, Alicia Maluafiti.

He’s been caught stealing signs of his opponents before but is now resorting to sending Babes Against Biotech activists to community events set up by his opponent.

This event happened at 5:36 pm and shortly after, LoPresti posts a picture with Jessica Mitchell.

LoPresti claims Mitchell was kicked out of the event--ignoring the fact that she was being very rude and obnoxious. This is not her first time acting like this. She previously left a racist message on Senator Clarence Nishihara’s voicemail. On top of that, she was involved in a confrontation with Nalo Farms’ Dean Okimoto and verbally attacked farmer Shin Ho.

I somehow doubt she realizes how shameful her behavior is because it’s celebrated by LoPresti’s followers. They can’t be civil because they operate from emotion. Both LoPresti and Mitchell claim to hate GMOs but are always wearing, eating, and driving them.

While the Babes Against Biotech claim to be sustainable, it’s clear that they aren’t. Nomi Carmona, their leader, isn’t flaunting short skirts at ag hearings and smoking anymore. Maybe they’ve realized some of their hypocrisy.

Shin Ho is still farming and so are we. Thousands continue to enjoy eating what we grow and seeing fields instead of hotels. This election needs reasonable people supporting farms if we are to feed our communities. The ag community deserves support -- please show it in your vote!