Colorado: Where were the men?
Dear Editor: July 21, 2012
In a theater packed with hundreds, were there no men? Were there no grandfathers, fathers, brothers, sons, or uncles to shoulder their responsibility to protect their loved ones from harm?
Colorado is a Shall-Issue Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) state. Colorado law recognizes CCW permits from 28 other states. The expense is minimal and the training requirement is modest - less than the cost of a dozen movie tickets.
I am a CCW holder. I have taken it as my personal responsibility to protect my family and friends, neighbors and innocents, from those predators among us who would do us great harm. I have trained, and trained with, thousands of others just like me - men and women both, ordinary civilians from every walk of life - who willingly assume their duty to protect those they're responsible for, to be their family's first responders.
It is likely that one or several CCW holders returning fire could have slowed, deterred, or stopped the attack and saved more lives. Were there none of us in the theater? Did none of the patrons have a CCW? Or, did they, but left their pistols at home for reasons of comfort, convenience, or in response to a corporate-policy gun-prohibition of the mall or theater? If the former, then shame on them. They failed at their first duty. If the latter, then that company that prohibited the right of armed self-defense on its premises has blood on its hands and should be hounded financially and legally to reverse that policy.
It is impossible to predict when and where some deranged or drug-addled monster, some zealot on a mission for his religious or political cause, or even some "common" criminal - rapist, robber, or murderer - will intersect with our lives. It is up to us as adults, especially we men, to protect those we love and cherish from the predations of any who would do them harm.
James "Jim" O'Keefe
Hilo, Hawaii
Mr. O'Keefe is an NRA Certified Instructor and Training Counselor in Hilo. He currently serves as President of the Big Island Gun Club, and is a Director of the Hawaii Rifle Association, the NRA's Hawaii affiliate.
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Hemmings: Kayak Operators Greedy, Breaking Law
Dear Editor, July 19, 2012
Twogood Kayaks and other commercial operators who are greedily using public beaches and parks for personal business are breaking the law. They are destroying the publics right to use the beach and park and are contributing to changing Kailua from a residential community into a commercial folly. The community is united and vigorously fighting the long term to save Kailua. Recently passed laws if enforced will help. The long term solution is to stabilize tourism growth in Hawaii by establishing a reasonable "carrying capacity" and capping the number of visitor accommodations by county. The goal would be to have less tourist spending more money, not the opposite.
We must and we will save Kailua.
Fred Hemmings
Kailua, Oahu
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Dismayed by Passage of Ewa Development Plan
Dear Editor, July 12, 2012
It was an amazingly short meeting at the Planning Commission yesterday. Two weeks ago, at the Commission's first hearing on the Ewa Development Plan, they were so interested in all we were saying that Beadie Dawson made a motion to defer it, not to pass it through. Then they were told by their attorney that they they couldn't just put it off indefinitely; they had only 30 days to pass it or deny it. Wanting to have a more thorough discussion, they continued the meeting until two weeks later, yesterday. However, the public testimony portion had been closed, and this would be a meeting without any public input. My purpose in getting the article into the newspaper and on the news.coms on Monday and Tuesday was to give them plenty of material to talk about. But they didn't come back together to discuss at all, just to vote and get out of there. It was pretty surprising, and pretty disgusting. During this two weeks, they must have had multiple visits from developers and unions or instructions from David Tanoue at DPP.
Bob Stanfield of DPP was the only one called to speak. He said we had all had plenty of chance to send in comments since 2005, and that we had commented, which was true. He said that the plan was taken back to the Neighborhood Boards before being sent in to the Planning Commission in November. He neglected to note that during his presentation to the Boards, he told them that the comment period was already over. He also neglected to state that three Neighborhood Boards had voted for Resolutions asking the Planning Commission for postponement.
The questions were all asked by Beadie Dawson. She seemed to have had a complete conversion in the days since the last hearing. No one else was prepared to discuss anything. Nor did they have any interest whatsoever in discussing anything. How could they read all of those major problems in the article, and not ask one question? They were just itching to vote and get out of there.
So that was it. Someone called for the question. There was a unanimous vote to send the EDP ahead. And the meeting was adjourned. Ten or twelve minutes max.
Glenn Oamilda, John Bond, Cinnie Frith, Doris and I attended. It was quite a waste of gasoline and effort. A fellow named Dan Benedict had read the article and came in from the North Shore.
It was just one more realization that developers and unions control everything. They stack the Neighborhood Boards. They get themselves elected to the Council and the Legislature. They buy the majority of other legislators, the governor and the mayor. And they get themselves appointed to significant Boards and Commissions. This is not government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
How are we going to redirect the ship of state before it reaches the rocks? The only way is to change the captain and change the sailors, starting on August 11. We need to vote for the guys who have no union or developer support.
Dr. Kioni Dudley
Makakilo, Oahu
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Obamacare: Will Hawaii Spend Millions for Less Than Prepaid?
Dear Editor, July 5, 2012
Last election I wrote to Maize Hirono asking her not to vote for Obama care, which may cost Hawaii $80,000,000.00.
She answered, "Hawaii has 90% of people insured but Obama care would be close to that." And voted for it.
Again she'll probably say anything to get elected! Vote LINGLE in and we have a guaranteed vote against it and somebody who'll work for Hawaii not mainland interests as Maize consistently voted party lines,as I see it.
Larry Fillhart
Kapaa, Kauai
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